How to join Peppol in Belgium: register and get on the network
To join Peppol in Belgium, a certified Access Point publishes your legal entity so partners can find you and deliver structured invoices. A signed contract is not registration until receive works.
Updated
- Belgium
Peppol registration in Belgium is how you join the network: a certified Access Point verifies your legal entity and publishes you so other parties can look you up and deliver structured invoices. It is not a tax filing and not a Mercurius enrolment. You are not on the network until a real invoice can land.
The participant address (scheme 0208 plus your enterprise number) is explained in Peppol ID explained. This page is the join path: choose a provider, finish onboarding, prove receive, then send.
When you need this
- You search “how to join Peppol”, “peppol registration”, or how to get on the network in Belgium
- Suppliers cannot find you, or nothing arrives after you signed software
- You must send and receive structured B2B invoices from 2026
- You confuse Mercurius (public buyers) with being listed for private B2B
What “registered” means
| Day to day | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Findable | Partners look up your enterprise number and deliver without asking for an email |
| Inbox live | Invoices land in your invoicing tool, accountant portal, or inbound inbox |
| You can send | You can also issue Peppol invoices to other Belgian businesses |
- Peppol registration
Onboarding plus publication of your legal entity through a certified Access Point. Knowing the enterprise number is not registration.
Network picture: What is Peppol?. Sole traders: Sole trader Peppol in Belgium.
What you do versus your provider
| You | Your software / provider |
|---|---|
| Confirm the correct enterprise number | Verify your legal identity |
| Choose a tool that can send and receive | Connect you to Peppol (Access Point) |
| Decide who opens inbound invoices | Publish you as findable for invoices |
| Test that a real invoice arrives | Keep the connection live |
You do not file a Peppol form with FPS Finance. Pick a certified Access Point (often inside invoicing software or via your accountant), complete their checks, and let them publish you.
How to get on the network
- Confirm the KBO/BCE number of the entity that must receive invoices.
- Choose software or a provider with Belgian Peppol send and receive. Read Peppol Access Point before you commit.
- Complete their identity checks (legal name + enterprise number).
- Ask them to make you findable for invoices (and credit notes if you use them).
- Prove receive first: have a supplier or the provider send a test or live invoice into your inbox or ERP.
- Search yourself in the Peppol Directory under scheme 0208, or use your product’s “am I reachable?” check.
- Then enable send and verify a counterparty with participant lookup.
Propagation can take a short while after go-live or a provider switch. Do not turn the old setup off until the new one works in production.
Belgium rules that matter
| Rule | In practice |
|---|---|
| One VAT-liable company | Normally one Peppol identity; see multi-entity |
| 2026 mandate | Send and receive for domestic B2B; start with the e-invoicing obligation |
| Public buyers | Different track: Mercurius B2G |
| VAT exemption | Receive can still apply; see VAT exemption and Peppol |
Registration makes you findable. It does not fix VAT coding, legal mentions, or archiving.
Worked example
Atelier Nord SRL (enterprise number 0123.456.789) signs invoicing software with a built-in Access Point. After identity checks, the provider publishes the entity. A supplier looks up the number, sends a structured invoice, and it lands in the inbox. Only then does Atelier Nord share the ID with other suppliers. A PDF to invoices@atelier.be is not Peppol registration.
After you are live
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| New invoicing software | Re-test send and receive; keep the same enterprise number |
| Change of provider | Coordinate so you stay findable (switching Access Point) |
| Merger or new number | Register the new liable entity; do not reuse a withdrawn ID |
| Suppliers say “not found” | Re-check the Directory and your provider, then share your Peppol ID |
Common mistakes
- Treating a signed contract as registration
- Sharing an ID before receive is live (see Peppol ID explained)
- Using the Mercurius portal as if it listed you for private B2B
- Switching software without coordinating publication
- Trying to configure SMP or SML yourself; the Access Point does that (SMP/SML)
FAQ
How do I join Peppol in Belgium?
Choose a certified Access Point, complete identity checks, let them publish you, and prove that a structured invoice arrives.
How do I register or get on the Peppol network?
Registration is publication through your Access Point, not a government Peppol form. You are on the network when partners can find you and deliver.
Is registration the same as requesting a Peppol ID?
No. The ID is the address. Registration is the publication that makes that address findable. See Peppol ID explained.
Do I apply to a public Peppol office?
Not for private B2B. There is no FPS counter for Peppol registration. Mercurius is only the public-sector reception path.
How do I know I am findable?
Search yourself in the Peppol Directory or your product’s reachability check, and receive a real test or live invoice.
How long does publication take?
Often the same day after the Access Point goes live. Wait after a switch before you turn the old setup off.
Does this apply to sole traders?
Yes, if you invoice VAT-liable B2B under a Belgian enterprise number. See sole trader Peppol.
Is Mercurius the same as Peppol registration?
No. Mercurius is the federal B2G platform. Being listed for private customers is a separate publication through your Access Point.