E-invoicing guides for Belgium
Short answers to common questions, each checked against official sources and with a tool you can use straight away.
Who must e-invoice, and when
- Complete guide
Is e-invoicing mandatory for me?
The complete guide to Belgium's e-invoicing obligation since 1 January 2026: who it applies to, the exceptions, the tolerance period, and what to do if a customer or supplier isn't ready.
Read the guide E-invoicing fines in Belgium: what are the risks?
How high is the fine if you can't send and receive e-invoices? The amounts, the rule for repeat offences and what is left of the tolerance.
Read the guideI only work for private customers. Do I need to send e-invoices?
You don't need to send e-invoices to private customers. But you do need to be able to receive them if you have an active VAT number. Here's how it works.
Read the guideDoes the e-invoicing obligation apply under the small business VAT exemption scheme?
Small businesses using the small business VAT exemption scheme are in principle also covered by the e-invoicing obligation. What that means for you.
Read the guideIs there a delay for Peppol? The tolerance period explained
There's no general delay to the e-invoicing obligation. What the tolerance period meant, when it ended and what still applies now.
Read the guide
Peppol and Peppol IDs
What is a Peppol Access Point?
A Peppol Access Point, or Peppol service provider, connects your software to the Peppol network. What it does and how you choose one.
Read the guideHow do I check if a company is on Peppol?
How to see whether a customer can receive e-invoices through Peppol, using only their enterprise number, and what to do if they're not on it yet.
Read the guideHow do I search for a company in the Peppol Directory?
The Peppol Directory shows which companies can receive e-invoices. How to search it, and why our registry check tells you more.
Read the guideFree Peppol: is it possible?
Does the government offer a free Peppol solution? Which providers have a free plan, and what to look out for: receiving, limits and keeping your invoices.
Read the guideCan I use a GLN or VAT number as my Peppol ID?
Besides the enterprise number, a VAT number, IBAN or GLN can also serve as a Peppol ID. When that's possible and which code goes with it.
Read the guideWhere do I find my Peppol ID?
In Belgium, your Peppol ID is your enterprise number with the code 0208 in front of it. This is what it looks like, and how to find it in a few seconds.
Read the guideHow do I register my business on Peppol?
You can't register on Peppol yourself. This is how registration does work, through your software or a Peppol service provider, and how to check the result.
Read the guideWhat is Peppol?
Peppol is the network Belgian businesses have used to exchange e-invoices since 1 January 2026. Explained without jargon.
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Invoicing in practice
How long and how should I keep e-invoices?
You keep e-invoices for as long as paper invoices. How to keep them correctly, and why it's best to hold on to the original XML file.
Read the guideHow do I send attachments with an e-invoice?
Attachments belong to the invoice and travel with it via Peppol, not separately by email. Which files are allowed and how to include them.
Read the guideDoes a credit note also have to go via Peppol?
A credit note on an e-invoice is also sent as an e-invoice via Peppol. What applies to credit notes on older PDF invoices.
Read the guideMy customer isn't on Peppol: what now?
Your customer can't receive e-invoices yet? Then you may send the invoice another way. How the fallback rule works, and what your customer has to do.
Read the guideHow do I send an e-invoice to a public authority (Mercurius)?
E-invoices have been required for public contracts for some time. How to send them, including without software via the Mercurius portal, and how to tell whether your customer is a public authority.
Read the guideCan I still send a pdf invoice?
Between Belgian VAT-registered businesses, a pdf is no longer enough. For private customers and customers abroad, it still is. Here's how it works.
Read the guideMy supplier doesn't send e-invoices yet: what now?
Your supplier still sends a pdf or paper invoice? Where you stand, what you can do and whether you can still deduct your VAT.
Read the guideHow do I check a VAT number (VIES)?
How to check whether a VAT number is valid through VIES, the official European Commission service, and what to do if it looks invalid.
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