NL-02:Dutch VAT numbers must be in correct format
Dutch VAT numbers must be in correct format. This validation rule ensures Invoice compliance with NLCIUS (Netherlands).
Engine Classification
Financial or legal field · Modification blocked by policy
What is NL-02?
NL-02 is a warning validation rule defined in the NLCIUS (Netherlands) specification (NLD national rules). It checks whether dutch vat numbers must be in correct format.
This is a soft validation failure. The invoice may pass initial transmission, but non-compliant values in this field can cause problems during tax audits, buyer-side processing, or downstream VAT reconciliation.
Why This Error Matters
Dutch e-invoicing regulations require this for legal compliance. Invoices missing this information may be rejected by Dutch government portals and business partners.
NL-02 is a soft failure. The invoice may pass initial validation, but the non-compliant field can cause issues at the receiving end — tax authorities may flag it during audits, buyer ERP systems may fail to process it, or VAT reconciliation may produce mismatches. Fixing warnings before they accumulate prevents larger compliance gaps.
Validator Behavior
- ·Generates validation warning
- ·Error returned: NL-02
- ·Specification: NLCIUS (Netherlands)
Before / After
<Invoice> <!-- Issue: Dutch VAT numbers must be in correct format --> </Invoice>
<Invoice> <!-- Issue resolved per NLCIUS (Netherlands) --> </Invoice>
Technical Reference
Seeing this in production? The API handles NL-02 automatically. See the fix response →
Related Errors
Last updated: 27 February 2026
Handle NL-02 Automatically in Your Pipeline
The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.