E-INVOICE - What is a Peppol identifier and which scheme code should I use?

When sending an e-invoice over the Peppol network, you address it to the recipient using their Peppol identifier. This article explains how it's structured and how to get it right.

What it is

A Peppol identifier is an address on the Peppol network, not a tax number. It has two parts:

<scheme>:<value>

The scheme is a four-digit code saying which registry the value comes from. The value is the number from that registry.

Where it goes

Set it on the recipient with type: "PEPPOL"

"recipients": [
  {
    "type": "BUSINESS",
    "invoicing": {
      "type": "PEPPOL",
      "identifier": "0208:0741778202"
    }
  }
]

Which scheme to use

Note that the value format differs by scheme: 0208 takes the enterprise number as the register writes it, with no prefix, while the VAT schemes take the VAT number with its country prefix. Both are correct — they point at different registries.

A Belgian company may be reachable under either 0208 or 9925. Use the one the recipient is actually registered under — a correctly formatted identifier under the wrong scheme won't reach them.

How to get the recipient's identifier

Ask the recipient, or their e-invoicing provider. You can also search directory.peppol.eu, but listing there is optional — a business can be reachable on Peppol without appearing in it.

Error: "No matching participant found"

The identifier isn't registered on the Peppol network. This is not a formatting error — a valid, correctly written identifier returns this if the business behind it was never onboarded to Peppol.

1. Confirm the recipient is on Peppol at all. A private company in a country without a mandate often isn't. If so, they must register with a Peppol access point first — fiskaly cannot do this for them.
2. If they are, try the other scheme for their country.