Peppol Participant Identifier for Belgium: Scheme 0208 and Your Enterprise Number

Every participant on the Peppol network needs a unique identifier called a Peppol ID. For Belgian companies, this identifier follows a specific format using scheme 0208 combined with your KBO/BCE enterprise number. In this guide, we explain exactly how the Belgian Peppol Participant Identifier works, how to find yours, and how to register on the network.

What Is a Peppol Participant Identifier?

A Peppol Participant Identifier is the unique address that identifies a business on the Peppol network. Think of it as your company's "phone number" on the e-invoicing network. Other businesses use it to send you electronic invoices, and you use theirs to send invoices to them.

Every Peppol ID consists of two parts:

• A scheme identifier: A numeric code that indicates which national identification system is used (e.g., 0208 for Belgium).
• A participant identifier: Your actual company registration number within that scheme.

Scheme 0208: The Belgian Standard

Belgium uses scheme 0208 (Numero d'entreprise / ondernemingsnummer / Unternehmensnummer) as the official Peppol participant identifier scheme. This is based on the KBO/BCE enterprise number assigned by the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen).

0208:0123456789

The enterprise number is always 10 digits. If your VAT number starts with "BE" (e.g., BE0123.456.789), you remove the "BE" prefix and the dots to get the 10-digit number used in your Peppol ID.

Examples

How to Find Your Enterprise Number

Your enterprise number (ondernemingsnummer / numéro d'entreprise) can be found in several places:

• KBO/BCE Public Search: Search on kbopub.economie.fgov.be using your company name.
• Your VAT certificate: The enterprise number is listed on your official VAT registration.
• Your invoices: Belgian companies are required to display their enterprise number on all commercial documents.
• Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises: The official register where all Belgian enterprises are registered.

How to Check if a Company Has a Peppol ID

Before sending an e-invoice, you need to verify that the recipient is registered on the Peppol network. For a detailed step-by-step guide, see our article on how to look up and verify a Peppol ID. Here are the main methods:

• Peppol Radar (e-invoice.be): Use our free Peppol Radar tool to instantly check if a Belgian company is registered on the Peppol network.
• Peppol Directory: The official Peppol Directory at directory.peppol.eu allows you to search for registered participants.
• SML/SMP Lookup: For developers, the Peppol SML (Service Metadata Locator) provides programmatic access to look up participant registrations via the Peppol API.

How to Register Your Peppol ID

Registering your Peppol ID is done through a certified Peppol Access Point provider. You cannot register directly with Peppol. You always need an intermediary. Here's the process:

Peppol Identifier Schemes in Other Countries

While Belgium uses scheme 0208, other countries have their own schemes. This is useful to know if you trade internationally:

Using Your Peppol ID in UBL Invoices

When creating a UBL invoice for a Belgian recipient, the Peppol Participant Identifier is included in the EndpointID element with the scheme attribute set to 0208:

<cac:AccountingCustomerParty>
  <cac:Party>
    <cbc:EndpointID schemeID="0208">0123456789</cbc:EndpointID>
    <cac:PartyIdentification>
      <cbc:ID schemeID="0208">0123456789</cbc:ID>
    </cac:PartyIdentification>
    <cac:PartyName>
      <cbc:Name>Your Company Name</cbc:Name>
    </cac:PartyName>
  </cac:Party>
</cac:AccountingCustomerParty>

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using your VAT number instead of enterprise number: The Peppol ID uses the enterprise number (without "BE"), not the full VAT number.
• Including dots or spaces: The enterprise number in the Peppol ID must be 10 consecutive digits without any separators.
• Wrong scheme code: Belgium uses 0208, not 9956 (which is the older Belgian VAT-based scheme that is being phased out).
• Not verifying before sending: Always look up the recipient's Peppol ID before attempting to send an e-invoice to avoid delivery failures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have multiple Peppol IDs for one company?

Each company typically has one Peppol ID based on their enterprise number. However, if your company has multiple business units or branches with different enterprise numbers, each can have its own Peppol ID.

What if I switch Access Point providers?

Your Peppol ID stays the same. Only your Access Point changes. The migration process involves your new provider updating the SMP records to point to their infrastructure.

Is scheme 9956 still valid for Belgium?

Scheme 9956 (based on VAT numbers with the "BE" prefix) was previously used but is being phased out in favor of 0208. For new registrations, always use scheme 0208 with your enterprise number.