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Warning

UBL-CR-426: The format code of the payee bank account is not used

In short

Warning: worth checking.

UBL-CR-426 means the payee bank account in your UBL invoice or credit note has an account format code (cbc:AccountFormatCode), which EN 16931 does not use. Remove the code; keep any IBAN or account number in the account identifier (BT-84). Export again and recheck the file.

On this page

What it means

This rule checks for cbc:AccountFormatCode within cac:PaymentMeans/cac:PayeeFinancialAccount in a UBL invoice or credit note. An account format code says in which format the account number is written, for example IBAN or a national format. EN 16931 has no business term for it. The account identifier (BT-84) belongs in cbc:ID.

Why it matters

EN 16931 represents the payment account using its identifier (BT-84), without a separate account format code.

How to fix it

Delete cbc:AccountFormatCode from cac:PaymentMeans/cac:PayeeFinancialAccount. If you include an account number or IBAN, keep it in cbc:ID in the same block (BT-84). 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 PaymentMeans PayeeFinancialAccount AccountFormatCode

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-426 still fails, and which other rules do.

Updated 6 November 2026