What the Leitweg-ID is
The Leitweg-ID is a public authority’s address for e-invoices. Behind a platform such as the federal OZG-RE sit many offices and departments. The Leitweg-ID tells the platform which office your invoice is forwarded to. You get it from your public client and put it into every e-invoice to them, in an XRechnung into the Buyer reference field (BT-10).
For federal authorities this is mandatory. Section 5 (1) of the federal e-invoicing ordinance (E-Rechnungsverordnung, ERechV) requires the Leitweg-ID, your bank details, the payment terms and your email address in addition to the details of the VAT act. Without the Leitweg-ID the platform cannot deliver the invoice.
Where you get the Leitweg-ID
The Leitweg-ID always comes from your client. It is usually in the contract, the purchase order or an information letter for suppliers. If it isn’t anywhere, ask the office that gave you the job. An authority can have several Leitweg-IDs, for example for different departments, so use exactly the one named for this job.
Don’t look it up or copy it from an old invoice. A wrong Leitweg-ID can have valid check digits and still end up at the wrong office. If the authority also gave you an order number or a supplier number, those belong on the invoice too (§ 5 (2) ERechV). In Folnaro you enter the order number on the page in its own row, and the XRechnung carries it as the Purchase order reference (BT-13).
What else belongs on an invoice to a federal authority
Besides the Leitweg-ID, § 5 (1) ERechV requires your bank details, the payment terms and an email address where the authority can reach you. On top of that come all the mandatory details of the VAT act that belong on any other invoice. Before submitting, also check that the authority’s address is written exactly as in the order. An invoice that is complete and clearly matches the order gets paid faster.
How the Leitweg-ID is built
A Leitweg-ID has up to three parts, separated by hyphens. This is how the KoSIT format specification describes it:
| Part | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| coarse address | 2 to 12 digits, mandatory | 04011000 |
| fine address | up to 30 letters or digits, optional | 12345 |
| check digits | 2 digits, mandatory | 03 |
Together this gives 04011000-12345-03. The first two digits of the coarse address name the federal state; 99 stands for the federal government. The authority sets the fine address itself to route invoices internally.
The check digits are calculated the same way as for an IBAN (ISO/IEC 7064, modulo 97). They catch typos but not a mix-up. So copy the Leitweg-ID character by character from the order.
How your invoice reaches the authority
Since November 27, 2020 federal authorities have generally required e-invoices, usually in the XRechnung format. A plain PDF invoice by email is not enough there. Which format the authority accepts is in the order or its supplier notes. More on the formats is in the guide XRechnung vs. ZUGFeRD.
Since September 2025 the federal government has accepted e-invoices only through the OZG-RE platform. The former ZRE platform has been shut down, and existing Leitweg-IDs remain valid. You register once with OZG-RE, free of charge. After that you have several options:
- Upload a finished XRechnung from your invoicing software
- Web entry, typing the invoice directly into the platform’s form
- Email to the platform with the XRechnung attached
- Peppol, the European network for e-invoices, through a service provider
For a few invoices a year, uploading is the simplest way. After submitting, the platform shows you whether the invoice has arrived.
Exceptions and the rules of the federal states
Federal authorities need no e-invoice for invoices after a direct award of up to €1,000 (§ 3 (3) ERechV). A direct award is a small job the authority gives without a tender procedure. Whether your job was one, the authority will tell you. The ERechV has no exception for small businesses. The VAT law relief applies to invoices between businesses, not to the requirements of public clients.
The federal states have their own e-invoicing laws and ordinances. They differ in thresholds, portals and whether the Leitweg-ID is mandatory. Some states use OZG-RE as well, others run their own portals. For jobs from a state or a municipality, what your client tells you is what applies.
The Leitweg-ID has nothing to do with the general e-invoicing mandate between businesses. There an e-invoice to your customer’s email address is enough. What applies when is in the guide to the e-invoicing mandate.
This guide explains the rules in general. What a particular state or authority requires, only your client can tell you with certainty.
Common questions
Where do I find my authority’s Leitweg-ID?
In the contract, the purchase order or a supplier letter from the authority. If it isn’t there, ask your contact person or the invoicing office. Lists on the web are no substitute, because only your client knows which office processes the invoice.
What happens with a wrong Leitweg-ID?
If the check digits don’t match, the platform cannot assign the invoice to any office. If a valid Leitweg-ID belongs to a different office, the invoice ends up there and payment is delayed. Sort it out with your client and submit the invoice again with the right Leitweg-ID.
Do I need a Leitweg-ID for invoices to businesses?
No. Leitweg-IDs exist only for public clients. For businesses, the BT-10 field can hold another reference your customer gives you. An order number has its own field, BT-13.
Do I have to send an XRechnung to a federal authority as a small business?
Usually yes, because the ERechV does not distinguish by the small business rule. Only cases such as a direct award up to €1,000 are exempt. If in doubt, ask the authority’s invoicing office before you write the invoice.