XRechnung validator and viewer
Upload an XRechnung or ZUGFeRD invoice. After a few seconds you see whether the file meets the official rules, and you can read the invoice like a normal document. Free, no account needed.
Why businesses in Germany need to read e-invoices
Since 1 January 2025, all businesses established in Germany must be able to receive and process e-invoices. This includes small businesses under § 19 UStG (as of October 2026).
An e-invoice is a structured file that follows the European standard EN 16931, in practice an XML file. XRechnung is plain XML. ZUGFeRD is a PDF with the XML embedded, and the XML part is what counts legally. A normal PDF sent by email is not an e-invoice.
For invoices to other businesses in Germany, issuing e-invoices becomes mandatory step by step: from 2027 for businesses with more than EUR 800,000 total turnover in the previous year, from 2028 for all. Small businesses under § 19 UStG may keep sending paper or PDF invoices (as of October 2026).
Need to send an e-invoice yourself? You can create an XRechnung or ZUGFeRD invoice for free, without an account.
What the check covers
- XML schema: is the file valid UBL 2.1 or UN/CEFACT CII?
- EN 16931: the business rules of the European standard (BR-...), for example whether totals and VAT amounts add up.
- XRechnung: the additional German rules (BR-DE-...), for example the buyer reference (Leitweg-ID) and the seller's contact details.
- PDF/A-3 for ZUGFeRD: whether the PDF that carries the XML meets the archiving standard.
XRechnung files are checked with the KoSIT validator 1.6.3 and the official configuration for XRechnung 3.0.2. Other EN 16931 files and all PDFs are checked with Mustang 2.26.0, an open source tool that uses veraPDF for PDF/A.
The check does not tell you whether the content is right: whether the work was done, whether prices match the order, or whether a VAT ID exists.
Questions and answers
How do I open an XRechnung file?
An XRechnung is an XML file. A browser or text editor shows only the code. Upload the file above: you see the invoice with its items, VAT and bank details, and whether it is valid.
What is the difference between XRechnung and ZUGFeRD?
Both follow the European standard EN 16931. XRechnung is a plain XML file with additional German rules. ZUGFeRD is a PDF with the XML file embedded. People read the PDF, software reads the XML. Legally, the XML part counts.
Which rules does the validator check?
The XML schema, the business rules of EN 16931 and, for XRechnung, the additional German rules. XRechnung files are checked with the official KoSIT validator 1.6.3 and the configuration for XRechnung 3.0.2, other files with Mustang 2.26.0. For ZUGFeRD PDFs, Mustang also checks PDF/A.
What does “valid with warnings” mean?
The file has no errors. Warnings point to details that are missing or unusual, for example a missing delivery date. They do not lead to rejection.
My PDF contains no e-invoice data. What does that mean?
The PDF has no embedded XML file. Legally it is an ordinary invoice and does not count as an e-invoice. Ask the sender for an XRechnung or a ZUGFeRD PDF. In 2025 and 2026 such invoices are still allowed if you agree, in 2027 only from businesses with at most EUR 800,000 turnover in the previous year, and from 2028 only in exceptions, for example from small businesses (as of October 2026).
Do ZUGFeRD MINIMUM and BASIC WL count as e-invoices?
No. According to the BMF letter of 15 October 2025, the ZUGFeRD profiles MINIMUM and BASIC WL do not meet the requirements. BASIC, EN 16931 (COMFORT), EXTENDED and XRECHNUNG do (as of October 2026).
Privacy
Your file is processed only for this check. We do not store the file or the invoice data, and you do not need an account. During the check the file sits in a temporary folder on our server and is deleted right after. The validators run on our server; the file is not sent to third parties.
As of October 2026. This page is not legal or tax advice.