errorEN 16931

BR-CO-04:Invoice currency must be valid ISO 4217

Each Invoice line (BG-25) shall be categorized with an Invoiced item VAT category code (BT-151).. This applies to the `cac:InvoiceLine` element in the invoice XML.

Severity
Fatal
Rule set
EN 16931
Country
All EU
Fix type
AUTO-FIX
Confidence
80%
Category
tax

Engine Classification

Add default VAT category code S (standard rate) to invoice lines missing it

Confidence: 80% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is BR-CO-04?

BR-CO-04 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification. It validates the ID element under Item > ClassifiedTaxCategory in the UBL invoice XML.

When this rule fires, the invoice is non-compliant and will be rejected by Peppol access points and national validation services. The sending system receives a rejection response and the invoice does not reach the buyer.

Target path: //cac:InvoiceLine/cac:Item/cac:ClassifiedTaxCategory/cbc:ID

Why This Error Matters

Invoice rejected. VAT cannot be correctly calculated without knowing each line's tax category.

BR-CO-04 is a hard failure. Invoices that trigger this rule are rejected at the access point and never reach the recipient. In Peppol networks, this means your sending system receives an MLR (Message Level Response) with a rejection status. The invoice must be corrected and re-sent, adding delay to your payment cycle.

Invoice Navigator can automatically correct this error in your pipeline. The fix is applied with full audit evidence, so your compliance trail remains intact.

Validator Behavior

  • ·Causes invoice rejection
  • ·Error returned: BR-CO-04
  • ·Specification: EN 16931

How to Fix It

1.

Check currency

Find DocumentCurrencyCode value

2.

Use ISO code

EUR, USD, GBP, CHF, SEK, NOK, DKK, PLN, CZK

Before / After

Failing XML
<Invoice>
  <cac:InvoiceLine>INVALID_CODE</cac:InvoiceLine>
</Invoice>
Corrected XML
<Invoice>
  <cac:InvoiceLine>VALID_CODE</cac:InvoiceLine>
</Invoice>

Technical Reference

XPath//cac:InvoiceLine/cac:Item/cac:ClassifiedTaxCategory/cbc:ID
SpecEN 16931
Operationset_default
StrategyAdd default VAT category code S (standard rate) to invoice lines missing it

Common Causes

  • ·Invoice line missing ClassifiedTaxCategory/ID
  • ·Line item created without VAT category assignment
  • ·Tax classification not mapped in export template
  • ·Product master data missing tax category
  • ·Export skipped tax category for some lines

Seeing this in production? The API handles BR-CO-04 automatically. See the fix response →

Frequently Asked Questions

Document currency must be valid ISO 4217 alpha-3 code.

Use 3-letter ISO 4217 currency code like EUR, USD, GBP. You can also use Invoice Navigator's automatic Fixer tool to correct this instantly.

Yes, BR-CO-04 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission to ensure your invoice is accepted by the recipient's system.

Many instances of BR-CO-04 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's Fixer tool. Upload your invoice and the tool will identify and fix common issues, including invoice currency must be valid iso 4217.

See Also

Related Errors

Last updated: 27 February 2026

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Handle BR-CO-04 Automatically in Your Pipeline

The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.