SCE 2.0: mandatory hospitality tills, dates and threshold (2026)

Published on 09/07/2026 · By Federica García, Eazyclick. Every date and rule links to the official source: systemedecaisseenregistreuse.be, the FPS Finance website dedicated to Belgium's registered cash register system (SCE).

Since 1 July 2026, a new hospitality business subject to the registered cash register rules must install SCE 2.0 directly, the new generation of till whose “black box” sends sales to FPS Finance. Businesses already equipped will switch in 2027, 2028 or 2029 depending on when they bought their till. Here is who is affected, how to calculate the €25,000 threshold and your deadline.

Who needs a registered cash register in hospitality?

Operators of establishments serving meals, and caterers providing catering services, must use an SCE once their turnover excluding VAT from restaurant and catering services, excluding drinks, exceeds €25,000 per year. The rule is set out in Article 21bis, § 1, of Royal Decree No. 1 on VAT.

Below this threshold, you must still issue a control document (a bill or receipt), but an SCE is not mandatory. Source: “Who must use the SCE?”, FPS Finance.

How do you calculate the €25,000 threshold?

The threshold is calculated over the calendar year, using turnover excluding VAT from served meals and catering services only. Drinks, takeaway meals, food sales and your other activities are excluded. A new business uses an estimate for its first year of trading.

• Included: meals eaten on the premises and catering services (excluding drinks).
• Excluded: drinks, even when served with a meal; takeaway meals; food sales; hire of tables, chairs, crockery or glasses; ancillary activities.

Once you exceed the threshold in a year, the obligation remains as long as you provide catering services, and all transactions at the establishment must then go through the till. If you operate several establishments under the same VAT number, the threshold is calculated per establishment (source).

What are SCE 2.0 and the FDM black box?

SCE 2.0 is the new generation of registered cash register system. It combines a certified till with a new fiscal data module, FDM 2.0 (the “black box”), which sends your sales to the FPS Finance cloud in near real time. Both the till and the FDM must be “SCE 2.0” certified.

The first-generation SCE combined three elements: a certified till, a control module (FDM) and a personal card (VSC). SCE 2.0 replaces the black box and VSC card pair with a cloud-connected FDM 2.0 that also calculates VAT, and adds digital receipts (by email or QR code). Source: “SCE 2.0: modernising the registered cash register system”.

What is my deadline for SCE 2.0?

A Royal Decree published on 3 June 2026 sets the timetable. A new hospitality establishment must opt for SCE 2.0 from 1 July 2026. An already equipped establishment switches according to its till's purchase date; if it has several, the most recently purchased till determines the date.

Source: “The new registered cash register system (SCE 2.0) becomes mandatory from 1 July 2026”, FPS Finance, 03/06/2026. The grace period had been extended for the final time until 30 June 2026 (news item of 27/03/2026). Be wary of pages still showing the old timetable (1 July 2025, 2026…): it has been replaced.

FPS Finance also says it is considering extending the requirement to other types of hospitality establishments. We will update this guide as soon as a decision is published.

White till, black till, black box: what do they mean?

“Black box” is the nickname for the fiscal data module (FDM): it records every sale and, with SCE 2.0, sends it to FPS Finance. “White till” is a common expression, not a legal term: it means a certified cash register where all sales are declared, as opposed to undeclared cash takings.

An SCE receipt is recognisable by the wording “TICKET DE CAISSE TVA” (VAT receipt), the breakdown of amounts by VAT rate, the business registration number and the system's serial numbers. Source: “What does an SCE receipt look like?”.

What happens if you don't have an SCE?

An operator who fails to register on time or activate their SCE by the required date is non-compliant: they risk a fine and lose the support measures linked to activation (FPS Finance). FPS Finance does not publish a general penalty scale on these pages; your accountant can explain what applies to your situation.

What about table ordering apps?

FPS Finance considers an app where customers browse the menu and order from their table to be part of the till system: it must be certified as an SCE or connected to your certified SCE. An app that only displays the menu is not affected. At the end of the meal, customers must still receive a VAT receipt issued by the SCE.

The FPS notice of 16/09/2020 states that a non-compliant app may result in an administrative fine of at least €1,500, or €3,000 in cases of fraud (“Important notice regarding ordering applications”). Before enabling table ordering, check with your provider that it sends orders to your certified till.

What about my website, bookings and menu?

The SCE only concerns recording your sales. Your website, online menu, table bookings and Google reviews remain independent: they run alongside your till.

Eazyclick does not replace your certified till. Keep it: your website, bookings and menu run alongside it. Before anything goes live, your project manager checks with you what belongs to the till and what belongs to the website. Explore everything Eazyclick does for hospitality, the online menu with its 14 allergens and our guide to the 14 allergens you must declare.

This guide summarises the rules published by FPS Finance as of the date shown. It does not replace advice from your accountant or till provider.