How do I fix DE-R-014?

Invoice Navigator automatically fixes this issue by correcting the `cbc:Percent` element in your Invoice (DE-R-014). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is DE-R-014 a critical error?

Yes, DE-R-014 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can DE-R-014 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of DE-R-014 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.

errorDEUEN 16931

`DE-R-014`:The element "VAT category rate" (BT-119) shall be provided.

The element VAT category rate (BT-119) shall be provided.. This applies to the `cbc:Percent` element in the invoice XML.

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

EN 16931

Country

DEU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

75%

Engine Classification

Ensure seller party identification is present for XRechnung

Confidence: 75% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is DE-R-014?

DE-R-014 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification (DEU national rules). It validates the ID element under Party > PartyIdentification 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:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyIdentification/cbc:ID

Get API Access Test This Error ↓

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-014 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
·Rejected by XRechnung endpoints
·Error returned: DE-R-014
·Specification: EN 16931

Before / After

Failing XML

<cac:TaxCategory>
  <cbc:Percent><!-- invalid or missing value --></cbc:Percent>
</cac:TaxCategory>

Corrected XML

<cac:TaxCategory>
  <cbc:Percent>correct-value</cbc:Percent>
</cac:TaxCategory>

Technical Reference

XPath//cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyIdentification/cbc:ID

SpecEN 16931

Operationset_default

StrategyEnsure seller party identification is present for XRechnung

Common Causes

·German invoice missing VAT category rate
·BT-119 VAT category rate not provided
·cbc:Percent in VAT breakdown empty or absent
·VAT rate mandatory in tax breakdown for XRechnung
·German validation requires explicit rate percentage

Seeing this in production? The API handles DE-R-014 automatically. See the fix response →

Related Errors

BR-48

Document allowance tax category required

BR-AG-08

IPSI taxable amount calculation error

BR-AG-09

IPSI VAT breakdown tax amount must be calculated correctly

Last updated: 27 February 2026

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Handle DE-R-014 Automatically in Your Pipeline

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

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DE-R-014:The element "VAT category rate" (BT-119) shall be provided.