Glossary Term

XRechnung

XRechnung is Germany's national CIUS (Core Invoice Usage Specification) that extends EN16931 with German-specific requirements for B2G e-invoicing.

Quick Facts

base
EN16931
type
CIUS
format
UBL 2.1 or CII
country
Germany
mandatory since
November 2020

Definition

What is XRechnung?

XRechnung is Germany's official e-invoice standard for Business-to-Government (B2G) invoicing. It's a CIUS (Core Invoice Usage Specification) that builds on EN16931 with additional German requirements.

Since November 2020, all invoices to German federal authorities must use XRechnung format.

Key Requirements

Leitweg-ID (Mandatory)


Every XRechnung must include a Leitweg-ID in BT-10 (Buyer Reference). This routing code identifies the specific government department.

Stricter Rules


XRechnung adds rules beyond EN16931:
  • BR-DE-1 through BR-DE-26

  • Additional field requirements

  • Stricter validation

    • Format

    XRechnung can be expressed in:

  • UBL 2.1 (most common)

  • CII 16B (Cross-Industry Invoice)

    • Delivery Channels

  • ZRE: Zentrale Rechnungseingangsplattform des Bundes (federal)

  • OZG-RE: State-level platforms

  • Peppol: Via certified Access Points