E-INVOICING API GERMANY

Dokapi is a certified Peppol Access Point since 2019.

In Germany, B2G e-invoicing has been mandatory since 2020, and a B2B e-invoicing mandate is now being phased in: businesses must already be able to receive structured e-invoices since 1 January 2025, with mandatory issuance following in stages in 2027 and 2028, ahead of the EU's ViDA directive.

Whether you are invoicing German public authorities today or preparing for the upcoming B2B issuance obligations, Dokapi connects you to the Peppol network with confidence.

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The API engine behind 70+ million documents per year

LEGISLATION

Government (B2G)

Mandatory since 2020

Since 27 November 2020, suppliers to the federal government have been required to submit structured e-invoices. Invoices are submitted via ZRE (for direct federal authorities) or OZG-RE (for indirect federal authorities and other public entities), both of which accept invoices via the Peppol network in XRechnung format.

Private sector (B2B)

Phased rollout, 2025–2028

Germany's B2B e-invoicing mandate is set out in the Wachstumschancengesetz (Growth Opportunities Act), which amended the German VAT Act (UStG).

Since 1 January 2025, all German businesses must be able to receive structured, EN 16931-compliant e-invoices, with no grace period on the reception side. Issuance becomes mandatory from 1 January 2027 for businesses with prior-year turnover above €800,000, and from 1 January 2028 for all remaining businesses.

Formats: XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, and Peppol BIS Billing 3.0

Germany accepts three EN 16931-compliant formats. XRechnung is a pure XML format used mainly for B2G. ZUGFeRD is a hybrid PDF/XML format widely used in B2B. Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 applies to broader Peppol exchanges.

Dokapi supports all three formats and offers full compatibility with the requirements of German public-sector and B2B trading partners.

Transmission: Email, Portals and Peppol

For B2B invoicing, Germany does not mandate a single transmission channel. Email, web portals, and SFTP are all commonly used alongside Peppol. Peppol, however, is the right choice going forward. It offers a secure, standardized exchange without bilateral connections per partner, and its adoption is accelerating across Europe and worldwide.

For B2G invoicing, Germany's federal and state platforms ZRE and OZG-RE accept the same range of channels, and public authorities are required to support Peppol for automated, machine-to-machine exchange.

As a certified Peppol Access Point in Germany since 2019, Dokapi guides clients and trading partners toward Peppol for their invoice exchange.

ViDA: cross-border reporting on the horizon

ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) is a package of reforms designed to modernise VAT administration across the EU. It establishes mandatory e-invoicing and digital reporting for cross-border transactions from 1 July 2030.

Because Germany's domestic B2B mandate is already being phased in ahead of ViDA, German businesses have a head start on the EU-wide requirements. Even so, the coming years are expected to bring:

- wider adoption of structured invoice standards
- a strong network effect around Peppol
- increasing importance of data consistency
- a significant increase in demand for e-invoicing APIs

This means organisations still relying on paper or PDF invoices need to move to structured invoice data soon. Connecting to Peppol now gives your organisation a head start on both the domestic mandate and ViDA, and helps avoid a last-minute compliance project.

Guideline for the use of Peppol identifier schemes

A wide range of participant identifier schemes is available for use in the Peppol network.
In Germany public authorities MUST use the scheme Leitweg-ID (DE:LWID; Value 0204) for their Peppol-ID. The Leitweg-ID is mandatory when invoicing federal and state public authorities.
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The recommendation for private businesses is to publish a GEBA (DE:GEBA, code 0246), based on their Business Identification Number (“Wirtschafts-Identifikationsnummer”, W-IdNr) as a minimum and first choice.
Additionally, businesses can use their VAT number (or Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer - DE:VAT; Value: 9930) directly, if available, or their Global Location Number (GLN; Value: 0088) otherwise.
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Dokapi registers and manages the relevant identification data for businesses, ensuring that trading partners and government organisations can always find them on the network.

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Smart e-invoicing for Germany

Compliance

All businesses supplying German federal and state authorities are required to send structured e-invoices via the decentralised B2G infrastructure. Dokapi ensures your invoices meet XRechnung requirements, are correctly addressed using the Leitweg ID, and are routed to the right government receiver every time.

Send, Receive & Validate

Dokapi handles the complete invoice flow, sending, receiving, and format validation. Dokapi ensures your invoices meet XRechnung and Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 requirements, fully aligned with the German mandate.

API-First Integration

Built for software vendors and ERP providers, our API lets you embed Peppol connectivity directly into your product.

End-to-End Feedback

Dokapi closes the loop between sender and receiver by feeding status updates back into the system that originated the document.

Format Conversion

Send and receive invoices in any format: UBL, CII, PDF or Json. Your systems send/receive documents in the structure they expect, regardless of the format used by your trading partner.

Document routing

Documents are routed to the right system, department or workflow without manual intervention.

ESSENTIALS GERMANY

Peppol ID schemes: VAT (9930), Leitweg-ID (0204) and GEBA (0246)

In Germany, businesses register on the Peppol network using their VAT number (9930) or the new GEBA address (0246), based on the national business identification number (W-IdNr). Government entities are identified by their Leitweg-ID (0204).
Dokapi registers and manages the relevant identifiers on your behalf.

XRechnung and Peppol BIS Billing 3.0

Germany's mandatory format standard is EN 16931, with XRechnung as the primary national format and Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 for broader European exchange.
Dokapi supports both natively, ensuring full compliance with German B2B and B2G requirements.

Phased B2B Mandate

Receiving structured e-invoices has been mandatory for all businesses since January 2025. Issuing becomes mandatory for large businesses from January 2027 and for all businesses from January 2028.
Connecting to Peppol now through Dokapi positions your business ahead of each deadline.

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API-FIRST BY DESIGN

With Dokapi, you’re not locked into someone else’s interface. You get a solid API foundation that fits seamlessly into your architecture.

Compliance

Automatic standards compliance: Dokapi automatically generates invoices compliant with XRechnung and Peppol BIS Billing 3.0.

One API, Every Flow

Everything runs through one unified API. You do not need to manage separate integrations for different document types, formats or countries. One connection handles everything.

Up and Running in Hours

Dokapi's API comes with comprehensive documentation, a sandbox environment connected to the Peppol test network, and webhook support for real-time status updates.No lengthy onboarding, most integrations go live within days.

Secure, Certified and Audit-Ready

As a certified Peppol Access Point, Dokapi operates within the strict technical and security standards set by OpenPeppol and the German e-government authority KoSIT.

All document exchanges are encrypted end-to-end and every transaction is logged, but Dokapi does not store your documents themselves, keeping your data footprint small while ensuring you are always ready for regulatory scrutiny.

Our ISO certification goes beyond technology, covering our internal processes and people too, meaning our teams operate under strict, regularly audited procedures at every level of the organisation.

CERTIFICATIONS

ISO 27001

Dokapi is ISO 27001 certified via Proks Certification in January 2025, covering our technology, internal processes, and people.

All teams operate according to strictly enforced, periodically audited procedures.

Peppol

Dokapi is a Certified Peppol Access Point and SMP since 2019.

One of the longest-standing certified providers in Belgium. A single Dokapi integration gives you access to the full international Peppol network, across all supported countries and formats.

Plateforme Agréée

Dokapi was granted its Approved Platform (Plateforme Agréée) registration number by the DGFiP in July 2026, part of France's official framework for e-invoicing and e-reporting.
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A single Dokapi integration connects you to the full French system.

Discover what Dokapi can do for you

Our experts are ready to help - get in touch today and you'll be up and running in no time.

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