In Germany, the Leitweg-ID serves as the buyer reference for electronic invoices (XRechnung) and is entered in the BT-10 field. It enables the automatic routing of invoices to the correct recipient within public administration.
The Leitweg‑ID is a route and buyer reference for the unique assignment of e-invoices within the federal administration and beyond.
Each authority and organization receives a specific ID that ensures invoices are automatically delivered to the correct recipient.
There is no central government database. The ID is provided by the client. Our portal offers a directory for searching and reporting.
Authorities often use different Leitweg-IDs for different organizational units or locations.
A quick decision guide
I represent a municipality, public organization or a state / federal authority
I represent a private company without public contracts
Private companies do not need a Leitweg-ID for B2B e-invoices. Instead, they use a Peppol ID or another company identifier.
The Leitweg-ID consists of three parts: coarse addressing, fine addressing, and a check digit.
The first two digits indicate the federal state (01–16) or the federal government (99). Sub-prefixes 991/992/993 define the submission channel (ZRE, OZG-RE, or a custom solution).
Up to 30 alphanumeric characters for the precise organizational unit within the authority.
Two-digit checksum used to validate the correctness of the entire ID.
Use our interactive tools to create your Leitweg-ID or add it to the directory.
Enter your federal state, your company name, and optionally a fine address – we will automatically generate your valid Leitweg-ID including the check digit.
Add your existing Leitweg-ID to our public directory so that business partners and suppliers can easily find you.
The transition to mandatory e-invoicing in Germany is being introduced step by step.
All suppliers to the federal government must submit electronic invoices in the XRechnung format.
All companies must be able to receive electronic invoices from business partners.
Gradual introduction of the obligation to electronically transmit B2B invoices.
Invoices to federal authorities are submitted via OZG-RE (ZRE was discontinued at the end of 2025). Peppol is used as the preferred transmission channel.
More and more EU countries are introducing mandatory e-invoicing regulations.
| Country | B2G | B2B | System / Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Mandatory |
From January 2026
|
Mercurius system, Peppol format |
| Poland | Voluntary |
From February–April 2026
|
KSeF system |
| France | Since 2017–2020 |
From 2026
|
Chorus Pro, Peppol integration |
| Greece | Since 2023 |
From 2026
|
myDATA system, Peppol |
| Italy | Mandatory |
Since 2019
|
SDI system |
| Denmark | Since 2005 |
Voluntary
|
NemHandel / Peppol |
The European Commission plans to harmonize e-invoicing and digital reporting systems across Europe through the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) initiative (B2B obligations expected from 2028–2030).
View country overview ⭢Why Invoice Portal is the right choice for your e‑invoices.
Compliance with all legal requirements in Germany and the EU.
Automated processes reduce errors and speed up processing.
Protection of sensitive data through state-of-the-art encryption.
Your certified Peppol Access Point for the secure sending of electronic invoices in Germany and Europe.
