XRechnung for public authorities — create it free with the Leitweg-ID and upload it

Invoicing a German federal authority? It needs an XRechnung, and the Leitweg-ID the authority gave you decides where it lands. aiDoks creates the XRechnung for free — from a form or a PDF — puts the Leitweg-ID in the right field, and checks it against the official KoSIT rules. You download the file and upload it in the federal invoice portal OZG-RE or the portal the authority names. No accounting software needed.

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How to send an XRechnung to an authority

1

Create the XRechnung

Fill in the form or upload a PDF, scan or photo and let AI fill it in. Enter the authority's Leitweg-ID as the Buyer reference and add the seller contact details XRechnung requires. Saved customers, products and templates speed up the next one.

2

Check it and download

Before download the invoice is checked against EN 16931 and the German BR-DE rules of XRechnung 3.0, with errors explained in plain language. You get the XRechnung XML file plus a PDF copy for your records.

3

Upload it in OZG-RE

For federal authorities, sign in to OZG-RE — for example with Mein Unternehmenskonto (ELSTER) — and upload the XRechnung. The Leitweg-ID routes it to the right office. For a state or municipal authority, use the portal or channel it names.

What matters — and what changed

The Leitweg-ID goes in the Buyer reference

Each public buyer has a Leitweg-ID. In an XRechnung it belongs in the Buyer reference (BT-10) — a missing or wrong one is the most common reason an authority cannot process the invoice. Ask the authority for it.

ZRE is gone — OZG-RE instead

The federal ZRE portal was switched off on 19 September 2025; federal invoices now go through OZG-RE, run by Bundesdruckerei. It takes an uploaded XRechnung, a web form, e-mail and Peppol.

The format: XRechnung 3.0

XRechnung is the German version of EN 16931. aiDoks writes it in UBL and checks the BR-DE rules, such as the Leitweg-ID and the seller contact. A PDF is not an XRechnung, and ZUGFeRD only works where the authority explicitly accepts it.

Invoices to companies: the B2B timeline

Between companies the rules differ: everyone must be able to receive e-invoices since 1 January 2025, and issuing becomes mandatory in 2027 and 2028. The same XRechnung works for B2B, and the free viewer reads the ones you receive.

The dates that matter

  • 27 November 2020 — suppliers to federal authorities must send e-invoices; the states set their own dates.
  • 19 September 2025 — the federal ZRE portal closed; OZG-RE is the federal invoice portal.
  • 1 January 2027 / 2028 — issuing B2B e-invoices becomes mandatory, first for companies with more than €800,000 turnover, then for all.

Received an XRechnung and cannot read it? The free viewer opens any XRechnung, ZUGFeRD or Peppol invoice as a readable PDF.

XRechnung for public authorities: FAQ

Is creating an XRechnung with aiDoks free?

Yes. The free plan covers 6 e-invoices a month, and Pro (€4.85 a month) is unlimited. Validating and viewing XRechnung files is free.

Where does the Leitweg-ID go?

In the Buyer reference field (BT-10). The authority gives you its Leitweg-ID; without it the invoice usually cannot be routed. The validation flags a missing Buyer reference before you download.

How do I send the XRechnung to a federal authority?

Sign in to OZG-RE, the federal invoice portal run by Bundesdruckerei — for example with Mein Unternehmenskonto (ELSTER) — and upload the XML file. OZG-RE also takes a web form, e-mail and Peppol. The old ZRE portal was switched off on 19 September 2025.

What about state and municipal authorities?

Each state sets its own rules and portal; many municipalities take XRechnung by their own portal, e-mail or Peppol. The authority tells you the channel together with its Leitweg-ID.

Can I turn my existing PDF invoice into an XRechnung?

Yes. Upload the PDF, a scan or a photo; AI fills in the invoice form, you check the fields and download a validated XRechnung.

Can I send ZUGFeRD instead of XRechnung?

Only where the authority explicitly accepts it. XRechnung is the safe choice for public buyers; aiDoks creates both and can convert between them.

Your XRechnung for the authority in minutes

Create or convert, check, download — then upload it in OZG-RE.