Peppol invoice validator for UBL invoices

How to check a Peppol invoice

1. 1Drop the UBL XML file onto the field above, or click to choose it.
2. 2The format is detected automatically; Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 is recognised from its customisation and profile IDs.
3. 3Read the report: schema errors, EN 16931 findings and the Peppol readiness checks, each with location and explanation.
4. 4Fix the source data in your invoicing software, export again and re-check. The binding Peppol validation happens at your access point when you send.

Belgium: Peppol is the default since 2026

Since 1 January 2026, VAT-registered businesses in Belgium must exchange structured electronic invoices with each other for domestic B2B transactions. Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 is the default format; other structured formats are possible only if both parties agree. The government granted a tolerance period during the first three months of 2026 for businesses that had taken timely steps to comply. Since then the regular sanctions apply: €1,500 for a first infringement, €3,000 for a second and €5,000 for each further one.

Peppol is also used for B2B and public procurement in many other countries, including the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and as a delivery channel for public-sector invoices in Germany. Belgium plans to add e-reporting from 2028, but this was not yet law as of October 2026. See the guide to Peppol e-invoicing in Belgium.

What this validator checks

• UBL 2.1 schema – the file is well-formed and structurally valid UBL
• EN 16931 core rules – the complete rule set published by CEN/TC 434 (validation artefacts 1.3.16), including calculation, VAT and code list rules
• Peppol readiness checks, implemented by us: seller and buyer endpoint IDs present with a scheme identifier (for example 0208 for a Belgian enterprise number), Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 customisation and profile IDs, and a buyer reference or order reference

What it does not include, and why

The official Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 rule set (the PEPPOL-EN16931-R* rules and the country-specific rules) is not included. OpenPeppol publishes it without an open licence, so we cannot redistribute it in a tool that runs in your browser. Our readiness checks cover a few of the same concerns, but they are our own implementation and not a substitute.

In practice: your Peppol access point validates every document against the official rules when you send it. Use this tool to catch EN 16931 errors and obvious Peppol gaps early; rely on your access point for the binding Peppol validation.

Reading the report

Each finding shows the rule ID (official IDs for the schema and EN 16931 rules, clearly marked IDs for our own readiness checks), the message, the XPath location and the highlighted XML. For about 60 common rules there is a plain-language explanation with a suggested fix. The rule set versions are listed at the top.

We are not an access point

To send or receive invoices on the Peppol network you need a certified access point, usually provided by your accounting software or a service provider. This tool cannot connect to Peppol, look up participants or deliver documents.

Privacy: the file is read and checked inside your browser. It is never uploaded and there is no server-side processing. The only network requests are for this page and the official rule files, which are the same for everybody. Nothing is stored; closing the tab discards the data. No account is required.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. einvoice.belgium.be – tolerance during the first three months of 2026 (checked 2026-10-28)
2. einvoice.belgium.be – FAQ on e-invoicing (sanctions) (checked 2026-10-28)
3. OpenPeppol – Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (checked 2026-10-28)
4. CEN/TC 434 – EN 16931 validation artefacts (checked 2026-10-28)