FORMAT-002:PDF must be PDF/A format
Factur-X requires PDF/A-3 base document.
Engine Classification
Financial or legal field · Modification blocked by policy
Reason: Factur-X and ZUGFeRD require a PDF/A-3 compliant base document. The PDF must be regenerated as PDF/A-3 format with the XML properly embedded. Use PDF generation software that supports PDF/A-3 output.
What is FORMAT-002?
FORMAT-002 is a fatal validation rule defined in the factur-x specification. It validates the A compliance check element 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: PDF/A compliance check
Why This Error Matters
Factur-X requires archival PDF format.
FORMAT-002 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
- ·Error returned: FORMAT-002
- ·Specification: factur-x
How to Fix It
Check PDF type
Must be PDF/A-3a or PDF/A-3b
Convert
Use PDF/A conversion tool
XML Example
Generic example based on the rule's target XPath. Your actual XML structure may differ.
<!-- Triggers validation error --> <A compliance check></A compliance check>
<!-- Corrected --> <A compliance check>VALID_VALUE</A compliance check>
Technical Reference
PDF/A compliance checkCommon Causes
- ·Standard PDF
- ·PDF/A-1 or PDF/A-2
Seeing this in production? The API handles FORMAT-002 automatically. See the fix response →
Frequently Asked Questions
Factur-X requires PDF/A-3 base document.
Convert PDF to PDF/A-3 format. Invoice Navigator can help identify and fix this issue.
Yes, FORMAT-002 is a critical error that must be fixed.
See Also
Related Errors
Last updated: 19 January 2026
Handle FORMAT-002 Automatically in Your Pipeline
The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.