Payment periods between professionals and late payment penalties

Verified 07 August 2026 - Entreprendre Service Public / (Prime Minister), Ministry of Economy

In principle, the payment period is 30 days from the receipt of the goods or the performance of the services. Professionals may agree to a longer period of time within certain limits. Specific deadlines also exist for certain sectors of activity. In case of late payment, penalties may be due.

The payment period is period within which it is possible to pay for the goods or services acquired.

The terms of payment are negotiated in contracts between professionals. The payment period must be indicated on the invoice and in the general terms and conditions (CGV).

FYI  

When the payment deadline is not respected by the professional customer, late penalties and collection fees are applied.

In certain sectors of activity, specific payment periods shall apply. Apart from these cases, professionals can agree on the choice of a payment term within the limits laid down:

1Check if a specific payment term applies

The specific payment periods concern the following sectors of activity:

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Food, agricultural and beverage products

The payment period varies depending on the type of food or drink sold.

Tableau - Specific payment deadlines

Type of food

Payment term

Perishable agricultural products

Perishable food products

Frozen or frozen meat

Frozen fish

Cooked dishes

  • 30 days from delivery
  • In case of recurring billing :
    • 30 days after the end of the decade
    • For seasonal fruits and vegetables: 30 days from the end of the month of delivery

Live cattle and fresh meat for consumption

  • 20 days from delivery date

Alcohol subject to consumption duties (e.g. armagnac, cognac, brandy, gin, rum, vodka)

  • 30 days from the end of the month of delivery

Non-perishable agricultural and food products

  • If the invoice is made by the supplier: 60 days from the date of issue of the invoice
  • If the invoice is made by the buyer: 60 days from the date of delivery

Transport

The payment period may not exceed 30 days from the date of issue of the invoice in the following sectors:

  • Road freight transport
  • Car rental with or without driver
  • Freight forwarder
  • Freight Forwarder
  • Shipping Agent
  • Air Cargo
  • Freight Broker
  • Customs Broker

Please note

The types of transport that are not mentioned above follow the traditional rules of payment terms.

Agro-equipment

Sales between agro-equipment manufacturers, builders and importers and specialist distributors and repairers are subject to specific company deadlines:

  • For equipment for the maintenance of green spaces: 55 days end of month from the date of issue of the invoice
  • For agricultural equipment (excl. tractors and transport and livestock equipment): 110 days end of month from the date the invoice is resigned

Please note

Sales that are not mentioned above follow the classic rules of payment terms.

Sports equipment for gliding on snow

For deliveries of equipment necessary for the practice of snow sports carried out before the opening of the season of activity, the balance of the invoices is payable within a period of 90 days from the date of issue.

This applies to sales between suppliers and companies whose activity is exclusively or almost exclusively seasonal.

Please note

Sales that are not mentioned above follow the classic rules of payment terms.

Leather industry

Sales between suppliers and distributors specializing in the leather sector are subject to a payment period of 54 days end of month from the date of issue of the invoice.

Please note

Sales that are not mentioned above follow the classic rules of payment terms.

Watchmaking, jewelry, jewelry and goldsmithing

Sales between suppliers, manufacturers, importers or wholesalers and specialized distributors are subject to one of the following deadlines depending on the billing period:

  • 59 days end of month from the date of issue of the invoice.
  • 74 net days after the date the invoice resigns.

Please note

Sales that are not mentioned above follow the classic rules of payment terms.

Toys

Sales between manufacturers and distributors are subject to one of the following deadlines:

  • For invoices issued during the period from January to September inclusive: 95 net days from the date of issue of the invoice.
  • For invoices issued during the period from October to December inclusive: 75 net days from the date of issue of the invoice.

Please note

Sales that are not mentioned above follow the classic rules of payment terms.

2Without specific deadline, choose the payment deadline

In principle, the payment period is 30 days from the receipt of the goods or the performance of the services.

However, the supplier and the buyer may agree on a payment period different from the 30-day period.

The time limit may be:

  • less than 30 days (e.g. cash payment at the time of delivery or performance of the service).
  • from 45 days end of month from the date the invoice was issued. This must be stated in the contract and not constitute an abuse of the supplier.
  • from 60 days from the date of issue of the invoice. This must be indicated in the CGV through a clause or agreed between the 2 professionals
  • from 90 days from the date of issue of the invoice for sales of goods for delivery outside l' carried out by a professional TVA-based franchise. This must be stated in the contract and not constitute an abuse of the supplier.

The supplier and the purchaser of the same sector may agree that the date of departure of the payment period is the date of receipt of the goods or the date of performance of the provision of services.

Please note

The professionals are therefore free to choose a different payment period than 30 days. However, this should be clarified in the general terms and conditions (CGV) the seller or in a contract between the seller and the buyer.

When the chosen deadline is 45 days end of month, 2 calculation methods are possible:

  • End of the month in which the invoice was issued plus 45 days
  • End of the month you fall on after adding a 45-day delay to the invoice issue date

Example :

An invoice is issued on 1er August 2026. If a payment period of 45 days at the end of the month is chosen, the period will end on a different date depending on the calculation method applied:

1. End of the month in which the invoice was issued plus 45 days :

We add 45 days from August 31, 2026, the buyer has until October 15, 2026 to pay the supplier.

2. End of the month to which the invoice relates after adding a period of 45 days to the date of issue of the invoice :

It takes 45 days from 1er August 2026, which leads to September 15, 2026. The buyer therefore has until September 30, 2026 to pay the supplier.

The buyer and the supplier must first agree on the method of calculation used to avoid confusion.

FYI  

In the case of recurring invoices, the maximum period shall be 45 days from the date of issue of the invoice.

In some cases, professionals may decide to establish an acceptance or verification procedure to certify the conformity of goods or services. The duration of this procedure must not exceed 30 days from the receipt of the goods or the performance of the services. This period may be extended if this is provided for in the contract and it does not constitute an abuse for the supplier or the buyer.

This acceptance or verification procedure may not change either the duration of the payment period or the starting point of the period unless this has been provided for in the contract and it does not constitute an abuse vis-à-vis the supplier or the buyer.

In case of late payment, the buyer is exposed to late penalties and to one lump sum recovery costs to be paid to the supplier.

Calculation of late penalties

Delay penalties and conditions of application must be indicated in the general terms and conditions (CGV) of the supplier.

The late penalties shall be a financial penalty which shall apply for each day of late payment. They are calculated from the day after the payment date indicated on the invoice date.

Late penalties may not be less than 3 times the legal interest rate, which corresponds to 8.25%. The French Commercial Code recommends using the key interest rate of the European Central Bank (ECB) as the rate for late payment penalties increased by 10 points.

Warning  

The key rates of the European Central Bank (ECB) do not move at half-yearly rates: they can be changed at any time depending on monetary policy decisions.

To calculate the late penalties, we use the ECB refinancing rate (or refi rate) in force on two fixed dates :

  • on 1er January to determine the rate applicable to 1er semester
  • on 1er July to determine the rate applicable in the second half of the year

This refinancing rate is then increased by 10 points.

Thus:

  • for the 1er half-year 2026, the refinancing rate in effect at 1er january is 2.15% (unchanged from 2e semester 2025), which leads to a penalty rate of 12.15%
  • for the 2e half-year 2026, the refinancing rate in effect at 1er july is 2.40%which leads to a penalty rate of 12.40%

FYI  

Late payment penalties can be applied without having to make a reminder of payment or without having to send formal notice.

Flat-rate recovery allowance

One flat-rate recovery fee is also applied. Its amount is equal to €40. This compensation must be mentioned in the supplier's general terms and conditions of sale (CGV) and on the invoices it issues.

It applies to every invoice that has not been paid on time. On the other hand, it applies only once and not every day of delay.

It can only be applied to acts of commerce (e.g. buy-resale). However, it does not apply to commercial leases and rent-to-own leases.

Where the recovery costs exceed the amount of the indemnity, then the supplier may request a additional compensation on supporting documents. This should not be mentioned on invoices and CGV.

Allowances are not subject to TVA: titleContent.

FYI  

The lump sum compensation is payable even in the case of partial payment of the invoice.

THE COMPANY is liable to an administrative fine when it:

  • fails to meet statutory payment deadlines or the deadline agreed between the supplier and the buyer when it complies with regulations
  • does not indicate in its general terms and conditions (CGV) late payment penalties and lump sum compensation for recovery costs
  • provides for a rate of late payment penalties or non-compliant terms and conditions
  • applies procedures for calculating or assessing payment periods which do not comply with the rules laid down by law

The administrative fine may be:

  • For an individual business (EI): €75,000. This amount shall be increased to €150,000 in the event of a repeat offense within 2 years of the date on which the 1re The sanction has become final.
  • For a business: €2 million. This amount shall be increased to €4 million in the event of a repeat offense within 2 years of the date on which the 1re The sanction has become final.

FYI  

In the event of non-compliance, the administrative authority may compliance injunction the company and impose an administrative fine.

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