Payment Terms & Conditions: How to Set Them Correctly (Switzerland)

As a self-employed person in Switzerland, you decide which payment terms to set on your invoices. The choice of the right payment deadline directly affects your liquidity: The shorter the deadline, the faster the money flows. At the same time, the terms must be fair and comply with the legal framework.

In this article, you will learn which legal foundations apply, which deadlines are common in Switzerland and how to formulate payment terms that your clients understand — and comply with.

01Legal Basis (OR Art. 75 ff.)

The Swiss Code of Obligations (OR) regulates the maturity of claims in Articles 75 to 83. The most important points:

OR Art. 75: A claim is immediately due if no other time has been agreed. This means: Without an explicit payment deadline on the invoice, payment is theoretically due immediately.
OR Art. 76: If a deadline is determined by months, the corresponding day of the due month applies. If that day is missing (e.g. the 31st in a month with 30 days), the last day of the month applies.
OR Art. 77: Deadlines are calculated from the day following the invoice date.
OR Art. 102: The debtor is in default if they do not pay after a reminder or after the expiry of a specified due date.

Freedom of contractIn Switzerland, freedom of contract applies: You and your client can freely agree on the payment deadline. The OR provisions only apply if nothing else has been agreed. You can therefore set 10, 14, 30 or 60 days — as long as both parties agree.

02Common Payment Deadlines in Switzerland

In Swiss business practice, certain payment deadlines have become standard. Which deadline you choose depends on your industry, your client structure and your liquidity situation.

Payment Deadline	Prevalence	Suitable for
10 days	Rare (with discount)	Small amounts, regular clients
14 days	Common among freelancers	Services, small businesses
20 days	Widespread	SMEs, regular orders
30 days	Standard (most common)	B2B business, larger orders
60 days	Rare, for large clients	Corporations, public sector
90 days	Very rare	Only with very good reasons

The 30-day deadline is the de facto standard in Switzerland. However, as a self-employed person, you can certainly set shorter deadlines. Many freelancers and small business owners work successfully with 14 or 20 days — this noticeably improves cash flow.

TipSet the payment deadline in your T&Cs and communicate it already in the quotation. This way there are no surprises when the invoice is issued.

03Early Payment Discount as an Incentive

An early payment discount (Skonto) is a price reduction for prompt payment. You offer the client a small discount if they pay the invoice before the regular payment deadline. This is a proven method to improve liquidity.

Typical discount tiers in Switzerland:

Wording	Meaning
2% discount for payment within 10 days	Most common variant
3% discount for payment within 5 days	For fast payers
1% discount for payment within 14 days	Moderate variant

Calculation example: You issue an invoice for CHF 5'000 with a 30-day payment deadline and 2% discount for payment within 10 days. If the client pays within 10 days, they pay CHF 4'900 instead of CHF 5'000. You receive the money 20 days earlier — this is often worth more for your liquidity than the CHF 100 discount.

Bookkeeping noteIf a client takes the discount, you must correctly post the difference in your bookkeeping. The discount is a revenue reduction, not an expense.

04Default Interest on Late Payment

If a client does not pay the invoice on time, they are in default. From this point, you can charge default interest under OR Art. 104. If payment remains outstanding, debt enforcement proceedings may be the next step.

Statutory default interest: 5% per year (OR Art. 104 Para. 1)
Higher rate: Only permissible if contractually agreed or customary in commercial transactions
Start: From the day after the payment deadline expires (if a due date is specified) or from the reminder (if no due date is specified)

Calculation example: A client owes you CHF 8'000 and pays 45 days late. The default interest is: CHF 8'000 x 5% x 45/365 = CHF 49.32. For small amounts and short delays, asserting the claim is barely worthwhile — for larger sums or longer delays, it certainly is.

Default without reminderIf the invoice states a specific due date (e.g. 'Payable by 15.04.2026'), the debtor automatically goes into default — without you having to send a reminder (OR Art. 102 Para. 2). For a deadline like 'payable within 30 days', however, you need a reminder.

05Advance Payment, Deposit and Instalment Payment

The classic post-payment (service first, invoice after) is not always the best solution. Depending on the situation, other payment models are worthwhile:

Advance Payment (Prepayment)

The client pays the full amount before the service is rendered. This is common for online shops, courses, seminars or when you have a new client without references. Advantage: Zero default risk. Disadvantage: Some clients do not accept this.

Deposit

You request a portion of the amount in advance — typically 30–50%. The remainder is due upon delivery or project completion. This reduces your risk and secures your liquidity during the project.

Partial Invoice (Milestone Payment)

For larger projects, you issue partial invoices after defined milestones. Example: 30% upon order confirmation, 40% upon interim delivery, 30% upon project completion. This is recommended for projects from CHF 5'000.

Wording example'Payment is made in 3 instalments: 30% upon order confirmation, 40% upon approval of the draft, 30% upon project completion. Payment deadline per partial invoice: 14 days net.'

06Wording for Invoices

Clear wording on the invoice avoids misunderstandings. Also ensure you include all mandatory invoice details. Here are proven text templates:

Variant	Wording
Standard 30 days	Payable within 30 days net
Shorter deadline	Payable within 14 days net
With discount	Payable within 30 days net, 2% discount for payment within 10 days
Specific date	Payable by 15.04.2026
Immediately	Payable immediately, strictly net
Upon receipt	Payable upon receipt of invoice

The addition 'net' means that the full invoice amount is owed without deduction. Some industries also use 'strictly net' for emphasis.

einzly tipIn einzly, you can set default payment terms that are automatically applied to every invoice. This way you never forget any detail and your invoices are consistent.

07What to Do in Case of Late Payment?

Despite clear payment terms, it happens that clients do not pay on time. In Switzerland, there is a clear procedure — from a friendly reminder to a formal payment reminder — you should know:

Payment reminder (friendly)

3–5 days after the payment deadline. A brief, friendly note by email or letter. Many late payments are due to an oversight. No default interest, no reminder fee.

1st reminder

10–14 days after the due date. Formal tone, reference to the outstanding invoice with invoice number, amount and original due date. Set a new payment deadline (e.g. 10 days). From here you can charge default interest (5% p.a.).

2nd reminder

Approx. 30 days after the due date. Firmer tone, threat of further steps (debt collection, enforcement). A reminder fee of CHF 20–40 is customary and permissible if agreed in the T&Cs.

Final reminder / threat of enforcement

Approx. 45 days after the due date. Final deadline (7–10 days). Clear announcement that you will file an enforcement request if payment is not made.

Enforcement proceedings (SchKG)

You file an enforcement request with the competent debt enforcement office. Costs: approx. CHF 50–150 depending on the amount (per GebV SchKG). The debtor receives a payment order and has 20 days to raise an objection or pay.

Watch the statute of limitationsUnder OR Art. 127, most claims become time-barred after 5 years (for ordinary claims) or after 10 years (OR Art. 127). Periodic claims (e.g. rent, interest) become time-barred after 5 years (OR Art. 128). Interrupt the statute of limitations in good time through enforcement or written acknowledgement.

Payment deadlines under control with einzlyWith einzly, you create invoices with professional payment terms, keep an overview of outstanding items and identify overdue invoices at a glance. This way not a single franc goes missing.

08Frequently Asked Questions about Payment Deadlines

The law does not prescribe a fixed payment deadline. Under OR Art. 75, a claim is immediately due if nothing else has been agreed. In practice, 30 days is the standard, but you can contractually set any deadline you wish.

Yes, provided the reminder fees are agreed in your T&Cs or the contract. CHF 20–40 per reminder is customary. Without a contractual basis, you can only charge the statutory default interest of 5% p.a. (OR Art. 104), not flat reminder fees.

The statutory default interest rate is 5% per year (OR Art. 104 Para. 1). A higher rate is only permissible if contractually agreed. Default interest runs from the day of default — i.e. from the reminder or from the agreed due date.

Costs are based on the claim amount and are regulated in GebV SchKG. For an enforcement request, you pay approx. CHF 50–150 as an advance. You can additionally impose these costs on the debtor. The enforcement request can be filed at the competent debt enforcement office or online via e-SchKG.

Yes, absolutely. In Switzerland, freedom of contract applies. Many freelancers and small business owners work with 14 or 20 days payment deadlines. Communicate the deadline clearly in the quotation and on the invoice so the client accepts it.