Debt collection · Germany

🇩🇪 Your customer in Germany is not paying?

Goods delivered, invoice overdue, the buyer in Germany silent. This page explains how a B2B claim is collected in Germany, how long it takes, and which interest and costs can be charged to the debtor. Incasso Mentor sets up and runs this process on your behalf: we choose the right route, bring in the local specialist, follow every step and report to you in Turkish. You only take the decisions. Information as of September 2026.

Germany at a glance

The four figures that matter most to a Turkish exporter. Fees and rates change; before any legal step we confirm the current figures with our partner.

Mahnverfahren
Order-for-payment procedure: no amount limit, no lawyer needed, largely digital. Without objection, an enforceable title in 3–6 weeks.
Base rate + 9 pts
B2B commercial default interest (BGB § 288). The base rate is reset every 1 January and 1 July.
€40
Flat collection fee per overdue B2B claim; lawyer costs are largely recoverable when you win.
3 years
Limitation period, counted from the end of the year in which the claim arose.
Process

How collection in Germany proceeds

Amicable phase (60–90 days)

A German demand (Mahnung) triggers default; if the due date is calendar-fixed no demand is needed. Interest and the €40 flat fee are claimed; a payment plan is negotiated.

Order for payment

Application for a Mahnbescheid; the debtor has 2 weeks to object. Without objection a Vollstreckungsbescheid follows: an enforceable title without further evidence. 1–3 months in total.

Court action if objected

Amtsgericht up to €10,000 (possible without a lawyer), Landgericht above (lawyer mandatory). Appeal within 1 month.

Enforcement and insolvency

The Gerichtsvollzieher seizes movable assets and takes the asset declaration; the enforcement court orders attachment of bank accounts, wages and receivables. Insolvency under the InsO when the debtor cannot pay.

Our role

We organise your collection in Germany

Collecting a debt in a foreign country on your own is exhausting: language, law, finding the right firm, negotiating fees, not missing deadlines. This is exactly where Incasso Mentor comes in. We review your file, obtain an independent credit report on the debtor and determine the most suitable route for Germany.

Then we set up the process: we select the registered agency or lawyer in Germany, hand over a complete and well-prepared file, fix the fee on your behalf in advance and follow every step. You work with one contact, in your own language. Every decision is yours; no step is taken without your approval.

What you do, what we do

You: send us the invoice, contract and delivery documents.

We: assess the file, obtain the credit report and report the route and cost to you in writing.

We: select and brief the local specialist in Germany, fix the fee and watch the deadlines.

We: report every development in Turkish and answer your questions.

You: take the decision at every stage. Legal steps only with your approval.

Three points that matter for a Turkish exporter

EU procedures closed, the German route open

The European order for payment is reserved for EU-established claimants. A Turkish exporter goes straight to the German Mahnverfahren, a cheap and fast route.

Put a calendar due date on the invoice

If the due date is calendar-fixed on the invoice, default starts without a demand; in B2B at the latest 30 days after receipt of the invoice. This strengthens your claim for interest and costs.

Collection agencies must be registered

Only agencies registered under the RDG may operate in Germany. Incasso Mentor works only with registered partners that are members of the industry association.

Frequently asked questions

How long does collection in Germany take?

For an undisputed claim 3–6 weeks from the order for payment to an enforceable title; realistically 1–3 months including service. If objected, the court timeline depends on the court.

Do I need a lawyer?

Not for the order for payment or the Amtsgericht. Yes for claims above €10,000 (Landgericht) and on appeal.

What if the debtor hides assets?

The Gerichtsvollzieher takes a sworn asset declaration from the debtor; lying or refusing carries sanctions. This is a strong lever in Germany.

Incasso Mentor is not a law firm. We coordinate the amicable phase; where a legal step is needed, an authorised lawyer, enforcement officer or registered agency in Germany acts with your approval. This page is general information, not legal advice. Source legislation: German Civil Code (BGB §§ 195, 199, 286, 288), Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO § 688 ff.), GVG, InsO, RDG, GKG. Information as of September 2026.

Submit your Germany claim today

Share your invoice and the basic documents. We review the file and report the route in Germany and the expected cost to you in writing, in Turkish; the rest we plan together. B2B, from €20,000 per debtor.

Submit a collection case →