Error code BR-CO-25 means: there is still an amount to pay, but the invoice states no due date and no payment terms.
What does BR-CO-25 mean?
The validator shows this message (as worded in the official rules):
[BR-CO-25]-In case the Amount due for payment (BT-115) is positive, either the Payment due date (BT-9) or the Payment terms (BT-20) shall be present.BR-CO-25 required a payment due date (BT-9, cbc:DueDate) or payment terms (BT-20, cac:PaymentTerms/cbc:Note) as soon as the amount due (BT-115) is positive. The rule was removed in the Peppol BIS Billing 3.0.21 release of 20 May 2026. Still, you may get the message, because not all software and not every Access Point uses the new rules yet. Our validator uses the latest rules and therefore no longer shows BR-CO-25. For the other changes, see our overview of Peppol rule changes.
Common causes
- The software only fills in the due date when the customer record has a payment term.
- The due date is in
cac:PaymentTerms/cbc:PaymentDueDate. That element does not belong in a Peppol invoice and does not count. - For cash payments or direct debit, the software leaves out the payment data entirely.
How to fix it as the sender
- State the due date in
cbc:DueDate, directly aftercbc:IssueDate. - Or state the payment terms as text in
cac:PaymentTerms/cbc:Note, for example “Payment within 30 days”. - Do this even now that the rule is removed: otherwise a receiver with older rules may still reject the invoice.
Received an invoice with this error?
If your Access Point still works with older rules, it may reject such an invoice, even though it is compliant under the rules of May 2026. Ask the supplier to add a due date, or ask your Access Point when it will use the new rules.
Example in the XML
❌ Wrong
<cbc:IssueDate>2026-10-09</cbc:IssueDate>
<!-- no DueDate and no PaymentTerms -->
<cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>380</cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>✅ Correct
<cbc:IssueDate>2026-10-09</cbc:IssueDate>
<cbc:DueDate>2026-11-08</cbc:DueDate>
<cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>380</cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>Both snippets come from a complete test invoice. With the official rules of November 2025 and March 2026, the wrong version gives exactly this message and the correct version no errors at all.
Good to know
Do not put the due date in cac:PaymentTerms/cbc:PaymentDueDate. The standard does not use that element: you then get the warning UBL-CR-463, and the receiver does not read that date. Under the rules of May 2026, the wrong version above is valid, which is why this page has no test button.
Check your invoice
Drop your XML into the free validator. You see right away whether this error still occurs, with a link to the explanation for every message.
Official rule
The full rule with its technical test (Schematron) is in the official Peppol documentation:
Related error codes
- UBL-CR: The invoice contains a UBL element that the European standard does not use.
- BR-CO-16: The amount due does not equal the total with VAT, minus the amount already paid, plus rounding.
Frequently asked questions about BR-CO-25
Does BR-CO-25 still apply?
Not under the official rules since Peppol BIS Billing 3.0.21 of May 2026. Anyone who still validates with older rules does get the error.
Should I still state a due date?
We recommend it. It helps the customer pay, and a receiver with older rules will then not reject your invoice.