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Warning

UBL-CR-652: VAT and tax numbers should have no scheme attribute

In short

Warning: worth checking.

UBL-CR-652 means a VAT number or tax number in the party details has a schemeID attribute, which EN 16931 does not use. Remove the attribute and keep the number.

On this page

What it means

This rule checks every cbc:CompanyID inside a cac:PartyTaxScheme anywhere in the file and flags any schemeID attribute. These elements carry the seller's VAT number (BT-31), the buyer's VAT number (BT-48), the tax representative's VAT number (BT-63) and the seller's tax number (BT-32). The value stays plain text, such as DE123456789. The company registration number (BT-30) inside cac:PartyLegalEntity is not covered by this test.

Why it matters

EN 16931 does not use schemeID on cbc:CompanyID inside cac:PartyTaxScheme. The warning concerns that attribute, not the number text.

How to fix it

Remove schemeID from every cbc:CompanyID inside cac:PartyTaxScheme and keep the number text unchanged. Do not remove attributes from the company registration number (BT-30) inside cac:PartyLegalEntity to address this rule. If your software adds the unwanted attribute, ask its supplier to correct the export, then check the new file again.

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 PartyTaxScheme CompanyID scheme identifier

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-652 still fails, and which other rules do.

Updated 6 November 2026