E-invoicing mandate
E-invoicing in Germany
A sourced summary of the structured e-invoicing program in Germany. It is a starting point, not a compliance certificate or proof of delivery.
At a glance
- Scope
- Business-to-business
- Status
- Phasing in
- First receiving phase
- 2025-01-01
- First issuing phase
- 2027-01-01
- Network or channel
- Direct exchange (no central platform yet)
- Format
- XRechnung / ZUGFeRD (EN 16931 CII or UBL)
What this means for you
Every German business has had to be able to RECEIVE EN 16931 e-invoices since January 1, 2025. Issuing becomes mandatory from 2027 (turnover over 800,000 euro) and 2028 (all).
What FreeBillGen can verify
For eligible saved invoices, FreeBillGen can prepare generic OASIS UBL and UN/CEFACT CII mappings and run its named internal checks. These mappings are not EN 16931, Factur-X, Peppol, national-CIUS or clearance-platform validation. FreeBillGen does not transmit them through a provider network.
Check this route in Invoice PassportThe free Inbox can manually parse selected UBL/CII supplier files for review. Syntax recognition is not profile validation; manual upload is not a Peppol or government-network receiving endpoint and does not by itself satisfy a receive obligation. Open manual upload
Official sources used
- German Federal Ministry of Finance - mandatory e-invoice FAQ (opens in a new tab) Source reviewed 2026-08-17
General information only; not legal, tax, accounting, conformance, or delivery-provider advice. Confirm the current scope, technical profile, and channel with the official source or a qualified adviser.