MSMED Act 2006 · Section 16 · Delayed Payment

MSME Samadhaan Interest Calculator

Compute the compound interest a buyer owes a micro or small supplier on overdue payments — three times the RBI bank rate, with monthly rests, live.

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Startup & Funding
Takes about
1 min
Updated
Sep 2026
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Full breakdown below ↓
🧾 Overdue payment
Invoice / principal amount due Amount payable to the supplier
📆 Delay period
Days delayed Beyond the appointed day / 45 days
D
Count the days from the day after the “appointed day” — i.e. 45 days from acceptance of goods/services (or the date agreed in writing, whichever is earlier). Interest runs for each day the amount stays unpaid.
🏦 RBI bank rate
RBI notified bank rate Applicable rate at the period start
%
Section 16 fixes the payable interest at three times this RBI bank rate, compounded with monthly rests. As of the current notification the bank rate is 6.5%, making the payable rate 19.5% p.a.

Interest computation

Sec 16 · monthly compounding
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Disclaimer: Indicative estimate under Section 16 of the MSMED Act 2006 using monthly-rest compounding on a days/30 basis. Actual interest depends on the exact RBI bank rate notified for each period and the certified appointed day. Not legal advice.

Section 16 MSMED Act — the delayed-payment rule

Under Sections 15–16 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006, a buyer must pay a registered micro or small supplier on or before the appointed day — the date agreed in writing, or failing that, 45 days from acceptance of the goods or services. If payment is late, Section 16 obliges the buyer to pay compound interest with monthly rests at three times the bank rate notified by the RBI, from the appointed day, regardless of any agreement to the contrary.

45 days
Maximum credit period before interest starts (or the agreed date)
Interest is three times the RBI notified bank rate
Monthly
Compounding is done with monthly rests, not simple interest
u/s 23
This interest is disallowed as a deduction to the buyer

How the interest is computed

The payable interest rate equals 3 × the RBI bank rate. That annual rate is then compounded monthly over the delay period. Expressed as a formula, with P = principal, r = 3 × bank rate (% p.a.) and m = months of delay (days ÷ 30):

Formula — AmountP × (1 + r/1200)m
InterestAmount − Principal
Worked example — Principal₹5,00,000
Delay120 days ≈ 4 months
Bank rate 6.5% → payable rate19.5% p.a.
Amount = 5,00,000 × (1 + 19.5/1200)4₹5,33,301
Interest payable₹33,301

Because the interest compounds monthly at more than triple typical bank lending rates, delayed payments to MSMEs become expensive quickly — which is exactly the deterrent Parliament intended.

Key terms explained

Appointed day

The day immediately after 45 days from the buyer's acceptance (or deemed acceptance) of the goods or services — or the date agreed in writing if earlier. Interest under Section 16 runs from this day until payment.

RBI bank rate

The standard rate at which the RBI is prepared to buy or rediscount eligible bills — currently 6.5%. Section 16 uses three times this rate as the interest rate on overdue MSME payments.

MSME Samadhaan portal

The government portal (samadhaan.msme.gov.in) where a registered micro/small supplier files a delayed-payment application online against the buyer, which is then taken up by the facilitation council.

MSEFC

The Micro & Small Enterprises Facilitation Council constituted by each State conciliates and arbitrates delayed-payment disputes, and can direct the buyer to pay the principal plus the Section 16 compound interest.

Disallowance u/s 23

Section 23 of the MSMED Act states this interest paid or payable is not allowed as a deduction to the buyer under the Income-tax Act — so the buyer bears the full cost with no tax shield.

Overriding effect

Section 16 applies notwithstanding any agreement between the parties. A contract clause waiving interest or allowing a longer credit period cannot override the statutory 45-day rule for registered MSMEs.

Questions people ask

Short answers on MSME Delayed Payment Interest. Tap a question to open it.

01What is the 45-day rule?

Under section 15 of the MSMED Act, a buyer must pay a micro or small supplier by the date agreed in writing, and in any case within 45 days of acceptance or deemed acceptance of the goods or services. Any longer agreed period is void to that extent.

02What interest is payable on a delayed payment?

Compound interest with monthly rests at three times the bank rate notified by the RBI, from the appointed day until payment. It is payable whether or not the supplier claims it in the invoice.

03Is the interest deductible for the buyer?

No. Section 23 of the MSMED Act expressly disallows the interest paid or payable as a deduction in computing income, so it is a real, post-tax cost.

04Can the supplier waive the interest?

A contractual waiver in advance is not effective, because the statutory right cannot be contracted away. A commercial settlement after the liability arises is a different matter and is common in practice.

05Does the rule apply to medium enterprises?

No. The delayed-payment protection in Chapter V applies only to micro and small enterprises. Medium enterprises are covered by Udyam registration for other benefits but not by section 15.

Disclaimer: This tool gives indicative results for general guidance only and is not professional advice. Please verify with a qualified CA before acting on the numbers.