Peppol Validator

E-Rechnung Validator

Validate a German e-invoice before you send it. Upload the XML of an XRechnung, ZUGFeRD or Factur-X invoice and check it against the EN16931 rules that German law requires. Free, no signup.

Rules: EN16931 1.3.16 and Peppol BIS Billing 3.0.20 for UBL · EN16931 1.3.16 for CII · XRechnung 3.0.2 (KoSIT schematron 2.6.0) · last updated 15 October 2026

What "E-Rechnung" means

E-Rechnung is simply German for e-invoice, but since 2025 it is also a legal term. Under §14 of the German VAT Act, an E-Rechnung is an invoice in a structured format that follows EN16931 and can be processed by software. That is why a PDF attached to an email no longer counts, even though many people still call it an electronic invoice.

In practice, German businesses use two families of formats. XRechnung is a pure XML format (UBL or CII) maintained by KoSIT, mandatory for most public-sector invoices. ZUGFeRD, technically identical to the French Factur-X, is a PDF/A-3 that carries a CII XML file inside, so a person can read the PDF while software reads the XML. Both are accepted for B2B as long as the XML meets EN16931.

Which German e-invoice formats this tool validates

FormatFileRules run hereUpload
XRechnung (UBL)Pure XMLEN16931 CEN UBL (no Peppol BIS rules)Supported
XRechnung (CII)Pure XMLEN16931 CEN CIISupported
ZUGFeRD 2.x / Factur-XPDF/A-3 with embedded CII XMLEN16931 CEN CII (on the extracted XML)XML only
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0Pure UBL XMLEN16931 CEN UBL + Peppol BIS 3.0Supported
Plain PDF / scanNo structured dataNone: not an E-RechnungNot supported

Unsure which one you have? A UBL file starts with <Invoice> or <CreditNote>, a CII file with <rsm:CrossIndustryInvoice>. The tool detects this for you. Format differences in depth: ZUGFeRD vs Factur-X vs XRechnung.

What we check, and what we do not

Checked

  • EN16931 mandatory fields, e.g. invoice number, dates, seller and buyer data
  • Calculation rules (BR-CO-): line totals, document totals, amount due
  • VAT logic per category: standard rate, zero rate, exempt, reverse charge, intra-EU supply
  • Code lists: currencies, countries, units, VAT categories, payment means
  • KoSIT XRechnung rules (BR-DE, XRechnung 3.0.2) for XRechnung files, e.g. BR-DE-15 buyer reference
  • Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 rules for Peppol BIS invoices (UBL), not for XRechnung

Not checked

  • Leitweg-ID format and check digit
  • PDF files, PDF/A-3 conformance and the ZUGFeRD profile declaration in the PDF
  • Full XSD schema validation
  • The formal recommendation of the KoSIT validator; this is not an official KoSIT tool
  • Whether the content is correct for your business (prices, VAT rates you chose)

For a binding check with the official German tool, see our KoSIT validator guide. For ZUGFeRD-specific checks, use the ZUGFeRD validator page.

Who needs to validate German e-invoices

German suppliers getting ready for 2027 or 2028

Test what your ERP or invoicing tool produces before the sending obligation applies. Fix rule violations now, not when a customer rejects the invoice.

Recipients checking incoming invoices

Since 2025 you must accept e-invoices. Validation tells you whether an incoming file is a compliant E-Rechnung or needs to go back to the supplier.

Foreign companies invoicing German customers

If you supply German businesses that are VAT-registered in Germany, they will increasingly expect an EN16931 e-invoice. Check your output before your first delivery.

Developers building an XRechnung or ZUGFeRD export

Upload test files during development and read the findings by rule ID and XML location.

The German mandate at a glance

1 Jan 2025

All domestic businesses must be able to receive EN16931 e-invoices.

1 Jan 2027

Sending becomes mandatory if prior-year turnover exceeded €800,000.

1 Jan 2028

Sending becomes mandatory for all remaining domestic B2B invoices.

Exemptions, transition rules and B2G details: German e-invoicing mandate and Peppol in Germany. Invoicing public authorities? Read about the Leitweg-ID.

Free German e-invoice check

Validate your E-Rechnung

Drop an XRechnung, ZUGFeRD or Factur-X XML file. EN16931 results in seconds, no signup.

No invoice?

Frequently asked questions

What counts as an E-Rechnung in Germany?

Since 1 January 2025, German VAT law (§14 UStG) defines an e-invoice (E-Rechnung) as an invoice issued, sent and received in a structured electronic format that follows the European standard EN16931 and allows automatic processing. A plain PDF, a scanned image or an email body is an 'other invoice', not an E-Rechnung.

Which formats can I validate here?

XML files in two syntaxes. An XRechnung (UBL or CII) is checked against the EN16931 CEN rules and the KoSIT XRechnung rules (BR-DE), without the Peppol BIS rules. A Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 invoice (UBL) is checked against the EN16931 CEN rules and the Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 rules. The CII XML extracted from a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X PDF is checked against the EN16931 CEN CII rules.

Can I upload a ZUGFeRD PDF?

No. The tool accepts XML only. A ZUGFeRD or Factur-X invoice is a PDF/A-3 with an embedded XML file, usually named factur-x.xml or zugferd-invoice.xml. Open the PDF attachments in a PDF reader, save that XML and upload it. The PDF layer itself (PDF/A-3 conformance, visual layout) is not checked.

Does the validator check the German XRechnung rules?

Yes. For an XRechnung 3.0 (UBL or CII) the tool runs the official KoSIT XRechnung schematron 2.6.0 (XRechnung 3.0.2) with its BR-DE rules, on top of the EN16931 rules, and applies the severity levels of the KoSIT scenarios. It does not do XSD schema validation and it is not an official KoSIT tool. For a binding check of an invoice to a public authority, also use the KoSIT validator.

Which ZUGFeRD profiles are valid e-invoices?

Profiles that carry the full EN16931 data set: BASIC, EN16931 (formerly COMFORT), EXTENDED and XRECHNUNG. MINIMUM and BASIC WL do not contain enough structured data and do not count as an E-Rechnung under German VAT law; they are treated as other invoices.

When must German businesses send e-invoices?

Receiving has been mandatory for all domestic businesses since 1 January 2025. Sending becomes mandatory on 1 January 2027 for businesses with prior-year turnover above €800,000 and on 1 January 2028 for everyone else. Small-value invoices up to €250 and passenger tickets are exempt, and small businesses under the Kleinunternehmer scheme do not have to issue e-invoices, but they must still be able to receive them.

Do I need Peppol to send an E-Rechnung in Germany?

No. German law does not prescribe a transmission channel for B2B: email, an API, an EDI connection or Peppol are all allowed as long as the invoice itself is EN16931-compliant. For federal B2G invoices, the ZRE platform accepts uploads, email and Peppol.

Are the Peppol BIS rules applied to an XRechnung?

No. An XRechnung is not a Peppol BIS Billing invoice. When the specification identifier contains the XRechnung identifier (urn:xeinkauf.de:kosit:xrechnung_3.0), the tool runs the EN16931 rules and the KoSIT XRechnung rules (BR-DE). Other UBL files are treated as Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 and also checked against the Peppol BIS rules.

Related pages

XRechnung Validator

Validate XRechnung UBL or CII files

ZUGFeRD Validator

Check the XML inside a ZUGFeRD invoice

Factur-X Validator

Validate Factur-X CII XML against EN16931

KoSIT Validator

The official XRechnung tool explained

German e-invoicing mandate

Deadlines, exemptions and who is affected

Leitweg-ID

Routing ID for invoices to German public authorities

ZUGFeRD explained

Profiles, versions and the hybrid PDF format

Peppol in Germany

XRechnung, Peppol and the federal platforms