Issuing e-invoices in Germany becomes mandatory in 2027. Be ready in minutes.
Create XRechnung and ZUGFeRD invoices from one JSON API, exchange them over Peppol and follow every document in a dashboard. Invoices to public authorities are addressed by Leitweg-ID, and the whole European Peppol network comes with it.
Ready in three steps
Receiving e-invoices has been mandatory for every German business since 1 January 2025. Issuing follows: from 1 January 2027 if your turnover in 2026 exceeds €800,000, from 1 January 2028 for the other businesses in scope. One account covers both: register once, receive right away, and send from your own software when your date comes.
Create your free account
25 documents per month free, no credit card required. Register your company with its VAT number (USt-IdNr.) and get verified.
You're ready to receive
Once verified, your company is reachable on Peppol under its VAT number and receives Peppol BIS and XRechnung invoices. View them in the dashboard or push them to your software via webhooks. The reception obligation is covered.
Send from your own software
Connect your ERP, accounting package or custom software through the JSON API. Recommand writes Peppol BIS, XRechnung or ZUGFeRD and validates every invoice before it leaves. Invoices to public authorities go out as XRechnung with the Leitweg-ID filled in.
// Invoice a German public authority by its Leitweg-IDPOST https://app.recommand.eu/api/v1/{companyId}/send{"recipient": "0204:991-33333TEST-33","documentType": "invoice","document": {"invoiceNumber": "RE-2026-001","buyer": { ... }, "lines": [ ... ],"paymentMeans": [ ... ]}}One call, one compliant invoice
The Germany specifics are a handful of JSON fields. The platform takes care of formats, validation, addressing and routing - your integration stays the same in every country.
Two ways to be ready
For businesses
Connect your ERP, accounting package or custom-built software through the API and exchange compliant invoices.
- Send and receive invoices straight from your ERP or accounting system, and follow every document in the dashboard
- German addressing handled for you: your VAT number on Peppol, the Leitweg-ID for public authorities
- ZUGFeRD for customers who are not on Peppol yet, from the same integration
For software vendors & integrators
Make your product ready for the German issuance mandate without building XRechnung and ZUGFeRD yourself.
- One JSON API and webhooks for sending, receiving and delivery status
- Manage all your customers’ companies through a single integration
- XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, Leitweg-ID routing and validation handled by the platform, not your roadmap
What Recommand covers in Germany
- Send and receive compliant e-invoices with German businesses over Peppol today - Germany has no accreditation barrier for Access Points
- Address German receivers by VAT number (9930) for B2B, and handle Leitweg-ID (0204) routing plus the mandatory Buyer Reference for B2G
- Built-in validation covers Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 and XRechnung 3.0 in UBL and CII, on both the receive and issue side
- Create ZUGFeRD invoices in the EN 16931 profile for customers who are not on Peppol yet, from the same JSON
- Invoices to public authorities go out as XRechnung over Peppol, with the Leitweg-ID filled in as buyer reference automatically
The mandate calendar
More than a single-country platform
One API for all of Europe
Germany, Belgium (mandatory since January 2026), France (since September 2026) and the whole Peppol network through the same connection. A single-country solution can't do that.
Built for developers and software vendors
A modern JSON API, clear documentation and a free test environment. Embed compliant e-invoicing in your own product instead of building XRechnung and ZUGFeRD yourself.
Compliant by default
Every invoice is validated against the official XRechnung rules or Peppol BIS before it is sent, and missing fields come back in a single clear error. The Leitweg-ID lands in the buyer reference automatically, so authorities receive what they require.
Production-grade, priced by volume
No per-country charge and no commitment: Germany, Belgium, France and the rest of the Peppol network are included in the same plan.
| Documents / month | Price / month | Extra document |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Free | €0.30 |
| 200 | €29 / month | €0.20 |
| 1,000 | €99 / month | €0.10 |
| 2,500 | €199 / month | €0.08 |
| 5,000 | €349 / month | €0.07 |
| > 5,000 | Enterprise - custom quote | |
Frequently asked questions
01Is e-invoicing mandatory in Germany?
Partly, and expanding. Since 1 January 2025 every German-established VAT business must be able to receive structured e-invoices for domestic B2B. Issuance becomes mandatory on 1 January 2027 for businesses above €800,000 prior-year turnover, and on 1 January 2028 for the other businesses in scope. Small businesses (Kleinunternehmer) and invoices up to €250 remain exempt from issuing.
02Does a PDF invoice count as an e-invoice in Germany?
No. Under §14 UStG an e-invoice carries structured data that software can process: an EN 16931 format such as XRechnung (UBL or CII XML), or the hybrid ZUGFeRD/Factur-X where the embedded XML carries the data. ZUGFeRD qualifies from version 2.0.1 in the BASIC, EN 16931 or EXTENDED profile, not in MINIMUM or BASIC WL. Other formats agreed between the parties count if the required data can be extracted in line with EN 16931. A plain or scanned PDF is not an e-invoice.
03Is there a central platform like France's or Italy's?
No. Germany runs a decentralised model: invoices are exchanged directly between the parties over Peppol, EDI or other channels, with no clearance platform and no real-time reporting to the tax authority today. Any Peppol Access Point can carry German B2B traffic.
04What is the Leitweg-ID and when do I need it?
The Leitweg-ID is the routing identifier for German public authorities (Peppol scheme 0204), provided by the receiving body. For B2G invoices it must be used as the Peppol receiver address and repeated in the Buyer Reference field (BT-10) - invoices missing it are rejected at the federal gateway.
05What do I need to do to comply right now?
Receiving is the baseline and has been mandatory since 1 January 2025: create an account, register your company with its VAT number and complete verification, and incoming invoices arrive automatically. Issuing follows on 1 January 2027 if your prior-year turnover exceeds €800,000, and on 1 January 2028 for the other businesses in scope. Until your date, paper and PDF invoices remain allowed. Recommand covers both sides through the same account.
06Do I have to use Peppol?
No. Germany does not prescribe a channel: e-invoices may travel over Peppol, by email, via EDI or through portals. Peppol adds what email can't: the recipient is found by VAT number, delivery is confirmed, and the invoice lands straight in the buyer's software. For customers who are not on Peppol yet, Recommand creates a ZUGFeRD invoice you can email.
07XRechnung or ZUGFeRD: which one should I send?
Both are valid e-invoices. XRechnung is pure XML and the required format for invoices to public authorities. ZUGFeRD combines a readable PDF with the same structured data embedded, which many German businesses are used to; Recommand creates it in the EN 16931 profile. Both come from the same JSON, so you can follow what each customer expects.
08Can I invoice German public authorities?
Yes. Address the authority by its Leitweg-ID (scheme 0204), which it gives you with the order. Recommand sends the invoice as XRechnung over Peppol and fills in the Leitweg-ID as buyer reference (BT-10), as the federal and state invoice portals require.
09Do small businesses have to issue e-invoices?
Businesses under the small-business scheme (Kleinunternehmer) are exempt from issuing e-invoices, and so are invoices up to €250 gross. Like every other German business, they must still be able to receive e-invoices.
General information, not tax or legal advice - verify against the BMF guidance on bundesfinanzministerium.de.
Your first document in minutes
Create an account, register your company on the network, and send a compliant invoice - before the coffee gets cold. Free for 25 documents a month.