Sending XRechnung / ZUGFeRD invoices to German clients

Germany is rolling out mandatory B2B e-invoicing in phases: since January 2025 every German business must be able to receive e-invoices; issuing becomes mandatory from January 2027 (companies above €800k turnover) and January 2028 (everyone). The accepted formats are XRechnung (pure XML) and ZUGFeRD / Factur-X (a normal-looking PDF with the XML embedded inside) — both implementing the EN 16931 standard.

The good news: email is enough

Unlike Belgium (Peppol network), Germany allows e-invoices to be delivered by email. A valid XRechnung XML attached to an email is legally an e-invoice. The hard part isn't delivery — it's producing XML that actually passes the official validation rules (the KoSIT validator): correct semantic fields, VAT category codes, calculation rules, buyer references.

Why your German client is asking you for this

Their AP software now ingests XRechnung/ZUGFeRD automatically — your PDF is the one invoice they have to type in by hand.
Public-sector clients have required XRechnung for years (with a Leitweg-ID as buyer reference).
From 2027–2028 their whole invoice flow is structured — plain PDFs age out.

Your options today

Free online generators — fine for a one-off, manual re-typing every month, no archive, no validation guarantees.
German accounting tools — built for German businesses, German UI, German bank connections.
A lightweight sender built for outsiders — what we're building: your invoice in, validated XRechnung or ZUGFeRD out, emailed to your client with a proper archive. From $19/month.

Invoice German clients from outside Germany?
Join early access — founding members lock in $99/year, forever.

FAQ

XRechnung or ZUGFeRD — which one? Ask your client. Rule of thumb: XRechnung (pure XML) is the safest for public sector and big companies; ZUGFeRD/Factur-X is friendlier when a human also wants to read the invoice.

Does my invoice need German VAT? Cross-border B2B services are usually reverse-charged — 0% VAT with the correct wording and codes. The format has to encode that correctly; validation catches it when it doesn't.

This page explains invoice formats and delivery, not tax rules. For VAT questions, talk to your accountant.