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The Routing ID is a mandatory field in X-invoices to German authorities. An incorrect check digit or a formatting error will cause the Invoice is rejected by the reception system—this costs time and can blow payment deadlines.
Our free routing ID checker validates the format and check digit directly in your browser according to the KoSIT 2.0.2 specification. If the check digit is incorrect, the tool suggests the correct one. Your entries are not transmitted or stored.
Check the format and check digit of a routing ID according to the KoSIT specification. All inputs remain in your browser, no data transfer, no login.
Enter a complete routing ID, including hyphens. Format: General address-Specific address-Check digit.
Your inputs are processed exclusively in the browser – no transmission, no storage.
The routing ID is a standardized identification number for electronic invoices sent to public contracting authorities in Germany. It identifies the specific invoice recipient within the German government—from federal ministries to local authorities.
The routing ID was introduced by the Coordination Office for IT Standards (KoSIT) as part of the XRechnung standards. Since November 2020, it has been mandatory for invoices to federal authorities, and now also for many state authorities and municipal clients.
The route guidance ID is in the XInvoice in the „Buyer Reference“ (BT-10) field and ensures that the invoice can be automatically assigned to the correct administrative unit in the recipient's receiving system.
You always need a routing ID when you send an electronic invoice to a public contractor in Germany. Specifically, this applies to:
- Federal Agencies (Federal Ministries, Federal Police, Customs, BSI, BAMF, and subordinate authorities) – mandatory since November 27, 2020 – State authorities most federal states – implementation status varies by state – Municipal Clients like cities, municipalities, districts, and municipal companies, provided they use XRechnung – Constitutional organs, Indirect federal administration and Public companies within the meaning of EU Directive 2014/55/EU
Special case: Leasing If you rent to public authorities, the Leitweg-ID permanently belongs to the lease agreement – our subsidiary shows how this is solved in SAP RE-FX REexpect.
You do not receive the routing ID yourself; your government client will provide it to you, usually during the order placement or in the Order. In B2B business with other companies, you do not need a routing ID.
A routing ID consists of three components, separated by hyphens:
- Global addressing (Mandatory, 2 to 12 digits): Identifies the federal state, county, and municipality. In the municipal sector, it corresponds to the Official Municipal Key. Fine addressing (optional, up to 30 alphanumeric characters): assigned individually by the federal state or state, identifies the specific administrative unit within the region defined by the broad addressing. – Check digit (Mandatory, 2 digits): is mathematically calculated from coarse and fine addressing and enables syntactic checking of the routing ID.
Examples:
- 04011000-1234512345-06 (Bremen, with fine addressing) – 991-ABC-29 (Federal, immediate federal administration) – 04-86Bremen (no specific address)
Federal key number 99 has three sub-prefixes: 991 for immediate federal administration and constitutional bodies (reception via OZG-RE), 992 for the indirect federal administration (reception via OZG-RE) and 993 for the indirect federal administration with its own reception solution.
The total length of a routing ID is between 5 and 46 characters.
The check digit is calculated using the modulo 97-10 procedure (ISO/IEC 7064:2003) – the same procedure used for IBAN check digits. The algorithm:
Example of the Bremen ID 04011000-1234512345-06Coarse + Fine = 040110001234512345, plus „00" = 04011000123451234500, mod 97 = 92, Check digit = 98 − 92 = 06.
The validation of an existing routing ID works in reverse: The complete number without hyphens (including the check digit) is divided by 97. If the remainder 1, is the routing ID syntactically correct.
You usually get the routing ID from the authority itself – in the order, the purchase order, or as a separate notification. If you don't have it handy, there are several options:
- Ask directly at the responsible authority, usually at the procurement office or accounting department – On the order or in the contract check it, it's often listed there as a mandatory field – In the Federal Procurement Portalor research the respective national portals – At federal agencies Can the Central Federal Finance Office (ZFB) provide information?
There is no central public database of all routing IDs; their assignment and maintenance are the responsibility of the respective authorities. If there are any uncertainties, direct contact with the contracting authority is the fastest way.
If an XRechnung with an incorrect routing ID is sent to an authority, the receiving system cannot assign the invoice. It is typically rejected with an error message, and the payment process does not start.
Not necessarily, but the routing ID schema can be used as a Peppol ID. The Peppol ID identifies the recipient in the Peppol network and is generally communicated separately from the recipient.
No. The routing ID belongs to the authority or administrative unit, not to the individual order. Within the same authority, the same routing ID can be used, unless otherwise instructed.
In the „Buyer Reference" field (BT-10) according to the XRechnung standard. In SAP systems, the field is usually maintained via the customer master data or as an order reference.
Only if you are submitting a ZUGFeRD invoice to a public contractor who explicitly requires a Leitweg ID. It is not required in B2B transactions with private companies.
No. The routing ID is assigned and communicated by the client. Self-generated routing IDs are invalid, even if the check digit would be mathematically correct.
If you rent to an authority, a municipality, or another public enterprise, the Leitweg-ID does not occur just once, but with every periodic debit entry – i.e., with every rent payment, every utility bill, and every index adjustment. Unlike a project-related individual invoice, the invoice here does not originate from a purchase order, but from the lease agreement. The Leitweg-ID must therefore be permanently maintained in the contract or for the respective rental property and from there into the Outgoing invoice to be adopted. This is particularly relevant when the same public-sector tenant occupies multiple properties or administrative units with different routing IDs (Leitweg-IDs) – maintaining this solely in the customer master data is then no longer sufficient. For the implementation in SAP RE-FX, our subsidiary REexpect specialized.
The check tells you whether a number is correct. It says nothing about how the routing ID reliably gets into every outgoing invoice. Depending on the starting situation, there are two ways to get there.
XRechnung and ZUGFeRD generate, send, and archive from SAP – from maintenance in the customer master data to format selection and audit-proof storage. We have bundled the basics, deadlines, and solutions on one page.
On the e-invoice in SAPIf you rent to public authorities or municipalities, the Leitweg-ID belongs on the lease agreement rather than the individual invoice – it is needed again for every posting. Conversely, municipal housing companies are themselves on the receiving end. Both of these are RE-FX territory, and that is what our subsidiary REexpect is there for.
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