What is Leitweg-ID?
The Leitweg-ID (literally "routing ID") is Germany's solution for routing e-invoices to the correct government department. It's mandatory for all XRechnung B2G invoices.
Germany has 16 federal states, thousands of municipalities, and hundreds of federal agencies — each with different invoice receiving systems. The Leitweg-ID tells the routing infrastructure exactly where to deliver your invoice.
Format Structure
[Grobstruktur]-[Feinstruktur]-[Prüfziffer]
│ │ │
│ │ └── Check digit (2 chars)
│ └── Fine structure (variable, org-specific)
└── Coarse structure (identifies state/federal level)
Examples
Where to Find It
The buyer (government entity) must provide their Leitweg-ID:
1. Check the contract or purchase order
2. Ask the contracting entity directly
3. Some states publish searchable directories
⚠️ Never guess — an incorrect Leitweg-ID will cause rejection.
In the Invoice
The Leitweg-ID goes in BT-10 (Buyer Reference):
04011000-12345-67