Dutch statutory interest calculator of the Dutch Law Institute, made by Remko Roosjen

Published on 13 November 2026

Calculate Dutch statutory interest for free and online, without registration, with the Dutch Law Institute’s calculator (Articles 6:119 and 6:119a of the Dutch Civil Code). As a Dutch lawyer at MAAK Advocaten in Amsterdam, I designed and wrote it as its author. Specialised Dutch lawyers verified it; it generates payment schedules and exports to PDF, Excel and text.

How do you calculate Dutch statutory interest for free and online?

Open the calculator, choose ordinary statutory interest or statutory commercial interest, enter your claim and generate the calculation. You need no account and pay nothing.

Under Dutch law, statutory interest (also called default interest) is due by operation of law as soon as a payment is late; you do not have to agree it. The interest follows Article 6:119 of the Dutch Civil Code (DCC) or Article 6:119a DCC, both in Book 6 of the Burgerlijk Wetboek. The tool applies the rate in force for each period, even if it changes during the life of the claim, and capitalises interest annually. The calculator is published by the Dutch Law Institute and is available in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish. Open the Dutch statutory interest calculator.

Is a Dutch debtor disputing your interest, or is the claim already old? Have a Dutch debt collection lawyer review your claim. The full process is on our debt collection in the Netherlands page.

Article 6:119 or 6:119a Dutch Civil Code: which statutory interest applies?

Article 6:119 DCC is ordinary statutory interest, for example on consumer claims and damages. Article 6:119a DCC is statutory commercial interest (*wettelijke handelsrente*) for commercial transactions under Dutch law between businesses and with public authorities.

The difference in euros can be significant, because commercial interest is much higher than ordinary statutory interest. In a commercial transaction, interest runs from the day after the payment deadline. If no due date was agreed, commercial interest starts 30 days after the invoice is received. The calculator explains which rate fits your situation. Our article on statutory commercial interest and payment terms in the Netherlands goes further.

Important: If you invoice a Dutch business without an agreed due date, commercial interest runs only from thirty days after the invoice is received (Article 6:119a DCC). Choose the wrong rate or start date and you claim too much or too little. Have a Dutch debt collection lawyer review your claim before you state the interest in a demand letter or summons.

What are the Dutch statutory interest rates in 2026?

Ordinary Dutch statutory interest has been 4% since 1 January 2026. Statutory commercial interest has been 10.40% since 1 July 2026.

Ordinary statutory interest was 6% in 2025 and 7% in 2024. Commercial interest is set every six months and was 10.15% in the preceding period. A new rate applies from the start of a new period (Article 6:120 DCC), so a claim spanning several years uses several rates. The full rate tables are in the calculator.

What is compound interest under Dutch law?

Under Dutch law, accrued interest is added to the principal after each full year, and interest then runs on that larger amount as well (Article 6:119(2) and Article 6:119a(3) DCC).

Many calculators only work with simple interest. What I see in other calculators is that they miss interest on interest and overlook a rate change in the middle of a period. For a creditor, a figure that is too low is direct financial loss.

Example: a Dutch claim running over two years

Suppose a claim of €10,000 runs at 7% in 2024 and 6% in 2025. With capitalisation the interest is €1,342, without capitalisation €1,300.

For one claim the difference is €42. With larger amounts and longer periods it grows. In the calculator, capitalisation happens automatically, so you do not have to work it out yourself.

How are multiple claims and partial payments handled?

Enter each claim and each payment separately. Payments are allocated under Article 6:44 DCC: costs first, then accrued interest, then principal.

With rent arrears or several unpaid invoices you have multiple claims. If you want to include extrajudicial collection costs, that is possible under the scale of Article 6:96 DCC.

Important: If your Dutch debtor pays in instalments and decides for itself what each payment covers, that departs from Article 6:44 DCC. A creditor may refuse a payment made in a different order, and a wrong allocation changes the interest still outstanding. Have a Dutch debt collection lawyer review the position before you sign a payment plan or a discharge.

How do you generate a payment schedule for a Dutch payment plan?

The calculator can generate a payment schedule with flexible instalments and annual capitalisation of interest.

That records the agreement and the course of the interest in one overview. Which instalments and conditions are sensible depends on the claim, the debtor and what your contract says. We assess that per case.

Exporting your calculation to PDF, Excel or text

Once you have generated the calculation, you can export the results as a PDF, an Excel file or a text file. The PDF carries the Dutch Law Institute logo and can be enclosed with a demand letter or other correspondence.

The PDF is clearly laid out and lends authority to the calculation. You only see this once you have actually generated the results.

What if the Dutch debtor disputes your interest claim?

If a Dutch debtor disputes your interest, the outcome depends on three questions: does Article 6:119 or 6:119a DCC apply, from when is the debtor in default, and was each payment allocated in the right order?

A calculator calculates, but it does not assess your file. That is a legal assessment, and the choice-of-law clause in your contract comes first.

When do you need a Dutch lawyer?

Instruct a Dutch lawyer as soon as the debtor disputes the claim or the interest, the claim is growing, or a payment plan or Dutch court proceedings are on the table.

The calculator applies the correct rates. A Dutch lawyer assesses which interest, which start date and which claim apply in your situation, and which steps fit.

How does MAAK Advocaten work in Dutch debt collection cases?

I am a debt collection and contract lawyer at MAAK Advocaten in Amsterdam. We act in negotiation, demand letters, summary proceedings and proceedings on the merits before Dutch courts, at first instance and on appeal.

In the first days we review the documents, secure time limits and, where needed, send a letter to the other side. Then we choose the route with you.

Frequently asked questions about Dutch statutory interest

Is the calculator really free and without registration?

Yes. You use the calculator for free and online, without an account or registration. The Dutch Law Institute publishes it. You pay nothing for the calculation, the payment schedules or the export to PDF, Excel and text.

What is default interest in the Netherlands in 2026?

Default interest in the Netherlands is the statutory interest due on a late payment. Ordinary Dutch statutory interest has been 4% since 1 January 2026. Statutory commercial interest has been 10.40% since 1 July 2026. The rate can change during the life of a claim. The calculator applies the rate in force for each period automatically.

Do I have to calculate interest on interest?

Yes. After each full year, accrued interest is added to the principal (Article 6:119(2) and Article 6:119a(3) DCC). The calculator does this automatically. Many other calculators only use simple interest and therefore come out lower.

Does Dutch statutory interest apply to my foreign contract?

Dutch statutory interest applies when Dutch law governs the claim. The nationality of the parties does not decide that. If your contract or terms choose another law, check the choice-of-law clause before you calculate.

When should I instruct a Dutch lawyer for an interest claim?

At MAAK Advocaten in Amsterdam we assess that per case. A Dutch lawyer is useful once the debtor disputes the claim or the interest, time limits are running, or a payment plan or proceedings are on the table.