SEPA Direct Debit mandate template: free PDF and Word
Last updated: 28 October 2026
With a SEPA Direct Debit mandate, a customer or member authorises you to collect payments from their account. Here you can download free mandate templates for SEPA Core and SEPA B2B direct debits, each as a fillable PDF and as a Word file, with the official wording of the European Payments Council and all mandatory fields.
Download the templates
SEPA Direct Debit Mandate (Core)
For consumers, members and businesses. The payer can request a refund for eight weeks after the debit.
Download the PDF templatePDF, 20 KB Download the Word templateWord (DOCX), 38 KB
SEPA B2B Direct Debit Mandate
For business payers only. No refund after the debit; the payer confirms the mandate with their bank.
Download the PDF templatePDF, 20 KB Download the Word templateWord (DOCX), 38 KB
Free and without sign-up. In the PDF you fill in the fields on screen and print the mandate; you only enter the creditor name once. In the Word file you replace the shaded placeholders. Both templates can also be printed blank and filled in by hand.
What a SEPA mandate must contain
The content and the wording are fixed; the layout is not. The European Payments Council rulebook requires the heading “SEPA Direct Debit Mandate” (“SEPA Business-to-Business Direct Debit Mandate” for B2B) and these details:
| Detail | Filled in by | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|
| Creditor name and address | creditor | yes |
| Creditor identifier | creditor | yes; see the SEPA creditor identifier |
| Unique mandate reference | creditor | yes; can be provided later, before the first collection at the latest |
| Type of payment: recurrent or one-off | creditor | yes |
| Name of the payer (account holder) | payer | yes |
| Address of the payer | payer | only if a bank outside the EEA is involved, such as in Switzerland |
| IBAN | payer | yes |
| BIC | payer | only outside the EEA and if the creditor asks for it |
| Place, date and signature | payer | yes |
The only extra information allowed is your logo and a box for your internal use, filled in after signing. The mandate must also tell the payer where to return it; the templates have a field for this.
The mandate wording
Use the authorisation text without changes. For SEPA Core it reads:
By signing this mandate form, you authorise (A) [name of creditor] to send instructions to your bank to debit your account and (B) your bank to debit your account in accordance with the instructions from [name of creditor]. As part of your rights, you are entitled to a refund from your bank under the terms and conditions of your agreement with your bank. A refund must be claimed within 8 weeks starting from the date on which your account was debited.
The Core mandate must also state: “Your rights are explained in a statement that you can obtain from your bank.” For SEPA B2B the second part reads:
This mandate is only intended for business-to-business transactions. You are not entitled to a refund from your bank after your account has been debited, but you are entitled to request your bank not to debit your account up until the day on which the payment is due.
If your payers live in Germany or France, use a mandate in their language: we offer the same templates in German and French, with the wording approved by the EPC for those countries.
SEPA Core or SEPA B2B?
| Feature | SEPA Core | SEPA B2B |
|---|---|---|
| Payer | consumers and businesses | businesses only, no consumers |
| Refund after the debit | 8 weeks without a reason, up to 13 months without a valid mandate | no refund for authorised collections |
| Confirmation at the payer's bank | not needed | the payer confirms the mandate with their bank; without it, the bank returns the collection |
| Return by the bank | up to 5 bank business days after the due date | up to 3 bank business days after the due date |
How to use the template
- Download the right template: Core for consumers and members, B2B only for business payers.
- Enter your organisation's name and address and your creditor identifier. In Germany it comes from the Deutsche Bundesbank, in France through your bank; elsewhere ask your bank.
- Give every payer their own mandate reference. If it is not known when the mandate is signed, provide it before the first collection at the latest.
- Tick whether the mandate is for recurrent payments or a one-off payment.
- Have the payer enter their name, address and IBAN and sign with place and date. Do not pre-print a country code in the IBAN field.
- Keep the signed mandate and record the mandate reference and signature date in your software; both go into every collection.
- Send a pre-notification with amount and due date before each collection, at least 14 calendar days in advance unless agreed otherwise.
How long a mandate is valid
- A mandate for recurrent payments is valid until the payer cancels it. Cancellation is a matter between creditor and payer, without the banks.
- If no collection is presented under a mandate for 36 months, it expires and you need a new one.
- A one-off mandate covers one collection only.
- If the payer switches accounts, the mandate continues. Ask for the new IBAN and indicate the amendment in the next collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is the template free?
Yes. Download the templates without signing up, add your details and logo and use them for your customers or members. Do not change the mandate wording itself.
Do I need a separate mandate for each payer?
Yes. Every payer signs their own mandate, and every mandate gets its own unique mandate reference.
Does the payer have to give the BIC?
Only if one of the two banks is outside the EEA, for example in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, and you ask for it. Within the EEA the IBAN is enough.
Can I pre-print a country code in the IBAN field?
No. The European Payments Council points out that a fixed country code can discriminate against payers with accounts in other SEPA countries, which is not compliant with EU law.
Does the mandate have to be signed by hand?
The rulebook is based on a signed mandate; procedures for electronic signatures are agreed between the banks involved, so ask your bank what it supports. Without a valid mandate, the payer can reclaim a SEPA Core collection for up to 13 months after the debit.
How long must I keep the signed mandate?
As long as it is in use and, after it ends, as national law requires, but at least as long as the payer can claim a refund of an unauthorised transaction: 13 months.
Can I collect a B2B direct debit with a Core mandate?
No. SEPA B2B needs its own B2B mandate, which the payer also confirms with their bank.
Sources
- European Payments Council: 2025 SDD Core Rulebook, version 1.1 – content of the mandate (DS-01), wording, storage, 36 months
- European Payments Council: 2025 SDD B2B Rulebook, version 1.1 – B2B mandate wording and rules
- European Payments Council: Guidelines for the Appearance of Mandates, EPC392-08 version 11.0 – layout, IBAN field without a country code
- European Payments Council: SDD Core mandate translation, English (EPC165-19) – Word file; field names
- European Payments Council: SDD B2B mandate translation, English (EPC195-19) – Word file
Related guides
- SEPA mandate reference – rules, allowed characters and examples.
- SEPA creditor identifier – structure and a check of the check digits.
- SEPA reason codes – what MD01, MD06 and other return codes mean.