Official rule text
[BR-CL-01] The document type code MUST be coded by the invoice and credit note related code lists of UNTDID 1001.
Why this error occurs
The document type code (BT-3) must come from the invoice or credit note subset of UNTDID 1001. In UBL the rule checks cbc:InvoiceTypeCode against the invoice list (e.g. 71, 80, 82, 84, 102, 130, 202, 326, 380, 384, 386, 389, 875, 876, 877) and cbc:CreditNoteTypeCode against the credit note list (81, 83, 261, 262, 296, 308, 381, 396, 420, 458, 532); CII checks ram:TypeCode against the union of both. It fails on internal codes ("INV", "R"), on text, on surrounding spaces, and on 381 in a UBL Invoice document.
How to fix it
Map your internal document types to UNTDID 1001 codes in the export: 380 commercial invoice, 384 corrected invoice, 389 self-billed invoice, 326 partial invoice, 381 credit note. In UBL a credit note must be a cn:CreditNote document with cbc:CreditNoteTypeCode 381; 381 is not allowed in cbc:InvoiceTypeCode of a ubl:Invoice. In CII set rsm:ExchangedDocument/ram:TypeCode. Write the code without whitespace. XRechnung additionally restricts the list (see BR-DE-17).
Example (valid)
<cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>380</cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>What the validator checks
Checked element (context):
UBL
cbc:InvoiceTypeCode | cbc:CreditNoteTypeCodeTest (XPath):
(self::cbc:InvoiceTypeCode and ((not(contains(normalize-space(.), ' ')) and contains(' 71 80 81 82 84 102 130 202 203 204 211 218 219 295 325 326 331 380 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 393 394 395 456 457 471 472 473 500 501 502 503 527 553 575 623 633 751 780 817 870 875 876 877 935 ', concat(' ', normalize-space(.), ' '))))) or (self::cbc:CreditNoteTypeCode and ((not(contains(normalize-space(.), ' ')) and contains(' 81 83 261 262 296 308 381 396 420 458 532 ', concat(' ', normalize-space(.), ' ')))))CII
rsm:ExchangedDocument/ram:TypeCodeTest (XPath):
((not(contains(normalize-space(.), ' ')) and contains(' 71 80 81 82 83 84 102 130 202 203 204 211 218 219 261 262 295 296 308 325 326 331 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 393 394 395 396 420 456 457 458 471 472 473 500 501 502 503 527 532 553 575 623 633 751 780 817 870 875 876 877 935 ', concat(' ', normalize-space(.), ' '))))Check your invoice
Drop your XML or PDF on the validator and every failed rule is linked to its page here. Free, no account, the file is not stored.
Same check via API:
curl -F file=@invoice.xml https://einvoicechecker.com/v1/validateRelated rules
BR-CL-03currencyID attribute is not an ISO 4217 codeBR-CL-04Invoice currency code is not an ISO 4217 codeBR-CL-05Tax currency code MUST be coded using ISO code list 4217 alpha-3BR-CL-06Value added tax point date code MUST be coded using a restriction of UNTDID 2005BR-CL-07Object identifier identification scheme identifier MUST be coded using a restriction…BR-CL-08Invoiced note subject code shall be coded using UNCL4451BR-CL-10Party identifier scheme is not an ISO 6523 ICD codeBR-CL-11Any registration identifier identification scheme identifier MUST be coded using one…
Frequently asked questions
What does BR-CL-01 mean?
BR-CL-01 is a en 16931 core rule: The document type code MUST be coded by the invoice and credit note related code lists of UNTDID 1001.
Will my invoice be rejected because of BR-CL-01?
Yes. BR-CL-01 is flagged "fatal"; validators (KoSIT, Peppol access points, the German ZRE/OZG-RE portals) reject the invoice until it is fixed.
Which formats does BR-CL-01 apply to?
Every EN 16931 invoice: XRechnung, ZUGFeRD 2.x / Factur-X (profiles EN 16931, EXTENDED, XRECHNUNG), Peppol BIS Billing 3.0, and national CIUS such as the Dutch NLCIUS or the Italian/Spanish profiles. Syntax: UBL and CII.
Source: EN 16931-1:2017 schematron (CEN TC434, via Peppol BIS 3.0.20). Catalogue generated from the official schematron on 2026-10-14.