Late payment interest: what you can charge on an overdue payment
Enter the amount, due date and payment date: see the days overdue and the 5% annual interest set by the Swiss Code of Obligations, with a line ready for your reminder.
How it is calculated
Late payment interest is worked out like this: outstanding amount × annual rate × days overdue ÷ 365. On CHF 1’000.- paid 60 days late, at 5% it comes to CHF 8.22.
The statutory rate is 5% a year (Art. 104 of the Swiss Code of Obligations), unless the contract sets a different one. The debtor is in default from the due date if a specific payment date was agreed; otherwise from the formal reminder (Art. 102 CO). No further interest is charged on late payment interest (Art. 105 para. 3 CO).
On small amounts the interest is often just a few francs: what matters more is that the person can pay straight away. With the payment reminder templates you prepare the text for WhatsApp or email, with a payment link for TWINT or card.
Frequently asked questions
If a specific due date was agreed, from the day after it. Without a fixed date, the debtor is only in default after a formal reminder, that is once you have asked for payment (Art. 102 CO).
Only if it was agreed, for example in the contract or in terms and conditions accepted by the customer. Without an agreement, the 5% a year in Art. 104 CO applies.
No. The Code of Obligations rules out interest on late payment interest (Art. 105 para. 3 CO): it is always calculated on the outstanding amount.
For large amounts or long delays, yes, ideally mentioned already in the reminder. On membership fees and small invoices it usually brings in only a few francs and can strain the relationship: a link to pay straight away often works better.
No. The calculation runs in your browser and we neither send nor store amounts or dates.
