Chasing an unpaid invoice: 3 email templates and a letter

No French rule sets a reminder schedule: service-public.fr even points out that a reminder is not a prerequisite for a formal notice. The schedule below is a common practice, to adapt to your customers.

Between businesses, the law is on your side: late payment penalties are due from the day after the due date, without reminder, and a €40 fixed fee is added for each invoice paid late.

Replace the placeholders in brackets. Attach the invoice every time and write to the department that pays, often accounts payable, as well as your usual contact.

Between businesses, late payment has a price set by the French commercial code (articles L441-10 and D441-5), detailed by service-public.fr in its page on payment terms, checked on 7 August 2026.

As an illustration, pro rata to the days late: an invoice of €2,400 due on 30 September 2026 and paid on 30 October, 30 days later, bears penalties at 12.40% of 2,400 × 12.40% × 30 / 365 = €24.46, plus the €40 fee.

With a consumer customer, the €40 fixed fee does not apply: service-public.fr reserves it for business customers.

A formal notice demands payment formally. Service-public.fr cites three forms: a summons by a commissaire de justice, a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt containing a sufficient demand, or a clause in the contract. No deadline is imposed: set a precise one, for example eight days, and keep the acknowledgement of receipt.

If it has no effect, two routes exist:

• the simplified procedure for small claims, by a commissaire de justice, up to €5,000: if the debtor agrees within a month, an enforceable title is issued;
• an order for payment: between traders, an application to the commercial court (or economic activities court), no lawyer required, €33.47 in court fees; the debtor has one month to object after service.