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Warning

UBL-CR-212: The buyer's address should not have an address format code

In short

Warning: worth checking.

UBL-CR-212 means the buyer's postal address in your UBL file has an address format code (AddressFormatCode), which EN 16931 does not use. This is a warning. Remove cbc:AddressFormatCode from the buyer's cac:PostalAddress.

On this page

What it means

The rule warns if cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress in a UBL invoice or credit note contains cbc:AddressFormatCode. In UBL that element says which address layout or national format the address follows. EN 16931 has no separate business term for this address format code.

Why it matters

This rule checks for the extra format code, not the content or completeness of the address.

How to fix it

Remove cbc:AddressFormatCode from cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress without removing the address fields. If your invoicing software adds the code, ask its supplier to correct the export. Export again and recheck the file.

Once the file is corrected, check it again for free: Validate an invoice against EN 16931

Or fix the invoice in a form and download the corrected file, for 1 credit: Fix a rejected e-invoice

The rule as published

A UBL invoice should not include the AccountingCustomerParty Party PostalAddress AddressFormatCode

Where this rule applies

Rule set Version
EN 16931 (UBL) 1.3.17
EN 16931 (UBL credit note) 1.3.17
XRechnung 3.0 (UBL) 3.0.2
XRechnung 3.0 (UBL credit note) 3.0.2
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (invoice) 2026.5
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (credit note) 2026.5
SI-UBL 2.0 / NLCIUS (invoice) 2.0.3.13
SI-UBL 2.0 / NLCIUS (credit note) 2.0.3.13
France CTC (UBL invoice) 1.4.0-04
France CTC (UBL credit note) 1.4.0-04
CIUS-RO UBL Invoice 1.0.9 1.0.9
CIUS-RO UBL Credit Note 1.0.9 1.0.9
Rule text from phive-rules 4.6.4.

Check your file

Drop your e-invoice to see whether UBL-CR-212 still fails, and which other rules do.

Updated 6 November 2026