Skip to main content

BR-DE-9 Buyer post code must be provided

Under the German XRechnung profile and German tax legislation (§ 14 UStG), the postal address of the buyer (BG-8) must contain a postal code (BT-53). For public procurement invoices in Germany, an exact postal code is essential to differentiate between different regional offices, schools, police stations, or municipal branches of the contracting authority.

Problem Description

ERROR

German XRechnung rule (KoSIT, BR-DE) · XRechnung 3.0

Context and Significance

Missing buyer post codes fail rule BR-DE-9. German public invoice clearing hubs require valid postal codes for automated invoice routing to the relevant accounting authority.

Solution

In your customer master data, ensure the postal code field is completed on the buyer profile. In UBL 2.1 syntax, populate <cbc:PostalZone> within <cac:AccountingCustomerParty><cac:Party><cac:PostalAddress>. In UN/CEFACT CII syntax, populate <ram:PostcodeCode> within <ram:BuyerTradeParty><ram:PostalTradeAddress>. Do not embed the postal code into the street name or city name fields.

Quick actions

Valid Examples

  • Buyer postal address with BT-53 = "20095" and BT-52 = "Hamburg"
  • Buyer postal address with BT-53 = "80331" and BT-52 = "München"

Invalid Examples

  • Buyer postal address specifying street and city but omitting cbc:PostalZone / ram:PostcodeCode
  • Buyer postal zone element left as empty tag (<cbc:PostalZone/>)

Code Examples

Valid XML
<cac:PostalAddress>
  <cbc:StreetName>Poststraße 12</cbc:StreetName>
  <cbc:CityName>Hamburg</cbc:CityName>
  <cbc:PostalZone>20354</cbc:PostalZone>
  <cac:Country><cbc:IdentificationCode>DE</cbc:IdentificationCode></cac:Country>
</cac:PostalAddress>
Invalid XML
<cac:PostalAddress>
  <cbc:StreetName>Poststraße 12</cbc:StreetName>
  <cbc:CityName>Hamburg</cbc:CityName>
  <cac:Country><cbc:IdentificationCode>DE</cbc:IdentificationCode></cac:Country>
</cac:PostalAddress>

Affected Fields

Validation Tools