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Transport Debt Collection in Denmark: A Guide for Hauliers

How a Danish haulier or taxi company collects an unpaid transport invoice: reminders, the 10-day inkassovarsel, fees, interest, disputes and foreign customers.

Af Votra Danmark3. november 2026

When a customer does not pay a transport invoice in Denmark, the route is short: document the job, send a written demand (an inkassovarsel) that gives at least 10 days to pay, and only then hand the claim to a collection agency or the courts. If the customer disputes the invoice, routine collection stops and the claim becomes an ordinary court case. This guide walks a haulier, van operator or taxi company through each step, the fees and interest you may add, and what changes when the debtor is abroad.

TL;DR

  • Reminders are optional in Denmark, but a written payment demand with at least 10 days to pay is required before out-of-court collection begins.
  • Fee-bearing reminders are capped at DKK 100 each, with a maximum of three for the same service.
  • A disputed invoice cannot go through routine inkasso; it must be pursued as an ordinary court case.
  • The European payment order does not apply to Denmark, so cross-border claims need other routes.
  • The best protection is prevention: clear terms, a complete paper trail and an invoicing routine that never slips.

Table of Contents

Why unpaid transport invoices are a special problem

A haulier pays for fuel, tolls, driver wages and vehicle costs long before the customer pays. One unpaid invoice for a large load can wipe out the margin of many other jobs. Taxi and van operators with corporate accounts face the same squeeze on a smaller scale.

Transport also creates a particular risk: the work is done and gone. The goods are delivered, the passenger has left the car. All that remains is paper, so the quality of your documents decides how easy collection is. That is why the first half of this guide is about what to keep, and the second half about what to send.

Step 1: Secure your documentation before you demand payment

Before you write to the debtor, gather everything that proves the claim. A 2026 practitioner guide on freight claims in Denmark recommends keeping the contract, the invoice, the CMR note, the booking confirmation, delivery records and all correspondence. It is practical advice rather than a statement of Danish law, but it matches what any court or collection agency will ask to see.

For international road freight, the CMR consignment note is the central document. Under the Danish CMR Act, it can state the transport costs, the costs the sender has agreed to pay, cash-on-delivery amounts, the declared value, insurance instructions and the agreed deadline for completion. A signed note that records who agreed to pay what is the strongest evidence you can have.

A simple checklist for every job:

  1. Signed quote, order or framework agreement, including the payment terms.
  2. Booking confirmation or email showing who ordered the job.
  3. CMR note or delivery receipt signed by the receiver.
  4. Timestamps, photos or tracking data that show delivery.
  5. The invoice, with a due date and your payment details.
  6. Every reminder and every reply from the customer.

If a driver notes damage, a delay or a refused delivery on the paperwork, deal with it immediately. Customers most often refuse to pay when they have a complaint, and an unresolved complaint turns a simple collection case into a dispute.

Step 2: Check the payment terms and when interest starts

Payment terms are your first lever. Under section 3 of the Danish Interest Act, Renteloven, interest runs from a due date agreed in advance. If no due date is fixed, interest generally begins 30 days after you sent or made a payment demand, subject to the statutory rule on information.

For business-to-business trade, section 3 a limits an agreed payment term for goods or services to 30 days, unless you expressly accept a longer term and that term is not unreasonable. So if a customer’s terms say 60 or 90 days, that is not automatically binding on you. Read what you actually accepted.

The practical consequence: put a fixed due date on every invoice. “Net 14 days” with a calendar date is better than “on receipt” or no date at all, because interest then runs from that date without a separate demand.

Step 3: Reminders are optional, the inkassovarsel is not

Many haulage firms believe they must send three reminders before anything else can happen. They do not. Dansk Erhverv states that there is no set number of reminders, and that reminders are not a prerequisite for collection. What is required before out-of-court collection can start is an inkassovarsel, a demand notice.

The notice must:

  • identify the claim clearly, so the debtor can see what the money is for;
  • give at least 10 days to pay, counted from the day it is sent;
  • warn that further steps, and further costs, will follow if payment is not made.

The Danish consumer authority describes the same 10-day rule for private debtors: a written notice with a 10-day deadline before the claim goes to inkasso. The Danish litigation guide adds a point that matters if you end up in court: for monetary claims, a pre-action demand should give at least 10 days and warn of additional costs, and a failure to do so can affect the litigation costs you recover. A well-documented demand therefore protects you twice.

In practice, many firms combine the first reminder and the inkassovarsel into one letter. If you do, make sure the letter contains every element above.

Fees and interest: what you may add

The rules on fees depend on who owes you money. The table summarizes what the sources above state.

Item Private customer (consumer) Business customer
Reminder fee Up to DKK 100 per reminder, max three reminders for the same service Can be regulated in your terms; if nothing is agreed, the consumer rules may be followed
Gap between fee-bearing reminders At least 10 days Follow your terms or the consumer rule as a fallback
Inkasso fee DKK 100 default cap Subject to your terms and the rules
Interest From the agreed due date, or generally 30 days after a demand if none is set Same principle
Fixed compensation and collection costs Not the focus here Qualifying commercial claims may carry fixed compensation and reasonable, relevant collection costs

Four details deserve attention:

  • Timing. A fee-bearing reminder to a consumer may be sent no earlier than the day after the payment deadline, and it must allow at least 10 days to pay, according to Dansk Erhverv.
  • Basis. For private customers, fee-bearing reminders require a reasonable basis and must be delivered in writing. Reasonable objections from the customer stop further fee-bearing reminders.
  • Count. The limit of three is per service, set out in Renteloven section 9 b, with at least 10 days between fee-bearing reminders.
  • Variation. The fee rules may be varied in some cases, so check your contract terms against the act before you rely on a higher amount.

For a taxi company invoicing a private customer, such as a pre-booked airport transfer, the consumer limits apply in full. For a haulier invoicing a manufacturer, your own terms and conditions carry more weight, provided the customer actually accepted them.

Business customers versus private customers

The difference is mostly about freedom. With a business customer you can agree fees and terms in advance, and the claim may qualify for fixed recovery-cost compensation. With a private customer, the consumer protections are stricter and the process leaves less room for improvisation.

Two practical rules follow:

  • Send your general terms before the first job, and get a written acceptance. A fee clause that the customer never saw is hard to enforce.
  • Treat every private customer as a consumer, even a sole trader who ordered a personal move. If the line is unclear, follow the stricter rule.

When the customer disputes the invoice

A dispute changes the path. If the debtor objects to the claim, it falls outside routine inkasso and must be handled as an ordinary court case, as Dansk Erhverv explains. The same source notes that a betalingspåkrav (payment demand through the bailiff’s court) may be used when you expect no objection. If you expect one, go through ordinary proceedings instead.

Ordinary proceedings start with a writ of summons. According to the Danish litigation guide, it must include party details, the claim, the supporting facts and law, and the evidence you intend to use. The court handles service. This is the moment your paper trail pays off: a signed CMR note, a clear contract and a dated inkassovarsel turn a long argument into a short one.

Before going to court, try a direct conversation. Many disputes in transport are about a specific issue: a late delivery, a damaged pallet, a waiting-time surcharge. Settling that point in writing, perhaps with a credit note for the contested part, often releases the undisputed remainder faster than a lawsuit. Ask for the undisputed amount to be paid at once.

When the customer disputes the invoice

Customers in another country

Cross-border claims are common in haulage, and Denmark has a quirk that surprises many. The European e-Justice Portal states that the European payment-order procedure applies in EU Member States except Denmark, so a Danish creditor cannot use it through a Danish court. EUR-Lex confirms that the procedure, meant for uncontested cross-border civil and commercial claims, excludes Denmark.

What remains:

  • A clear demand. The same rule applies: at least 10 days to pay and a statement that further costs will follow.
  • Court proceedings. For a defendant abroad, Danish proceedings use the applicable international service rules, including the Hague Convention or, for qualifying EU cases, Regulation (EU) 2020/1784.
  • Local help. A collection agency or lawyer in the debtor’s country can often move faster than a cross-border lawsuit. Choose one that works on a clear fee basis and agree the terms in writing.

Because enforcement abroad is slow, the best strategy for new foreign customers is prevention: a credit check, prepayment for the first job, or a payment guarantee.

Prevention: the cheapest form of debt collection

Most overdue transport invoices share a few causes. They are late, they lack a purchase-order number the customer needs, they went to the wrong address, or nobody followed up. All four are fixable.

Build a simple routine:

  1. Invoice the day the job ends. Every week of delay adds a week to the cash cycle.
  2. Match the customer’s requirements. Include order numbers, references and the right invoice format.
  3. Check new customers. Look up the company’s CVR record and credit status before accepting a large job.
  4. Set a follow-up calendar. A friendly call on the due date, a written reminder after a few days, then the inkassovarsel.
  5. Track ageing. A list of invoices sorted by how long they are overdue shows where to act first.
  6. Limit exposure. Cap the credit you give any one customer until they have a clean payment history.

None of this requires a large office. It requires someone to do it every week, which is exactly where small haulage firms fall behind. The owner is on the road, the bookkeeping waits, and an invoice that was 5 days late becomes 50 days late.

What to do on day 1, day 15 and day 45

A timeline helps. These are examples built on the legal minimums above, not fixed deadlines, so adapt them to your terms.

When Action
Due date Check the bank. If unpaid, call the customer’s accounts contact and confirm they received the invoice.
A few days after Send a written reminder, with or without a fee depending on customer type and your terms.
After that Send the inkassovarsel with at least 10 days to pay and a warning of further action.
After the deadline If there is no objection, pass the claim to a collection agency or file a betalingspåkrav.
If disputed Prepare the file for ordinary proceedings and consider a settlement for the undisputed part.

Keep the tone factual at every stage. Threats and insults hurt your case. A calm letter that cites the invoice number, the amount and the deadline is stronger than an angry one.

Our perspective

We see the same pattern in the transport companies we meet. Most of them are excellent at driving and weak on paperwork, not because they do not care, but because the day is full and invoices can wait. Then one large customer pays 60 days late, and the owner discovers that the problem was never the debt collection. It was the lack of a routine.

That is why we treat collection as part of daily administration, not as a crisis. At Votra Business, we work as an external operations and finance department for haulage and transport companies: invoicing, debtor follow-up, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and an overview of the numbers. When invoices go out on time with the right details, and someone watches the due dates, far fewer claims ever reach the stage of an inkassovarsel.

The same applies to the people behind the wheel. Owners who understand the rules from their haulier training make better decisions about contracts, terms and risk, and that is the reason we also run the training courses at Votra Danmark. Qualification and business discipline belong together.

Jamal Mahjoub

Getting help with invoicing and follow-up

If you would rather spend your hours on the road than on spreadsheets, Votra Business offers bookkeeping, invoicing, debtor follow-up, VAT, payroll and an economic overview for transport companies. It is built for owner-managed haulage firms and sole operators who need the administration done on time. We do not publish prices for the Business, Business+ and Business Partner plans, so see the page for what each includes.

Votra

Starting from scratch? Virksomhedsopstart covers company formation, so your payment terms and invoicing are set up correctly from the first job. And if you are still choosing a career path, our haulier course for trucks and haulier course for vans are offered in English, with details on the course pages. Taxi drivers can read about taxi driver training in Denmark.

FAQ

Do I have to send reminders before debt collection?

No. Dansk Erhverv states that reminders are not a prerequisite for collection. What you do need is a written demand, an inkassovarsel, that identifies the claim, gives at least 10 days to pay and warns of further action. Many firms simply send one combined reminder and demand.

How much can I charge for a reminder?

For private customers, the limit is DKK 100 per reminder, with a maximum of three reminders for the same service and at least 10 days between fee-bearing reminders. Business customers can be subject to your own agreed terms, and where no fee arrangement exists, the consumer rules may be followed. Check your terms against Renteloven before you add fees.

What if the customer says the invoice is wrong?

Once the claim is disputed, it can no longer go through routine inkasso and must be pursued as an ordinary court case. Settle the disputed point first if you can, and ask for payment of the undisputed part. Keep the CMR note, the contract and all correspondence ready, since they decide the case.

Can I use the European payment order against a foreign customer?

Not through a Danish court. The European payment-order procedure applies in EU Member States except Denmark. You can still send a demand, use Danish proceedings with international service rules, or use a local agent in the debtor’s country.

When does interest start on an overdue invoice?

Interest runs from the due date you agreed in advance. If no date was fixed, it generally starts 30 days after you sent a payment demand, subject to the statutory information rule. For business trade, an agreed payment term is limited to 30 days unless you expressly accepted a longer, reasonable one.

Sources