Glossary
Payment order (Zahlungsbefehl)
Commandement de payer (FR) · Zahlungsbefehl (DE) · Precetto esecutivo (IT)
Updated on 28 July 2026
Definition
The payment order is the official document, served by the debt enforcement office, requiring you to pay a debt claimed by a creditor. You have 10 days from service to file an objection, free of charge and without giving reasons.
Receiving a payment order is intimidating, but the document proves nothing: the office does not check whether the debt actually exists. It simply passes on the creditor's claim. Many payment orders concern disputed amounts, sums already paid, or the wrong person entirely.
The only deadline that truly matters is the 10 days to object. It runs from service — that is, from personal delivery or from collection at the post office counter. After that, the proceeding counts as undisputed and the creditor can push it forward.
If the debt is genuine and you want to settle it, be aware that payment alone will not remove the register entry. It is worth negotiating in writing, at the same time as payment, that the creditor withdraws the proceeding.
Key points
- 10 days to object, running from service (art. 74).
- The office does not verify whether the claim is justified.
- Negotiate the withdrawal in writing when you pay.
Legal basis : Art. 69 and 74 DEBA/SchKG