Invoice numbers, dates and payment terms
How to number invoices, which dates belong on them, and how payment deadlines, late-payment interest and the EUR 40 recovery fee work under the EU Late Payment Directive.
Updated 15 October 2026
Numbering
The VAT Directive asks for a sequential number, based on one or more series, that identifies the invoice uniquely. In practice this means numbers that never repeat and, in countries such as Germany, that follow in order (fortlaufende Nummer). Gaps are not forbidden everywhere, but an unexplained gap is the first thing an auditor asks about. Use one series per year or per business unit, such as 2026-001, and never reuse a number, even for a cancelled invoice.
Some countries cap the length. In India an invoice number may not exceed 16 characters and must be unique within the financial year, and Draftbill warns when a number is longer than the limit for the chosen country. When you start a new invoice Draftbill takes the last number you used and increases its final digits, keeping leading zeros.
The dates on an invoice
There are three dates that can differ. The invoice date is the date of issue. The supply date is when the goods were delivered or the service performed; the Directive requires it when it differs from the issue date, and Germany, France and Austria ask for it on every invoice. The due date is the day payment is expected. The checklist marks the supply date as required or advisory depending on the country.
The supply date matters because it decides which VAT period and which rate apply, which is important when a rate changes mid-year, as several countries’ food and hospitality rates did in 2026.
Payment terms in the EU
The Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU) sets the default rules for business-to-business payments inside the EU. Unless the contract says otherwise, payment is due 30 days after the invoice is received. The parties may agree up to 60 days; a longer term is allowed only if expressly agreed and not grossly unfair to the supplier. Public authorities must generally pay within 30 days.
If payment is late, the supplier is entitled to interest without a reminder. The statutory rate is the European Central Bank’s reference rate plus eight percentage points, unless the contract sets a different rate within the limits of national law. The supplier can also claim a fixed minimum of EUR 40 as compensation for recovery costs and more if the real costs were higher.
What to write on the invoice
Say the due date or the number of days, name the bank account and quote a payment reference the customer can use. In France the payment terms must state the late-payment penalty rate and the EUR 40 fixed recovery indemnity for B2B invoices, so Draftbill’s French checklist asks for the payment terms. Elsewhere it is good practice rather than a requirement.
Draftbill fills the due date as 30 days after the invoice date and keeps it in step if you change the invoice date, until you set your own due date. The Peppol file needs either a due date or payment terms.
Late payment outside the EU
The United Kingdom has its own statutory regime for late commercial payments, and the United States, Canada, Australia and India leave payment terms largely to the contract and to state or provincial law. This guide covers the EU directive only; check the rules of your country before you rely on a default.