DE-R-004:The element "Seller post code" (BT-38) shall be provided.
Fix: This requires user input to resolve. Provide the correct value for `cbc:PostalZone` (BT-38). Provide the required value in the free validator.
Seller postal code is missing. German invoices must include the seller's postal code (BT-38).
Engine Classification
Business data required · Explicit input workflow · No assumptions made
Required input: Invoice type code
What is DE-R-004?
DE-R-004 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification (DEU national rules). It validates the InvoiceTypeCode element in the UBL invoice XML.
When this rule fires, the invoice is rejected by Peppol access points and never reaches the buyer.
Target path: /Invoice/cbc:InvoiceTypeCode
Why This Error Matters
Invoice will be rejected by German XRechnung validators. Germany has additional mandatory fields beyond EN16931 baseline, including seller contact details, complete addresses, and buyer reference (Leitweg-ID).
DE-R-004 is a hard failure — the invoice must be corrected and re-sent before it can reach the recipient.
Validator Behavior
- ·Causes invoice rejection
- ·Rejected by XRechnung endpoints
- ·Error returned: DE-R-004
- ·Specification: EN 16931
How to Fix It
Locate the field
Check cbc:InvoiceTypeCode at /Invoice/cbc:InvoiceTypeCode. The current value does not meet the rule requirements for DE-R-004.
Set the correct value
This requires user input to resolve. Provide the correct value for `cbc:PostalZone` (BT-38).
Re-validate your invoice
Upload the corrected invoice to confirm DE-R-004 is resolved.
Before / After
<cac:PostalAddress> <cbc:PostalZone>INVALID_CODE</cbc:PostalZone> </cac:PostalAddress>
<cac:PostalAddress> <cbc:PostalZone>VALID_CODE</cbc:PostalZone> </cac:PostalAddress>
Technical Reference
/Invoice/cbc:InvoiceTypeCodeCommon Causes
- ·German invoice missing seller post code
- ·BT-38 Seller post code element empty or absent
- ·cbc:PostalZone in seller address not provided
- ·Seller postal address incomplete for XRechnung
- ·German validation requires seller postal code
Seeing this in production? The API handles DE-R-004 automatically. See the fix response →
Frequently Asked Questions
Seller postal code is missing. German invoices must include the seller's postal code (BT-38).
This requires user input to resolve. Provide the correct value for `cbc:PostalZone` (BT-38). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.
Yes, DE-R-004 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.
Many instances of DE-R-004 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.
Related Content
Last updated: 14 April 2026
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