What it means
The rule checks that cac:WithholdingTaxTotal is absent directly under the root of a UBL invoice or credit note. It checks the presence of the block, not its amount or its effect on the amount due (BT-115).
Why it matters
EN 16931 does not use a document-level withholding tax total.
How to fix it
Delete cac:WithholdingTaxTotal from directly under the invoice or credit note root. If withholding applies, ask your accountant how to record it without relying on this block. 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 WithholdingTaxTotal 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 |
Check your file
Drop your e-invoice to see whether UBL-CR-513 still fails, and which other rules do.
Related rules
- UBL-CR-514 The totals should not show an alternative amount due
- UBL-CR-515 A line should not have a UUID
- UBL-CR-516 A line should not have its own VAT point date
- UBL-CR-517 A line should not have an accounting cost code
- UBL-CR-518 A line should not have a payment purpose code
- UBL-CR-519 A line should not have a free of charge flag