Peppol check: see if a customer is registered

Published on 08/07/2026 · By Naïm Khalifa, Eazyclick. Each rule links to its official source.

Before sending an invoice, you want to know whether your customer can receive it through Peppol. Checking takes a minute, free of charge, in the network's public directory. Here is how to do it, and what to do if your customer is not listed. For the wider context, read the complete guide to Peppol in Belgium.

How do you check whether a business is on Peppol?

Open the network's public directory, the Peppol Directory, or the Lookup Peppol tool, and search for your customer's enterprise number. For an exact search, enter 0208: followed by the ten digits of their BCE enterprise number, without dots or spaces. If the business appears with the “Invoice” document type, it can receive your invoices through Peppol.

This is the method recommended by the authorities, using FPS Finance itself as an example: 0208:0308357159 (Peppol FAQ, question 6, efacture.belgium.be).

How do you run a Peppol check, step by step?

You need your customer's enterprise number, the public Peppol directory and one minute. Enter the number in the right format, check that the name matches, then read the list of documents the business accepts. If it does not appear, a second search with its VAT number clears up any doubt.

1. Find your customer's enterprise number. It appears on their invoices, quotes or in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (BCE): ten digits, for example 0308.357.159.
2. Open the directory. The Peppol Directory is public and free; Lookup Peppol provides the same type of information.
3. Enter 0208: then the number without dots, for example 0208:0308357159. The number alone also works in the Peppol Directory's free search, which then displays all registrations linked to it.
4. Read the result. Check the business name, then the list of accepted document types: “Invoice” and “Credit Note” in Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 mean you can send your invoices and credit notes.
5. No results? Also try the VAT number in the format 9925:BE0308357159. If nothing appears, your customer is probably not yet reachable through Peppol: move to plan B below.

What does code 0208 before the number mean?

Code 0208 identifies the Belgian enterprise number from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. In Belgium, every business is registered on Peppol at least with this number, preceded by 0208. That is why you do not need to ask customers for their Peppol ID: their enterprise number, already on your documents, is enough to find them.

Sources: Peppol FAQ, question 4 and B2B FAQ, question 15. Code 9925 refers to the Belgian VAT number, used as an additional identifier by some providers.

Does a Peppol check show whether my customer can also send invoices?

No. The directory lists businesses that can receive documents through Peppol and the document types they accept. It does not show whether a business can also send them. To find out whether a supplier will invoice you through Peppol, the simplest option is to ask them or check what arrives in your software.

Source: Peppol FAQ, question 6. Also remember that directory registration counts as agreement to receive structured electronic invoices (B2B FAQ, question 9).

What if your customer is not on Peppol?

Send the invoice another way, as a PDF or on paper. If you send it electronically, the customer must accept this and you must agree on a secure channel. Your invoice remains legally valid and your obligation is fulfilled; it is your customer who risks a penalty, since they must be able to receive structured electronic invoices from 1 January 2026.

Source: B2B FAQ, question 8. You can add a sentence on the invoice encouraging them to comply and send them our guide How to register on Peppol. Once they are registered, invoices already sent do not need to be resent through Peppol.

Do you need to check before every invoice?

Not manually. Invoicing software connected to Peppol checks the network itself to detect registered customers and prioritise Peppol sending whenever possible: this is the “Peppol first” strategy recommended by the authorities. A manual check is still useful for a new customer or when an invoice will not send.

Sources: B2B FAQ, question 9 and Peppol FAQ, question 4. With Eazyclick's Quotes & invoices module, your invoices are sent in Peppol format to registered customers, from the same dashboard as your quotes.

Frequently asked questions about Peppol checks

Is a Peppol check free?

Yes. The Peppol Directory and Lookup Peppol are public and require no account.

My customer is registered under a different name: is that normal?

This can happen when registration was made in a parent company's name or under a trading name. Rely on the enterprise number, which is the reference identifier, and ask your customer to confirm if in doubt.

My customer appears twice in the directory: which entry should I choose?

The same business can be registered with its enterprise number (0208) and VAT number (9925). By default, the enterprise number is the one you can deliver invoices to (Peppol FAQ, question 4).

How do I check my own registration?

Follow the same process with your enterprise number. If you do not appear, see our guide How to register on Peppol.