What is a Peppol ID?
Peppol ID is simply the address the network uses when it needs to deliver an electronic document. It is always written as "code:number", for example 0192:123456789. The code tells the network which type of number is in use (Norwegian organisation number, Belgian VAT, GLN, etc.) and the rest is the real business identifier.
Think of it as the label on a parcel. Without it, Access Points don’t know where to send your invoice or order. With it, every trading partner can reach you automatically.
Why Peppol IDs Matter
Why should beginners care about Peppol IDs? Because they remove the manual back-and-forth when you need to exchange documents:
- Routing & automation: Access Points use the ID to find the recipient’s mailbox automatically—no spreadsheets, no copy/paste.
- Compliance: Public-sector mandates in Belgium, Norway, Germany and others require suppliers to expose a Peppol ID to receive documents.
- Trust & validation: IDs are created by certified providers, so trading partners can trust that they belong to real companies.
Once your company has a Peppol ID, you can reuse it in every project—whether you join a national e-invoicing mandate or expand into a new region.
Format & Common Schemes
All Peppol IDs follow the same simple pattern:
Format reminder: Code (what type of number) + the actual number
- Example: 0192 means "Norwegian organisation number", 0208 means "Belgian VAT", 0088 means "Global Location Number".
- The rest of the string is your business number exactly as it appears in the national register.
- When documents are exchanged, the same code is added to the XML so systems can read it.
Here are common schemes you will encounter:
| Country / Context | ICD | Identifier type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 0208 | KBO/BCE enterprise number | Mandatory for Belgian e-invoicing compliance. |
| Norway | 0192 | Organisation number | Nine-digit number from Brønnøysund Register Centre. |
| Sweden | 0007 | Organisation number | Ten-digit number from Bolagsverket. |
| Denmark | 0184 | CVR number | Eight-digit company registration number. |
| Denmark | 0198 | SE number | Danish VAT number for tax purposes. |
| Finland | 0037 | Y-tunnus | Finnish business ID (format: 1234567-8). |
| Germany | 9930 | USt-IdNr (VAT) | German VAT ID for XRechnung ecosystem. |
| Netherlands | 0106 | KvK number | Chamber of Commerce registration number. |
| France | 0009 | SIRET | Fourteen-digit establishment identifier. |
| Italy | 0211 | Partita IVA | Italian VAT number for SDI integration. |
| Australia | 0151 | ABN | Eleven-digit Australian Business Number. |
| Singapore | 0195 | UEN | Unique Entity Number (9–10 characters). |
| International | 0088 | GLN | Global Location Number for multinational use. |
The policy also reserves the 9900-9999 block for OpenPeppol-assigned schemes, which Access Points can request when no standard ICD exists yet.
How to Search for a Peppol ID
Here is the fastest way to find out whether an ID exists and what it supports:
- Find the official number you already know (VAT, company register, GLN, etc.).
- Type it as code:number in the Peppol ID Lookup on poppel.app (example: 0208:BE0123456789).
- Read the live response: you will see whether the participant exists, which documents they receive, and which Access Point they use.
- If there is no match, try the Peppol Directory search and look up the company name. Some organisations publish their ID there even if they are not in your contacts yet.
- When working with tenders or other compliance-heavy flows, always rely on the live lookup rather than cached spreadsheets or PDFs.
Our Peppol Directory mirror is great when you only know the company name, but it can lag the live network by a day. Treat it as a discovery tool and confirm anything critical with the real-time lookup.
How to Get a Peppol ID
Think of onboarding as three clear moves. Each one gets you closer to a working Peppol ID:
Pick your access point
Choose a certified Access Point (AP) that serves your country and the document formats you need. Many ERPs partner with an AP, so ask your vendor first.
Hand over the keys
Share the legal numbers your business already has—VAT, company registry, GLN. The AP converts them into the Peppol “code:number” format.
Validation & setup
The AP verifies that you control the identifier, registers the participant in its SMP, and connects you to the SML.
Once the AP publishes your details, your Peppol ID is discoverable across the network. Share it with partners, add it to onboarding packets, and keep the info current so documents always land in the right place.
Country-Specific Notes
Peppol ID in Belgium
Belgium’s federal mandate requires every public- and private-sector business to register with scheme 0208 (KBO/BCE VAT). Some companies still publish older codes such as 9925, but staying compliant means registering—and communicating—using 0208 only. See our Belgium country guide for mandate details and use the Belgian business search to verify reachability.
Example:0208:BE0123456789
Peppol ID in Norway
Norway uses scheme 0192 for organisation numbers registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre.
Example:0192:987654321
Peppol ID in Denmark
Many Danish companies still use GLN (0088), but you can register 0184 (CVR) or 0198 (SE-number). CVR is eight digits (e.g. 01234567). SE numbers often include the DK prefix plus VAT digits (e.g. DK12345678); your Access Point will format them correctly when building the Peppol ID.
0184:01234567SE:0198:DK12345678Peppol ID in Germany
Germany’s XRechnung ecosystem most commonly uses scheme 9930 (USt-IdNr). Format is DE followed by nine digits—again, the Access Point handles the final Peppol string.
Example:9930:DE123456789
Peppol ID in Australia & New Zealand
The Peppol A-NZ framework maps ABN numbers to scheme 0151. An ABN is 11 digits; the Access Point formats it as 0151:ABN. New Zealand IRD numbers follow similar rules.
Example:0151:12345678901
Peppol ID in Singapore
Singapore’s national network uses scheme 0195 for UENs (Unique Entity Numbers). UENs contain 9–10 characters (e.g. 201901234K) and are carried directly into the Peppol ID.
Example:0195:201901234K
Governance & Best Practices
OpenPeppol TICC maintains the identifier policy, code lists, and governance process. Keep these practices in mind:
- OpenPeppol keeps the official code list and updates it whenever new identifier types appear.
- Every Peppol message carries the address in the same "code:number" format so systems can route it.
- Providers aren’t allowed to invent their own codes—special cases use the reserved 9900-9999 range and must be approved.
- When a government retires an identifier scheme, Access Points give participants a deadline and help them migrate.
- Keeping SMP entries up to date (document types, certificates, endpoints) avoids delivery failures.
Need the exact list of identifier codes? Browse Peppol Code Lists – Participant identifier schemes (v9.5) for the latest entries.
Plan migrations early whenever a scheme is sunset, and keep SMP data aligned with your ERP master data to avoid routing failures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Peppol ID the same as a VAT number?
Not exactly. A VAT number is just one type of identifier that can become a Peppol ID. OpenPeppol maintains an official list of valid identifier schemes, which includes VAT numbers, GLN (Global Location Numbers), national company registry numbers, and other business identifiers. Each identifier becomes a Peppol ID when paired with its ISO 6523 scheme code and registered through an Access Point—for example, 0208:BE0123456789 for a Belgian VAT or 0088:1234567890123 for a GLN.
Can a company have multiple Peppol IDs?
Large organisations often register multiple IDs—one per identifier scheme or business unit. The policy allows this as long as each ID uses an approved ICD and the Access Point keeps the SMP records in sync.
Do I need a Peppol ID to send invoices?
Senders do not strictly need a registered ID, but most Access Points create one during onboarding so recipients can reply or validate communication. Receivers always need an ID so others can address documents to them.
Where do I verify if a Peppol ID is active?
Use a live Peppol ID Lookup (like poppel.app) which queries the SML and fetches SMP metadata in real time. Directory listings, search engines, or PDFs may lag behind actual network status.
Official Resources
Authoritative documentation and references for Peppol IDs:
- OpenPeppol – Policy for use of Identifiers (v4.4.0)
Official governance of participant and party IDs (Feb 2025).
- Tickstar – Peppol IDs: What are they and how can I create one?
Explains Access Point onboarding and practical steps.
- Qvalia – Hva er Peppol ID?
Norwegian-focused overview of how IDs act as network addresses.
- Billit – What is a Peppol ID?
Examples of identifier formats and where to locate them.
- Ecosio – How Peppol IDs work
Technical explanation of addressing inside the four-corner model.
- Belgian e-Invoicing FAQ
Details on Belgian mandates and mapping to ICD 0208.
Next Steps
Ready to work with Peppol IDs? Verify existing participants with our live lookup, or explore the Peppol Directory when you do not yet know the identifier.