Interest on unpaid invoices in Georgia: 7% a year if no rate was agreed; the most you can set depends on the deal (not fully confirmed)

Georgia's rate when no rate was agreed

Not fully confirmed: from the search listing. Georgia's free official code is hosted on LexisNexis, and its full sections sit behind a CAPTCHA, so some quotes here are the section text its search results show. Each answer resting only on such a quote says so.

7% a year · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing. 7% a year simple interest where no rate is set by written contract.

• “The legal rate of interest shall be 7 percent per annum simple interest where the rate percent is not established by written contract.” — O.C.G.A. § 7-4-2(a)(1)(A) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing

The most you can set in Georgia

For a homeowner: It depends: see O.C.G.A. 7-4-2 and 7-4-18 · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing. Where the principal is more than $3,000, the parties may set any rate by written contract (7-4-2(a)(1)(A)), subject to the criminal limit of 5% a month (7-4-18).

For a business customer: 1.5% a month on a commercial account · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing. On a commercial account, interest of up to 1 1/2% a month may be charged on the part 30 days or more past due, from the date it became due (the account is due when the statement is rendered unless a signed writing says otherwise).

• “the parties may establish by written contract any rate of interest, expressed in simple interest terms as of the date of the evidence of the indebtedness, and charges and any manner of repayment, prepayment, or, subject to the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section, acceleration, where the principal amount involved is more than $3,000.00” — O.C.G.A. § 7-4-2(a)(1)(A) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing
• “Any person, company, or corporation who shall reserve, charge, or take for any loan or advance of money, or forbearance to enforce the collection of any sum of money, any rate of interest greater than 5 percent per month, either directly or indirectly, by way of commission for advances, discount, exchange, or the purchase of salary or wages; by notarial or other fees; or by any contract, contrivance, or device whatsoever shall be guilty of a misdemeanor” — O.C.G.A. § 7-4-18(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing
• “The owner of a commercial account may charge interest on that portion of a commercial account which has been due and payable for 30 days or more at a rate not in excess of 1 1/2 percent per month calculated on the amount owed from the date upon which it became due and payable until paid.” — O.C.G.A. § 7-4-16 (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing

Late fees in Georgia

What the text says · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing: Retail installment contracts and revolving accounts: a delinquency charge of up to $25 on an installment not paid within 10 days of its due date, if the contract provides for it; once per default. Commercial accounts: interest up to 1.5% a month after 30 days (7-4-16). Retail installment contracts and revolving accounts (O.C.G.A. 10-1-7, Retail Installment and Home Solicitation Sales Act); commercial accounts (7-4-16, interest not a flat fee).

• “A retail installment contract or a revolving account may provide for payment by the buyer of a delinquency charge on any installment which is not paid within ten days from the date the payment is due. The charge may not exceed $25.00. A delinquent charge shall not be collected more than once for the same default.” — O.C.G.A. § 10-1-7(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing

Does Georgia want it agreed in advance?

Agreed in advance: Georgia's text read does not say so in general · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing. Retail installment/revolving: the $25 charge only where the contract 'may provide for' it.

• “Unless otherwise provided in writing signed by the obligor, a commercial account becomes due and payable upon the date a statement of the account is rendered to the obligor.” — O.C.G.A. § 7-4-16 (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing

Homeowners and businesses in Georgia

Business customers on a commercial account: up to 1.5% a month after 30 days (7-4-16). Consumer installment sales: $25 delinquency-charge cap (10-1-7). Default rate with no written rate: 7% for everyone (7-4-2) · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing.

• “The owner of a commercial account may charge interest on that portion of a commercial account which has been due and payable for 30 days or more at a rate not in excess of 1 1/2 percent per month calculated on the amount owed from the date upon which it became due and payable until paid.” — O.C.G.A. § 7-4-16 (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing

Prompt payment on private construction in Georgia

What the text says · not fully confirmed: from the official code site's search listing: 1% a month on the unpaid balance, from the day after the due date, when payment to a contractor is more than 15 days late or to a subcontractor more than 10 days after the contractor/sub was paid; only if the payer was notified of this section when payment was requested.

• “if a periodic or final payment to a contractor is delayed by more than 15 days or if a periodic or final payment to a subcontractor is delayed more than ten days after receipt of periodic or final payment by the contractor or subcontractor, the owner, contractor, or subcontractor, as the case may be, shall pay his or her contractor or subcontractor interest, beginning on the day following the due date, at the rate of 1 percent per month or a pro rata fraction thereof on the unpaid balance as” — O.C.G.A. § 13-11-7(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing
• “However, no interest is due unless the person being charged interest has been notified of the provision of this Code section at the time the request for payment is made.” — O.C.G.A. § 13-11-7(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text), read November 6, 2026, from the official code site's search listing

Work out a late charge in Georgia

Set your own rate.

What was not checked for Georgia

• Georgia's rule for loans of $3,000 or less (O.C.G.A. 7-4-2(a)(1)(B)) was not read.
• The exceptions to Georgia's Prompt Pay Act (O.C.G.A. 13-11-5), and whether it leaves out homes, were not read.
• Only part of Georgia's definition of a "commercial account" (O.C.G.A. 7-4-16) could be read.

Check Georgia's own text

Before you charge: read Georgia's free official code, Official Code of Georgia Annotated, free public access, and the Georgia texts quoted on this page, or ask a lawyer. As of November 6, 2026.

This is a plain-words summary of each state's own laws as of November 6, 2026, not legal advice. Rules have exceptions. Check the state's own text, linked on every state's page, or a lawyer before you charge a late fee or interest.

Compare Georgia with every state's answer, or with its neighbours just below.

Next door to Georgia

• Alabama: 6% if none agreed, depends by agreement
• Florida: floats if none agreed, depends by agreement
• North Carolina: 8% if none agreed, depends by agreement
• South Carolina: 8.75% if none agreed, depends by agreement
• Tennessee: up to 10% if none agreed (not fully confirmed)

Official sources for Georgia

• O.C.G.A. § 7-4-2(a)(1)(A) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text) — read November 6, 2026 (search listing)
• O.C.G.A. § 7-4-18(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text) — read November 6, 2026 (search listing)
• O.C.G.A. § 7-4-16 (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text) — read November 6, 2026 (search listing)
• O.C.G.A. § 10-1-7(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text) — read November 6, 2026 (search listing)
• O.C.G.A. § 13-11-7(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text) — read November 6, 2026 (search listing)
• O.C.G.A. § 13-11-7(a) (O.C.G.A. public access, search result text) — read November 6, 2026 (search listing)

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