1 January 2027 is the next deadline. Businesses with prior-year turnover above €800,000 must then issue e-invoices for domestic B2B sales. Receiving has been mandatory for all businesses since 1 January 2025.
Get ready for E-Rechnung in Germany
Germany requires structured electronic invoices, E-Rechnungen, for domestic B2B transactions. All businesses must be able to receive them since 1 January 2025, and the obligation to issue them is phased in during 2027 and 2028. Valid formats follow the European standard EN 16931, most commonly XRechnung and ZUGFeRD. Qvalia sends, receives and validates these invoices through Peppol, APIs and the web app.
XRechnung and ZUGFeRD
Send and receive XRechnung and ZUGFeRD invoices, validated against EN 16931 before delivery. Qvalia is a certified Peppol Access Point and SMP, accredited for Germany.
For enterprise and midsize finance teams
Connect your ERP through APIs, SFTP or connectors and process incoming E-Rechnungen as structured data instead of PDF files, with orders and responses on the same connection.
Peppol infrastructure for partners
Software vendors and service providers can add German e-invoicing to their own products through Embedded Peppol, a white-label platform or a Hosted Access Point.
Platform
E-invoicing and business messaging in one place
Qvalia combines Peppol e-invoicing, business document exchange, APIs, web-based tools and automation services on a single platform. Use it for German E-Rechnung and for invoice, order and response flows across other markets and systems.
Web app for daily operations
Send and receive E-Rechnungen, monitor transaction status and manage daily e-invoicing operations from a web interface. Suited to teams that need compliant invoice exchange before building a full integration.
- Dashboard with real-time transaction status
- Send invoices and credit notes in structured formats
- Receive and validate incoming documents automatically
- Activity logs and compliance audit trail
- Manage orders, catalogs, and response messages
async function httpsPost(registrationNumber, body) {
await fetch(`https://api.qvalia.com/transaction/${registrationNumber}/invoices/outgoing`, {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
Authorization: '412ee738......d3e469a7'
},
body
});
};API and connectors for your stack
Integrate XRechnung, ZUGFeRD and Peppol e-invoicing into your ERP, accounting software, billing system or procurement workflow. Qvalia’s REST APIs support automated document exchange, data capture, enrichment and transaction management.
- Invoicing API: send, receive, and manage invoice documents
- Order API: automate purchase orders and responses
- OCR API: convert PDF invoices into structured data
- Enrichment API: AI-powered classification and posting suggestions
- Connectors and integration support for enterprise systems
Document types
Full coverage of Peppol business documents
Exchange structured business documents for e-invoicing, order management and broader transaction automation. Use Qvalia for German E-Rechnung and for Peppol business message flows across sales and purchasing.
BIS Billing Invoice
Credit Note
Self-Billing Invoice
Invoice Response
Message Level Response
Order & Order Response
Advanced Ordering
Catalog & Response
Despatch Advice
Punch Out
Plans
Start small. Scale as you grow.
Qvalia gives businesses and teams access to web-based e-invoicing, Peppol exchange, APIs, and automation services. Choose a plan for your current setup and scale as transaction volumes, integrations, and automation needs grow.
- Peppol ID setup
- Send & receive invoices
- Saved products, supplier and customer records
- Web app access
- Basic support
Medium
€ 39 per month
For businesses that need API access and automated document exchange.
Get started- Everything in Small
- REST API access
- Higher transaction capacity
- Order-to-invoice automation
- Integration-ready setup
- Priority support
Enterprise
Contact us
For high-volume operations, complex system landscapes, and partner models.
Contact us- High-capacity transaction exchange
- Spend analytics
- Enrichment API
- Data classification
- Posting suggestions
- ERP connectors
- Partner & multi-tenant setup
- White-label options
- Dedicated customer success
Your E-Rechnung readiness in four steps
Tell us about your invoice volumes, systems and trading partners, and we will define the right setup for the German timeline.
- Choose your setup
Start with the web app for sending and receiving, or use API access for ERP, accounting, procurement or platform integration. - Prepare master data
Collect customer identifiers and VAT numbers and, for public-sector customers, Leitweg-IDs. Agree the preferred format with key trading partners. - Set up formats and routing
Configure XRechnung, ZUGFeRD and Peppol exchange, validation and routing for incoming and outgoing invoices. - Test and go live
Send test invoices, monitor statuses, resolve data issues and move to production before your issuing obligation applies.
Enterprise and partners
For large-scale operations and multi-tenant setups
For businesses with high volumes, multiple entities or complex system landscapes, and for software providers serving many customers, Qvalia provides e-invoicing infrastructure and automation adapted to your operating model.
- High-volume invoice and order streams with transformations
- XRechnung and ZUGFeRD alongside Peppol BIS Billing 3.0
- Peppol and non-Peppol EDI exchange
- PDF, B2C, and print-related messaging capabilities
- White-label and partner API services
- AI-powered enrichment, classification, and PDF processing
- Automated accounts payable and receivable workflows
- Dedicated customer success and SLA options
What is an E-Rechnung?
An E-Rechnung is an invoice issued, transmitted and received in a structured electronic format that allows automated processing and complies with the European standard EN 16931. A PDF sent by email is not an E-Rechnung under the German rules, even though it is electronic. See the Federal Ministry of Finance FAQ on the E-Rechnung.
When does e-invoicing become mandatory in Germany?
Since 1 January 2025, all businesses must be able to receive e-invoices for domestic B2B transactions. Issuing is phased in. Until 31 December 2026, businesses may still send paper or other invoice formats. During 2027, this remains possible only for businesses with prior-year turnover of up to €800,000. From 1 January 2028, all businesses must issue e-invoices for domestic B2B sales.
Invoices of up to €250 and invoices to consumers are exempt. The rules were introduced by the Growth Opportunities Act (Wachstumschancengesetz).
Go to our quick guide on e-invoicing in Germany.
What is the difference between XRechnung and ZUGFeRD?
XRechnung is the German national specification of EN 16931, maintained by KoSIT. It is a pure XML invoice in UBL or UN/CEFACT CII syntax and is the standard for invoicing German public authorities.
ZUGFeRD is a hybrid format: a readable PDF/A-3 file with an embedded CII XML invoice. ZUGFeRD from version 2.0.1 is accepted for B2B, except the MINIMUM and BASIC-WL profiles, which do not contain a complete invoice.
Is Peppol mandatory in Germany?
No. The German B2B rules define the invoice format, not the transmission channel. E-Rechnungen can be exchanged by email, API, EDI or network. Peppol is widely used for invoicing public authorities and gives one connection to every registered receiver in Germany and in other Peppol countries.
How do I invoice German public authorities?
Federal authorities require e-invoices under the E-Rechnungsverordnung, in practice XRechnung, with a Leitweg-ID that identifies the receiving authority. Invoices can be submitted through the federal invoice portals or delivered over Peppol. Requirements at state and municipal level vary, so check the rules of each authority you invoice.
Is Qvalia accredited for Germany?
Yes. Qvalia AB is an OpenPeppol member and certified Peppol Access Point and Service Metadata Publisher under the Swedish Peppol Authority. Germany is covered by this accreditation. See Peppol and e-invoicing compliance for the current country list.
Can Qvalia receive XRechnung and ZUGFeRD and deliver them to our ERP?
Yes. Incoming invoices are validated and delivered as structured data to your ERP or accounting system through API, SFTP or connector, or handled in the web app.
Do I need API access?
API access is recommended if invoices, orders or related documents should flow automatically between your ERP, accounting system, billing platform or procurement software. Smaller teams can start with the web app and add integration later.
Can software providers offer German e-invoicing under their own brand?
Yes. Qvalia offers three partner models. With Embedded Peppol, you build the user experience and Qvalia operates the Peppol infrastructure through the Partner API. With the white-label platform, you launch Qvalia’s application under your own brand. With a Hosted Access Point, you hold your own Peppol Service Provider role and Qvalia operates the underlying infrastructure.
Does Qvalia support both web-based use and enterprise integrations?
Yes. Qvalia supports web-based e-invoicing, REST APIs, connectors, enterprise integrations, partner models, multi-tenant setups and white-label options.
Ready to connect?
Whether you need to launch a new invoicing flow in your platform or improve AP efficiency and control across your organization, we’ll help you find the right setup.
Adapted to your systems, workflows, and delivery model
Designed for scale, compliance, and operational control
Guidance on setup, rollout, and next-step automation