Got a German e-invoice and all you see is code?
Germany now requires invoices as structured data: XRechnung (raw XML) or ZUGFeRD (a PDF with XML inside). Drop the file below to read it like a normal invoice and check it against the official rules. Free, no sign-up.
Free · no account · your file is deleted right after processing
What German law actually requires
Everyone must receive
Since Jan 1, 2025 every business registered in Germany, including Kleinunternehmer (small businesses under §19 UStG), must be able to receive e-invoices. An email inbox is legally sufficient for receiving.
Big issuers switch
From Jan 1, 2027 businesses with over €800,000 prior-year turnover must issue e-invoices. Expect your German suppliers to start sending XML.
Everyone issues
From Jan 1, 2028 issuing becomes mandatory for all, except Kleinunternehmer, who stay exempt from issuing (but not from receiving).
Plus one duty nobody mentions: the original XML must be archived unchanged for 8 years (GoBD rules). A printout is not the original.
Sources: Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) FAQ, §14 UStG, §34a UStDV. General information, not tax advice — for your case, ask a Steuerberater (certified German tax advisor).
I'm a freelancer in Germany and never got an e-invoice. Does this affect me?
Yes. The duty to receive exists since 2025 regardless. From 2027 large suppliers (telecom, utilities, wholesale) must send XML, so the files will start arriving on their own.
Can I refuse an e-invoice and ask for a PDF?
Until the end of 2026 issuers need your consent for paper/PDF anyway. After that, no: a legally compliant e-invoice must be accepted.
What happens to my uploaded file?
It is processed only to run the check or render the view, then deleted. No storage, no analysis, no sharing.