E-invoices to the government have been the rule in Belgium for longer than between businesses. The channel is the same: Peppol. We list the key questions.
Questions and answers on e-invoices to the government and Mercurius
How do I know whether my customer is a public body?
Look up the customer in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. If the capacity “contracting authority” is listed, the rules for invoices to the government apply.
Which channel do I use to invoice a public body?
Peppol. Invoices arrive in Mercurius, the platform of the federal public service BOSA that routes e-invoices to the right authority.
Which format do I use?
The same as for businesses: an invoice according to Peppol BIS Billing 3.0. Your software or service provider can use the same route.
Which reference must be on an invoice to a public body?
Public bodies almost always require a reference, such as a purchase order number or a buyer reference. Without it, validation often rejects the invoice. See also our explanation of Peppol error codes.
Where can I find more information?
The Federal Public Service Finance brings together all information on e-invoicing, including invoices to public bodies, on efactuur.belgium.be, with guides and contact details.
Useful tools
- E-invoice validator: check your XML
- Peppol error codes explained
- Peppol checker: is a company on Peppol?
Source: This page summarises the official FAQ of the Belgian Federal Public Service Finance in our own words. The official text always prevails: FPS Finance, e-invoicing website. This is not legal advice.