What is an e‑invoice?
What is an e‑invoice?
An e-invoice provides invoice content in a structured, machine-readable XML data set instead of on paper or in an image file such as a PDF. This ensures that information provided in this form by the biller can be transmitted and received electronically and seamlessly and can be processed and approved for payment automatically.
Welcome! This video provides information on electronic invoicing in the federal administration.
The following video will take you through five steps showing what you need to know when sending electronic invoices to federal contracting authorities.
The video is aimed primarily at invoice issuers or users who want to know more about electronic invoicing.
More information on electronic invoicing in the federal administration is available at www.e-rechnung-bund.de/en.
What is an electronic invoice?
But first of all, what is an electronic invoice (e-invoice)?
An e-invoice in line with the EU standard is not the same as a scanned paper invoice or a PDF invoice. An e-invoice has a specific structured format and is transmitted and received electronically, enabling automated and seamless processing.
E-invoices use an XML data format, which is primarily used for fully automated processing and is usually not suitable for visual verification.
Electronic invoicing can be carried out using various standards and specifications, including the XRechnung standard.
Who is required to use electronic invoicing?
Since 27 November 2020, all suppliers of the federal administration have been obliged, under the E-Invoicing Ordinance (E-Rechnungsverordnung), to submit electronic invoices for direct contracts with a net value of 1,000 euros or more. Exceptions to this requirement are stated in the E-Invoicing Ordinance.
What do I need to know when sending electronic invoices?
The Online Access Act-compliant Invoice Submission Portal (OZG-RE) provides you with an electronic portal for submitting invoices to the direct federal administration, parts of the indirect federal administration, and certain federal states.
Do I need to register with the invoice submission portal?
To use the invoice submission portal you must first register with it. Registration is free of charge and is necessary no matter which method you choose for transmitting invoices. Once you have registered, you can start to submit invoices.
For detailed information on registering with the invoice submission portal and managing your user account, see the tutorials on how to use the OZG-RE. These can be found on the federal e-invoicing website.
Which transmission methods can I use to send electronic invoices to federal contracting authorities?
Before sending an e-invoice to a federal contracting authority, you should choose the transmission method that works best for you.
If you do not have software for creating electronic invoices, you can enter your invoice data into the submission portal via your web browser and then submit this data as an e-invoice.
If you wish to send small numbers of e-invoices you have created yourself, you can upload these to the invoice submission portal.
If you need to send high volumes of invoices, you may prefer to use the Peppol web service or email transmission methods.
Further information on transmission methods can be found in our FAQs and tutorials on how to use the OZG-RE.
What happens once an electronic invoice has been submitted?
Once your e-invoice has been submitted via the invoice submission portal, it goes through a validation process. This process checks whether your e-invoice meets certain formal criteria.
After successful validation, your e-invoice is delivered to the recipient.
Once it has been delivered, you can check the status of your e-invoice via theportal to see when it has been collected by the recipient. You can opt to receive an email notification whenever the status of your invoice changes.
If you have any questions, please contact the Bundesdruckerei help desk by telephone or email.
- Simpler invoicing
- Faster payment thanks to reduced processing time
- Considerable savings on paper and postage costs
- Increased efficiency through automated invoice creation and validation
- Flexibility: e-invoicing can be done remotely
- Improved data quality thanks to lower potential for errors
- Considerable savings on processing costs
- Increased efficiency through automated importing of invoice data
- Flexibility: e-invoicing can be done remotely
1. Who is required to use electronic invoicing?
1. Who is required to use electronic invoicing?
First you should check whether you are required to use electronic invoicing. Exceptions to this requirement are stated in the E-Invoicing Ordinance (only available in German). You should also bear in mind any contractual agreements you have with your customer.
Go to E-Invoicing Ordinance (DE)
2. What do I need to know when sending electronic invoices?
2. What do I need to know when sending electronic invoices?
With the OZG-RE, a central invoice submission platform is available for sending invoices to the direct federal administration, parts of the indirect federal administration, and several federal states.
Before submitting an invoice, you should ensure that the platform can be used. Your customer will usually inform you of this when awarding the contract, or you can ask them directly. The overview of authorities connected to the OZG-RE can serve as a guide.
Go to OZG-RE
3. Do I need to register with the invoice submission portals?
3. Do I need to register with the invoice submission portals?
In order to use the invoice submission portal, you must first register with it. Registration is free of charge and is necessary no matter which method you choose for transmitting invoices. For detailed information on registering with the invoice submission portals and managing your user account, see the tutorials on how to use OZG-RE.
Go to tutorials
4. Which transmission methods can I use to send electronic invoices to federal contracting authorities?
4. Which transmission methods can I use to send electronic invoices to federal contracting authorities?
Before sending an e-invoice to a federal contracting authority, you should choose the transmission method that works best for you. If you do not have software for creating electronic invoices, you can enter your invoice data into the submission portal via your web browser and then submit this data as an e-invoice. If you wish to send small numbers of e-invoices you have created yourself, you can upload these to the invoice submission portal. If you need to send high volumes of invoices, you may prefer to use the Peppol web service or email transmission methods.
Go to transmission methods5. What happens once an electronic invoice has been submitted?
5. What happens once an electronic invoice has been submitted?
Once the invoice has been sent, you can track its submission status up to the point when it is “collected” by the customer. The portal checks that each submitted invoice conforms to the XRechnung specification or other EU-approved standard in terms of syntax and semantics, such as ZUGFeRD 2.2.0. Once the invoice has passed this conformity check (validation), it is automatically forwarded to the recipient. You can opt to receive an email notification whenever the status of your invoice changes.
Latest information on e‑invoicing
Successful Platform Consolidation: ZRE and OZG-RE merge into a unified digital portal
22.09.2025
Consolidation of the federal invoice submission portals ZRE and OZG-RE
28.04.2025
Winter release for the OZG-RE: Access via “Mein Unternehmenskonto”
14.12.2023Weiterführende Informationen
Here you will find information on e‑invoicing in the federal administration.
E-invoicing legislation in Germany
DocumentsHere you can download detailed information about electronic invoicing in the federal administration.
TutorialsHere you will find videos on how to use the OZG-RE invoice submission portal and videos about the Peppol transmission network.
