How do I fix DE-R-019?

Invoice Navigator automatically fixes this issue by correcting the `cbc:ID` element in your Invoice (DE-R-019). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is DE-R-019 a critical error?

Yes, DE-R-019 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can DE-R-019 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of DE-R-019 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-019`:Invalid IBAN format. When payment means code 58 (SEPA credit transfer) is...

Invalid IBAN format. When payment means code 58 (SEPA credit transfer) is used, the payment account (BT-84) must contain a valid IBAN.

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

EN 16931

Country

DEU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

80%

Engine Classification

Ensure buyer city name is present for XRechnung compliance

Confidence: 80% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is DE-R-019?

DE-R-019 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification (DEU national rules). It validates the CityName element under Party > PostalAddress 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:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress/cbc:CityName

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Why This Error Matters

Invoice will be rejected by German XRechnung validators. German e-invoicing has specific format requirements for payment details, contact information, and attachments.

DE-R-019 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-019
·Specification: EN 16931

Before / After

Failing XML

<cac:PayeeFinancialAccount>
  <cbc:ID>INVALID_CODE</cbc:ID>
</cac:PayeeFinancialAccount>

Corrected XML

<cac:PayeeFinancialAccount>
  <cbc:ID>VALID_CODE</cbc:ID>
</cac:PayeeFinancialAccount>

Technical Reference

XPath//cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress/cbc:CityName

SpecEN 16931

Operationset_default

StrategyEnsure buyer city name is present for XRechnung compliance

Common Causes

·SEPA credit transfer payment missing valid IBAN
·BT-84 account identifier not valid IBAN format
·Payment means code 58 requires IBAN in payment account
·Bank account number not in IBAN format for SEPA
·cbc:ID in cac:PayeeFinancialAccount invalid

Seeing this in production? The API handles DE-R-019 automatically. See the fix response →

Related Errors

BR-50

A Payment account identifier (BT-84) shall be present if Credit transfer...

BR-61

If the Payment means type code (BT-81) means SEPA credit transfer, the...

Last updated: 27 February 2026

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Handle DE-R-019 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-019:Invalid IBAN format. When payment means code 58 (SEPA credit transfer) is...