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What is XRechnung?
XRechnung is Germany's national implementation (CIUS) of the EN 16931 European e-invoicing standard, mandatory for all public sector invoicing in Germany.
TL;DR
XRechnung defines a strict XML structure based on the European standard EN 16931. It supports two syntaxes:
- UBL 2.1 (Universal Business Language) — Most common, used by Peppol
- UN/CEFACT CII (Cross-Industry Invoice) — Used by ZUGFeRD/Factur-X
German-Specific Rules
XRechnung adds 21 business rules beyond EN 16931, including:
- Leitweg-ID: Required routing identifier for German government invoices
- Payment terms: Specific format requirements
- VAT categories: Mapping to German tax codes
Submission Methods
XRechnung invoices can be submitted via:
- ZRE (Zentrale Rechnungseingangsplattform): Federal government portal
- OZG-RE: State government portals
- Peppol: Via certified Access Point
- Email: To specific submission addresses (varies by authority)
B2G: Already Mandatory
Since November 2020, all invoices to German federal authorities must be XRechnung-compliant. Most state governments have similar requirements. Non-compliant invoices may be rejected.
B2B: Coming 2025-2028
Germany's B2B e-invoicing mandate phases in:
- January 2025: All businesses must receive EN 16931 invoices
- January 2027: Businesses >€800K must send e-invoices
- January 2028: All businesses must send e-invoices
XRechnung or ZUGFeRD are both accepted for the B2B mandate.
Invoice Navigator supports all XRechnung versions and automatically validates against the latest KoSIT rule set, catching format-specific errors that generic validators miss.
Step 1: Check Your Requirements
Are you invoicing government (B2G) or only businesses (B2B)? Government requires XRechnung; B2B can use XRechnung or ZUGFeRD.
Step 2: Get Your Leitweg-ID
For government invoices, you need the recipient's Leitweg-ID routing number. This is usually provided on purchase orders or contracts.
Step 3: Generate or Convert
Use your accounting software's XRechnung export, or convert existing invoices using our generator.
- What is ZUGFeRD?
Hybrid PDF/XML format
- XRechnung vs ZUGFeRD
Which format to use
- Germany E-Invoicing Guide
Full requirements
- What is EN 16931?
The EU standard
- E-Invoicing Deadlines
All mandate dates
- Validate your XRechnung
Free XRechnung validator with auto-fix
- Convert PDF to XRechnung
AI-assisted PDF → XRechnung 3.0.2 (UBL or CII)
- PDF in XRechnung umwandeln
Deutsche Konvertierungs-Landing (KI-gestützt)
- XRechnung erstellen (Deutsch)
Vier Wege zur konformen XRechnung
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is XRechnung mandatory for all German businesses?
- For B2G (government): Yes, already mandatory. For B2B: Not yet, but receiving e-invoices becomes mandatory January 2025, and sending phases in 2027-2028.
- What's the difference between XRechnung and ZUGFeRD?
- XRechnung is pure XML (no visual component). ZUGFeRD is a hybrid PDF with embedded XML. Both are EN 16931-compliant. ZUGFeRD with XRechnung profile satisfies government requirements. Compare XRechnung vs ZUGFeRD
- What is a Leitweg-ID?
- The Leitweg-ID is a routing identifier that directs invoices to the correct German government department. Format: 04011-xxxxx-xx. Required for all B2G invoices.
- Can I view XRechnung files?
- XRechnung is pure XML and needs a viewer to display in human-readable format. You can use online XRechnung viewers or our validator which shows invoice details.
- Which syntax should I use—UBL or CII?
- Most implementations use UBL because it's the Peppol standard. CII is compatible with ZUGFeRD/Factur-X. Both are equally valid for XRechnung.
Have an e-invoice that came back rejected? Check it here.
Checking is free. The first verified download every 30 days is free. After that €1.90 per invoice, or €9 a month for all of them.