# Payment means

Code describing how an invoice is paid (e.g., bank transfer, card, cash).

## Definition

Code describing how an invoice is paid (e.g., bank transfer, card, cash).

## Why this term matters

BT-81 PaymentMeansTypeCode is the cue that tells the buyer’s AP system how to settle the invoice automatically — credit transfer (30/58), direct debit (49/59), card (48/54), bank account-to-bank account (42), etc. The wrong code triggers manual processing or, in the case of SEPA codes, may cause the receiver’s payment-run to skip the invoice entirely.

## Explanation

Often comes from an external code list (e.g., UNCL).

In e-invoices it complements IBAN/BIC and payment terms.

## Common mistakes

- Using "1" (Instrument not defined) as a default — most validators flag this and many AP automations cannot route it.
- Sending "31" (Debit transfer) when the supplier actually expects "30" (Credit transfer) — they are different in UNCL4461 semantics.
- Including IBAN under PaymentMeansCode 48 (Card payment) — for card payments BG-18 is used, not BG-17.
- Using SEPA-specific codes 58 (SEPA credit transfer) and 59 (SEPA direct debit) without populating BT-89 PaymentID/Mandate — required by Peppol BIS Billing.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which payment-means codes are EN 16931-conformant?
EN 16931 restricts to UNCL4461 codes that have a clear interpretation: 10 (cash), 20 (cheque), 30 (credit transfer), 42 (payment to bank account), 48 (Bank card), 49 (direct debit), 57 (standing agreement), 58 (SEPA credit transfer), 59 (SEPA direct debit), 97 (Clearing between partners). Some recipients allow more, but these are the safe set.

### How does payment-means relate to IBAN/BIC?
For credit-transfer codes (30, 42, 58), populate BG-17 (Credit Transfer) with BT-84 PaymentAccountIdentifier (IBAN) and optionally BT-86 PaymentServiceProviderIdentifier (BIC). For card (48), populate BG-18. For direct debit (49, 59), populate BG-19 with mandate reference and creditor identifier.

### Can an invoice list multiple payment means?
Yes — you can repeat BG-16 to offer multiple options (e.g., bank transfer and card), but each option must be self-consistent. Do not split a single payment across multiple BG-16 entries unless explicitly modelling partial payments.

## Related resources

- [Payment means codes](/resources/code-lists/payment-means-codes)

## Related terms

- [IBAN](/resources/glossary/iban): International Bank Account Number used for bank transfers.
- [BIC](/resources/glossary/bic): Bank Identifier Code (SWIFT) used to identify banks in international payments.
- [Code list](/resources/glossary/code-list): A predefined set of allowed codes/values (e.g., VAT category, payment means).