Resources

Late-payment rules by region

A short, informational overview of B2B payment-term rules in the main markets Receivly serves. Rules change and have exceptions: check the official text or a professional before relying on them.

European Union

• Directive 2011/7/EU: B2B payment terms should not exceed 60 days unless expressly agreed and not grossly unfair; 30 days when no date is agreed.
• Statutory interest: the central bank reference rate plus at least 8 percentage points, without a reminder.
• Fixed compensation of at least €40 per late invoice for recovery costs. Public authorities: 30 days (60 in limited cases).

Source: Directive 2011/7/EU

United Kingdom

• Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998: statutory interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 8%, plus fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the debt.

Source: GOV.UK — late commercial payments

United States

• No general federal rule for B2B terms; interest and late fees depend on the contract and on state law (usury limits vary by state).
• Debt collection rules (FDCPA) mainly protect consumers; B2B collection must still avoid harassment and misleading statements.

Source: FTC — debt collection

Morocco

• Law 69-21 (amending the Commercial Code): default term of 60 days from invoice date, up to 120 days if agreed (longer for some sectors).
• Late-payment penalty linked to Bank Al-Maghrib’s key rate plus a monthly increment; companies above revenue thresholds must declare late invoices, with fines for failing to do so.

Source: Law 69-21 overview

Africa (OHADA and others)

• Rules vary by country. In the 17 OHADA states, the Uniform Act on General Commercial Law governs commercial sales; check national law for payment terms and interest.
• Data-protection laws apply to customer contact data, e.g. POPIA (South Africa), NDPA (Nigeria), Kenya’s Data Protection Act.

Source: OHADA

Informational summary, checked on Oct 21, 2026. This is not legal advice.