# Payment terms

Source: https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/conditions-de-paiement

# Payment terms

The contractual rules governing how, when and in what currency a debtor must pay an invoice.

## Définition

Payment terms set out the payment period, accepted methods, applicable currency and the consequences of late payment. In B2B contracts a period of 30 days is the statutory default; a term exceeding 60 days is only valid if it is not manifestly unfair to the creditor. Clear payment terms reduce disputes and underpin any claim for interest or collection costs.

## Exemple

> An agreement stipulating "payment within 30 days of invoice date" entitles the supplier to statutory commercial interest from day 31 if the buyer fails to pay.

## Pourquoi c'est un risque pour l'entreprise

Vague or inconsistent payment terms are one of the most common causes of cash-flow problems. Without a clear payment date, triggering statutory interest or escalating to collection becomes difficult to prove. Across a portfolio of contracts, misaligned payment schedules create forecasting blind spots and increase the risk of unnoticed late payments compounding over time.

## Comment le gérer

- State the payment period, start event (invoice date, delivery date, acceptance) and accepted payment methods explicitly in every contract.
- For B2B contracts, keep the agreed term at 30 days where possible; if you accept 60 days, document the business justification.
- Include a clear late-payment consequence: statutory commercial interest runs automatically, but specifying it removes any ambiguity.
- Track payment due dates across your contract portfolio so upcoming obligations are visible before they fall overdue.
- Review payment terms at each renewal to ensure they still reflect agreed commercial relationships and statutory limits.

### Comment Contracko aide

Contracko extracts payment due dates and terms from uploaded contracts and surfaces them in a central tracker, so upcoming obligations are visible before they become overdue. Smart reminders flag invoices approaching their deadline, reducing the chance of late-payment disputes going unnoticed across a large portfolio.

## Références juridiques

- [BW 6:119a Dutch Civil Code: payment period and late payment Droit néerlandais](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005289)

Sauf mention contraire, les références renvoient au droit néerlandais (Burgerlijk Wetboek, le Code civil néerlandais) ; les instruments de l'UE tels que le RGPD s'appliquent dans toute l'UE. Il s'agit d'informations générales, pas de conseils juridiques. D'autres juridictions traitent ces concepts différemment. Vérifiez le texte en vigueur et votre situation avec un avocat qualifié.

## Pertinent pour

[Services financiers](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/services-financiers)[Logistique et distribution](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/logistique)[Industrie manufacturière](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/fabrication)[Détail et gros](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/commerce-detail-gros)

## Clauses associées

- [Payment Terms Clause](https://contracko.com/fr/bibliotheque-de-clauses/conditions-de-paiement)
- [Price Indexation Clause](https://contracko.com/fr/bibliotheque-de-clauses/indexation-des-prix)

## Termes associés

- [Statutory interest](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/interets-legaux)
- [Payment default](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/defaut-de-paiement)
- [Extrajudicial collection costs](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/frais-de-recouvrement-extrajudiciaires)
- [Contract value](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/valeur-du-contrat)

### Ne manquez plus jamais une échéance de contrat

- L'IA repère les dates de renouvellement et de préavis
- Les risques et obligations sont mis en évidence automatiquement
- Les rappels vous aident à agir avant que les dates ne filent

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Conforme au RGPD. Chiffré. Jamais utilisé pour l'entraînement de l'IA.

## Foire aux questions

Questions courantes sur ce terme.

- **Q:** What is the maximum payment term allowed between businesses?
  **A:** As a rule, a B2B payment term may not exceed 60 days. A longer term is only valid if it is demonstrably not unfair to the creditor.

- **Q:** When does the payment period start to run?
  **A:** It depends on what the contract says. Common start events are the invoice date, the delivery date or the date of acceptance of the goods or services. Specify the trigger clearly to avoid disputes.

- **Q:** Can payment terms be enforced by a small business against a large buyer?
  **A:** Yes. Statutory commercial interest (BW 6:119a) runs automatically from the day after the agreed term expires, regardless of the relative size of the parties. A longer term imposed on a weaker party may be set aside as manifestly unfair.

- **Q:** What happens if no payment term is agreed?
  **A:** Under Dutch law the statutory default for B2B transactions is 30 days from receipt of the invoice or delivery, whichever is later. After that period statutory commercial interest accrues automatically.

- **Q:** Are payment terms in consumer contracts treated differently?
  **A:** Yes. Consumer payment terms are subject to stricter controls under general terms legislation, and the ordinary (lower) statutory interest rate under BW 6:119 applies rather than the higher commercial rate.

## Voyez ces termes dans vos propres contrats

Téléversez un contrat et Contracko en extrait les termes, dates et obligations clés, puis vous rappelle chacun d'eux avant qu'il ne compte.

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