errorPRTpeppol-bis-3

BR-PT-01:Portuguese NIF required

Portuguese invoices must include the 9-digit NIF (tax number).

Severity
Fatal
Rule set
peppol-bis-3
Country
PRT
Fix type
INPUT REQUIRED

Engine Classification

Business data required · Explicit input workflow · No assumptions made

Required input: Portuguese NIF

What is BR-PT-01?

BR-PT-01 is a fatal validation rule defined in the peppol-bis-3 specification (PRT national rules). It validates the CompanyID element under Party > PartyTaxScheme 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: XPath: /Invoice/cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyTaxScheme/cbc:CompanyID

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Why This Error Matters

Portuguese NIF is required for all B2B invoicing in Portugal.

BR-PT-01 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.

Validator Behavior

  • ·Causes invoice rejection
  • ·Rejected by PEPPOL Access Points
  • ·Error returned: BR-PT-01
  • ·Specification: peppol-bis-3

How to Fix It

1.

Get NIF

9-digit Portuguese tax number

2.

Add PT prefix

Format: PT + 9 digits

3.

Validate checksum

NIF has control digit

XML Example

Generic example based on the rule's target XPath. Your actual XML structure may differ.

Before
<!-- Missing or empty element triggers cbc:CompanyID error -->
<cbc:CompanyID></cbc:CompanyID>
After
<!-- Provide the required value -->
<cbc:CompanyID>VALID_VALUE</cbc:CompanyID>

Technical Reference

XPathXPath: /Invoice/cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyTaxScheme/cbc:CompanyID
Specpeppol-bis-3

Code Example

<cac:PartyTaxScheme>
  <cbc:CompanyID>PT123456789</cbc:CompanyID>
  <cac:TaxScheme>
    <cbc:ID>VAT</cbc:ID>
  </cac:TaxScheme>
</cac:PartyTaxScheme>

Common Causes

  • ·Missing PT prefix
  • ·Invalid NIF
  • ·Wrong length

Seeing this in production? The API handles BR-PT-01 automatically. See the fix response →

Commonly Seen In

Portuguese invoicing systems

Frequently Asked Questions

Portuguese invoices must include the 9-digit NIF (tax number).

Add Portuguese NIF with PT prefix. You can also use Invoice Navigator's automatic Fixer tool to correct this instantly.

Yes, BR-PT-01 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-PT-01 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's Fixer tool. Upload your invoice and the tool will identify and fix common issues, including portuguese nif required.

BR-PT-01 is commonly seen in exports from Portuguese invoicing systems. These software packages sometimes generate invoices that need adjustment to meet full compliance standards.

Last updated: 18 January 2026

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