Getting paid
Late payment interest in Ireland: business customer rules
For a qualifying Irish commercial transaction, DETE publishes a statutory late-payment interest rate of 10.40% a year from 1 July 2026.
The short answer
For a qualifying Irish commercial transaction, DETE publishes a statutory late-payment interest rate of 10.40% a year from 1 July 2026.
For a qualifying Irish commercial transaction, DETE publishes a statutory late-payment interest rate of 10.40% a year from 1 July 2026. This is the rate checked on 1 October 2026. It is not a household-customer late-fee rule, and the contract and transaction must be examined before applying it.
Explore the wider invoicing and getting paid guides for the steps around this decision.
Calculate the dated example
The published annual rate is based on the ECB reference rate plus eight percentage points and is set for six-month periods. Use the rate applicable to the relevant period, not a figure remembered from an older invoice.
For an illustrative qualifying EUR 1,200 balance overdue for thirty days entirely within the stated period:
EUR 1,200 × 0.104 × 30 ÷ 365 = approximately EUR 10.26
This is an arithmetic example, not a determination that a particular debt qualifies. If days span a rate change, check the applicable periods and method rather than treating the latest rate as universal.
Check the transaction before adding interest
| Question | Record to inspect |
|---|---|
| Is it a qualifying commercial transaction? | Customer type and nature of agreement |
| When did payment become due? | Contract, supply and invoice evidence |
| What remains unpaid? | Payments, credits and reconciled balance |
| Which period applies? | Current and historical official rates |
| Is interpretation disputed? | Appropriate legal advice |
DETE explains the rules and notes that specific legal interpretation requires appropriate expertise. Do not convert an informational guide into an automatic charge against all customers.
Keep it separate from a reminder routine
JobDiary can track an overdue invoice and its balance. That does not establish automatic statutory-interest calculation or recovery. Retain the supporting records and distinguish the underlying invoice, any separately justified charge and payment history.
Recheck the official rate when the next half-year starts, and check the source before using this page for a calculation. The stable URL is updated rather than creating a separate article for each year.
Connect this to the next step
Continue with How to chase an unpaid invoice without losing the customer. If the next issue is elsewhere in the workflow, use How to spot jobs that were completed but never invoiced.
See the JobDiary product tour to check how the product supports this work. Use the current product description and a trial to verify the fit for your business.
Sources and scope
Source scope reviewed on 1 October 2026. Worked examples are illustrative; they are not market averages or customer results.
When it is in JobDiary.
The method above is the point. This is what it looks like when the diary is doing it for you.
See how it works| Time | Job | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 08:30 | 7 The GreenMow, edge, hedge | Done |
| 09:15 | 23 Seabury DriveMow, weed | Done |
| 10:00 | 9 Brookfield LawnMow, feed | In progress |
| 11:05 | 12 Castle ParkMow, hedge rear | Next |
| 12:00 | 31 Church RoadMow | Scheduled |
| 13:15 | 18 The RiseMow, edge, bins out | Scheduled |
Product screens use demonstration data.
What this guide is based on
JobDiary was developed around a real Co. Louth trades operation with2 vans and live business records since 2025. This guide provides an editorial framework; worked examples are illustrative. Product screenshots use demonstration data.
