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First reminder: invoice no. RE-2026-001 of …
Dear Sir or Madam,
Invoice no. RE-2026-001 of … for €1,190.00 was due on …. Despite a payment reminder, no payment has arrived yet.
Please transfer the total of €1,190.00 by ….
Kind regards
Payment reminder template with an interest calculator
Pick the stage, enter the invoice, done: the template writes your reminder or dunning letter (Mahnung) and calculates the default interest. Print, save as a PDF or copy.
Your reminder
Stage
Client is
Letter language
Invoice
Default starts when the first reminder reaches the client, at the latest 30 days after the due date and receipt of the invoice (for consumers only if the invoice says so), or after a payment date agreed in the contract. A date that is only on the invoice is not enough on its own.
Your details
Client
Preview
Default interest: 9% · Base rate 0%, plus 9 percentage points
Reminders that write themselves
Norman reminds your clients of open invoices automatically, in the Klein and Pro plans. Writing invoices is free.
Start for freeHow dunning works in Germany
Payment reminder
Friendly, shortly after the due date. Often the client simply forgot the invoice.
First reminder
Set a new deadline. If the client is in default, you charge default interest and, for businesses, a €40 flat fee.
Final reminder
Say what follows after the deadline, for example a court payment order (Mahnbescheid).
Court payment order
You apply online at the responsible court. If the client neither pays nor objects, an enforcement order follows.
Default, interest and fees
Default: starts when your first reminder after the due date reaches the client, at the latest 30 days after the due date and receipt of the invoice (§ 286 BGB). For consumers the 30 days only apply if the invoice says so. A payment date that is only on the invoice is not enough on its own.
Default interest: 5 percentage points above the base rate for consumers, 9 percentage points for businesses (§ 288 BGB). Since 1 July 2026 the base rate is 1.52%.
€40 flat fee: you may charge businesses as soon as they are in default (§ 288 (5) BGB), but not consumers. It counts towards later lawyer or collection costs.
Reminder fees: Only actual costs such as printing and postage, and not for the reminder that causes the default. Your own time does not count.
FAQ
How many reminders do I have to send?
No set number. One reminder is enough to put the client in default if they are not already. Many still send a friendly payment reminder first.
How high is German default interest?
Since 1 July 2026 the base rate is 1.52%. Default interest is therefore 6.52% a year for consumers and 10.52% for businesses. The base rate changes on 1 January and 1 July.
What is the difference between a payment reminder and a Mahnung?
Legally none: a payment reminder is a Mahnung if it clearly asks for payment. The name only changes the tone.
Do I have to send the reminder by registered mail?
No, there is no required form; email works too. Because you must prove receipt in a dispute, registered mail pays off for the final reminder.
Can I charge a reminder fee?
Only your actual costs such as printing and postage, and not for the reminder that causes the default. From businesses in default you may charge the €40 flat fee instead (§ 288 (5) BGB).