German businesses pay their bills an average of 7.7 days after the due date. The credit agency Creditreform reported this figure for the first quarter of 2026. It was unchanged from a year earlier. The figure is the difference between the agreed payment date and the day the money arrived. It is based on about 16.3 million payment records a month.
Construction had by far the worst figure, with 15.0 days, up from 13.5. Chemicals and plastics had the best, with 4.9 days. Among the states, Rhineland-Palatinate paid fastest, with 6.1 days. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was slowest, with 10.9 days. A Creditreform spokesman said: Die Zahlungsmoral der Unternehmen bleibt stabil. The payment discipline of companies remains stable.