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Debt collection in France

Professional debt collection in France, conducted locally

Risk-free. Pay only upon success
9,5 % in commission
19,5 % in commission
Debt collection conducted locally in France
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My customer was paid my invoice.

Philippe |
Lille, France
Rated 9,3 out of 10 based on 111 reviews on Kiyoh!

Expert debt collection in France

France is the world’s seventh-largest economy and Europe’s third-largest market. Many international companies trade there, but payment terms can often be long.

Are you looking for a debt collection agency in France to recover unpaid invoices? Our local French experts are ready to help. Discover how we simplify debt collection in France and ensure fast, professional results.

How we help you with debt recovery in France

Oddcoll offers international debt collection services for businesses operating across multiple countries. We partner with carefully selected debt collection agencies and law firms worldwide to make debt collection in France straightforward and efficient.

When you upload a claim through our platform:

  • Our local debt collection agency in France immediately starts the recovery process against your French debtor.
  • Every case is handled by experts familiar with French business culture and collection laws.

Our debt collection agency in France

When a French client fails to pay, you need a trusted debt collection agency in France that understands national regulations and local business practices.

For debt collection in France, we work exclusively with KREANCIA, a highly rated debt collection agency that delivers excellent results and outstanding client satisfaction. They are specialists in commercial debt recovery.

About KREANCIA

KREANCIA is based in Schiltigheim in Northeastern France and manages cases nationwide. Their team handles both debt collection in Paris and throughout the rest of France, following French national laws for amicable and legal recovery.

KREANCIA is a specialist B2B debt collection company with many years of experience helping international clients recover outstanding invoices from French companies.

The debt collection process in France

In France, debt recovery usually begins with the amicable phase, where the goal is to resolve the claim without legal action.

During this stage, KREANCIA, our debt collection agency in France, will:

  • Send letters, emails, and registered notices
  • Make multiple phone calls to reach the debtor
  • Encourage voluntary payment while maintaining professional communication

If these efforts fail, the case may enter the legal debt collection phase:

  • KREANCIA provides a detailed cost estimate before proceeding
  • The judge may order the debtor to cover collection costs, though this cannot be guaranteed
  • Recovery of costs depends on the judge’s decision and the debtor’s financial situation

Our team has extensive experience handling debt collection in Paris and across France. KREANCIA leverages local knowledge and national expertise to recover debts efficiently, wherever your debtor is located.

Debt collection procedures and courts in France

When legal action becomes necessary, it is important to understand the court system:

  • Jurisdiction generally lies with the debtor’s residence.
  • For individuals, the court is where they are domiciled or resident.
  • For companies, jurisdiction is usually at the registered office.
  • If the main office differs from the registered address, the court near the main office or a branch may apply.

Local courts handle the most common disputes, including claims up to €10,000, unpaid rent, employee-related disputes, wage garnishments, and consumer law matters.

To start a legal case, you apply to the court of first instance. French is the official language; translators can assist if necessary, but judges may not always require one.

KREANCIA ensures your case is handled efficiently and guides you through every step of debt collection in France, including debt collection in Paris, without unnecessary delays.

A simplified legal procedure for uncontested debt collection claims in France:

In France, there is a simplified legal procedure for debt collection designed for cases where the debt is not disputed. This process allows creditors to recover uncontested debts faster and at a lower cost than through ordinary court proceedings.

This simplified procedure can be used for any contract-based claim involving a fixed amount, making it a highly effective solution for uncontested debt collection in France.

Formal requirements

When applying for this simplified debt recovery process, certain formal details must be included:

  • Names and addresses of both parties (whether individuals or companies)
  • Exact amount claimed, including a clear breakdown of each component and its basis

Supporting documents must also be provided to prove the validity of the claim, such as invoices, sales or lease contracts, credit agreements, or account statements.

The general rules of civil procedure still apply to this simplified process.

If the debtor disputes the claim

The debtor has one month to contest the payment order. They can do so:

  • Directly at the court clerk’s office that issued the order, or
  • By sending a written objection to the same clerk’s office

Once an objection is filed, ordinary legal proceedings begin, and all parties are summoned for a hearing before the judicial clerk.

If the debtor does not dispute the claim

If the debtor does not object within one month, the creditor may request an order for enforcement from the same clerk’s office.

This step is simple and has no strict formal requirements — the creditor can submit a brief statement or even send a letter by regular mail.

Once the enforcement order is granted, the debt collection agency in France or the creditor can proceed to recover the amount owed through official enforcement measures.

Enforcement of claims in France

When a court rules in your favour but your French customer still refuses to pay, you can apply for enforcement of the judgment. This step ensures that the French authorities compel the debtor to pay, provided they have available assets.

Enforcement represents the final stage of debt collection in France and is handled by Enforcement Officers.

Key points to know:

  • The creditor pays an initial fee to start the enforcement proceedings
  • These costs are later added to the debtor’s total debt
  • There is no requirement for a lawyer during this process

This stage allows the debt collection agency in France or the creditor to recover funds through official channels, ensuring compliance with French law.

Insolvency proceedings in France

Sometimes, debtors cannot pay simply because they lack the funds. In such cases, insolvency proceedings may apply. These procedures form a distinct part of the French debt collection process, focusing on managing or winding up insolvent companies.

The main types of insolvency proceedings in France are:

  • Rescue measures (procédure de sauvegarde) – to protect a company facing financial difficulty
  • Company reorganisation (procédure de redressement judiciaire) – to restructure and help the business continue operating
  • Liquidation (procédure de liquidation judiciaire) – to close the company and distribute remaining assets fairly among creditors

In rescue and reorganisation procedures, the debtor may continue managing the business under the supervision of a court-appointed administrator. In liquidation, the company ceases to exist, and a liquidator takes full control to settle debts equitably.

“No win, no fee” debt collection in France

At Oddcoll, we operate on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means:

  • You can start your debt collection case in France safely and risk-free
  • You only pay once you’ve received payment from your French debtor
  • Our goals align with yours — we are motivated to achieve the best results quickly and efficiently

Start your debt collection in France today!

Our experienced professionals are ready to assist you in recovering unpaid invoices from French customers. Whether you need debt collection in Paris or anywhere else in France, our experts handle the process locally and in accordance with French law.

Contact us today for more information or upload your invoice directly. Our debt collection agency in France will begin the recovery process immediately.

Frequently asked questions about debt collection in France

Debt collection in France usually starts with amicable recovery: the creditor contacts the debtor to request payment and may send a formal payment demand, known as a mise en demeure. If the debtor does not pay, the creditor can consider legal recovery.

For an undisputed and properly documented claim, the injonction de payer is an important option. This is a French payment order procedure that allows a creditor to ask a court to order the debtor to pay without an initial hearing. If the debtor disputes the order, the case can proceed before the relevant court.

Oddcoll manages the recovery process through a local partner in France who communicates with debtors in French, sends payment demands and negotiates directly with them. This local approach can help resolve claims without unnecessary legal action.

The time required to recover a debt in France depends on the debtor, the quality of the documentation and whether the claim is disputed.

Many cases are resolved during the amicable collection stage, sometimes within a few weeks. If legal action is required, the timeframe depends on the procedure and the court involved. With an injonction de payer, the debtor has one month from service of the order to oppose it. If there is no opposition, the order can proceed to enforcement and usually yields an enforceable title within two to three months. 

Disputed claims generally take longer because the court must consider both sides of the case, typically several months to over a year.

Oddcoll uses a no-win, no-fee model for amicable debt collection. You pay a commission only when money is successfully recovered.

If legal action is needed, Oddcoll can recommend the appropriate next step and provide information about the expected costs before proceeding. Court and enforcement costs can vary depending on the procedure. For example, an injonction de payer before the French commercial court involves court fees and may also involve fees for a commissaire de justice, the French legal professional responsible for serving documents and carrying out enforcement.

For most commercial claims, the limitation period is five years. Article L110-4 of the French Commercial Code provides that commercial obligations between businesses, or between businesses and non-business parties, are generally subject to a five-year limitation period unless a shorter special period applies.

The precise starting point and any interruption or suspension of the limitation period depend on the circumstances of the claim. Creditors should therefore avoid waiting until the limitation period is close to expiring before starting recovery action.

A mise en demeure is a formal demand for payment. In English, it can be understood as a formal notice putting the debtor on notice that payment is required.

It is an important part of the French debt recovery process because it creates a clear written record of the payment demand and can support subsequent legal action. Depending on the circumstances, it can be sent by registered letter or served by a commissaire de justice.

Oddcoll can arrange the formal communication with the debtor through its local French collection partner, helping ensure that the claim is presented clearly and in French.

An injonction de payer is a French court procedure used to recover certain unpaid debts. It’s particularly useful for claims that are due, clearly documented and not reasonably disputed.

To submit an application, the creditor must provide supporting evidence, such as the contract, purchase order, unpaid invoice and payment demand. If these are in order, the court initially considers the application without hearing the debtor.

If the court issues an order, the debtor normally has one month from service of the order to oppose it. If there is no opposition within that period, the order can be enforced.

Yes. French commercial law provides for late-payment penalties and a fixed recovery indemnity of 40 euros per overdue invoice in qualifying B2B transactions.

The applicable late-payment rate is normally the rate stated in the contract, subject to the statutory rules. If the contract does not specify a rate, the statutory default rate is based on the European Central Bank refinancing rate plus 10 percentage points. The contractual rate cannot generally be lower than three times the French legal interest rate.

Where the actual recovery costs exceed the fixed 40-euro indemnity, additional compensation may be available if the relevant conditions are met.

Foreign companies can use several options when recovering debts from French businesses. Depending on the circumstances, these may include French debt collection procedures, the European Order for Payment or the European Small Claims Procedure.

For international creditors, working with a local French debt collection specialist can make the process easier. A local partner understands French procedures, communicates with the debtor in their language and can manage the amicable recovery process locally.

Oddcoll provides international creditors with access to local debt collection expertise in France through one platform.

To start the amicable debt collection process, you need basic information about the unpaid claim, such as the invoice and details of the debtor.

For legal recovery, stronger documentation is important. Depending on the case, this may include the contract or purchase order, unpaid invoices, proof that goods or services were delivered, correspondence with the debtor and the mise en demeure.

For an injonction de payer, French courts require documents supporting the existence and amount of the debt. The Ministry of Justice website specifically lists documents such as the contract or purchase order, unpaid invoice and payment demand among the evidence that can be submitted.

Whether an individual debt will be recovered depends on factors such as whether the debt is disputed, the quality of the evidence, the debtor’s financial position and how quickly recovery action is started.

Professional debt collection can improve the process by maintaining contact with the debtor, identifying disputes early and taking appropriate legal action when necessary. In France, the injonction de payer provides a relatively straightforward court route for qualifying claims that are properly documented.

With Oddcoll, creditors can submit French debt collection cases through one platform and have the amicable recovery handled locally in France.

How Debt collection in France works

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How debt collection in France works

1. Upload your invoice

Create an account and upload your invoice via the platform, API or CSV – easily and in seconds.

2. Local experts take over

Our hand-picked partners in the France handle the collection with effective measures, including demand letters, calls and legal steps.

3. Get paid

Once the payment is completed, the money is sent directly to you – quickly, securely and without hassle.

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