Factur-X Validator for French Companies
France's e-invoicing reform requires Factur-X (or UBL/CII) invoices exchanged through an approved platform (PDP) from 1 September 2026. Validate your PDF invoices before you send them.
Open Factur-X ValidatorFrench e-invoicing reform: what you need to know
France's ViDA transposition (Ordonnance n°2021-1190) makes structured electronic invoicing mandatory for all VAT-registered businesses. Large enterprises (>5,000 employees) must comply from September 2026 for outgoing invoices and must accept incoming e-invoices from the same date.
B2B invoices are exchanged through a PDP (plateforme de dématérialisation partenaire) — an approved private platform. The 2026 Finance Act dropped the public portal (PPF) as an exchange platform; it now only acts as a directory. Chorus Pro remains the B2G portal for invoicing the public sector. Accepted formats: Factur-X, UBL 2.1 and CII.
Compliance timeline
Reception becomes mandatory for EVERY VAT-registered business in France, whatever its size: you must be able to receive a structured e-invoice.
Issuing and e-reporting become mandatory for large enterprises AND mid-sized companies (ETI). ETI are in scope from this date — not 2027.
Issuing and e-reporting become mandatory for SMEs, very small businesses and micro-enterprises. They must already be able to RECEIVE since Sep 2026.
B2B invoices are exchanged through an approved platform (PDP). The 2026 Finance Act dropped the public portal (PPF) as an exchange platform; Chorus Pro remains the B2G portal.
What ValidateFin checks in your Factur-X invoice
Before you send an invoice through your PDP, check that your Factur-X file passes these:
- PDF/A-3 structure: the XML is correctly embedded as an attachment named factur-x.xml
- EN 16931 mandatory fields: seller VAT, buyer reference, invoice number, issue date, tax breakdown
- Profile conformance: MINIMUM, BASIC WL, BASIC, EN 16931 (COMFORT) or EXTENDED
- VAT consistency: tax amounts match the declared rates and basis amounts
- Grand total validation: line item amounts sum to the declared grand total including VAT
Common Factur-X errors that get an invoice rejected
Missing or invalid seller VAT number
SellerTradeParty/SpecifiedTaxRegistration must contain a valid FR VAT number (FR + 2 digits + SIREN).
Incorrect PDF/A-3 conformance
The PDF must conform to PDF/A-3b. Standard PDFs are rejected - use a certified Factur-X library or converter.
VAT amount rounding mismatch
Tax amounts must match the declared rate × basis amount within 0.01€. Rounding errors cause EN 16931 rule failures.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Factur-X and a regular PDF invoice?
A Factur-X invoice is a PDF/A-3 file with a machine-readable XML file embedded as an attachment. The XML contains all invoice data in structured form (seller, buyer, amounts, VAT). A regular PDF is human-readable only - accounting software cannot parse it automatically.
Does ValidateFin support the Chorus Pro Factur-X profile?
Yes. ValidateFin extracts and displays the embedded XML from any Factur-X file (all profiles: MINIMUM, BASIC WL, BASIC, EN 16931, EXTENDED). It checks mandatory fields and VAT consistency. No file is ever sent to a server.
Can I validate a Factur-X invoice before submitting to Chorus Pro?
Yes - that is exactly what ValidateFin is designed for. Drop your PDF invoice into the Factur-X Validator, and it will extract the XML, display all invoice data, and highlight any missing mandatory fields. 100% free, no registration.
E-invoicing guides by country
E-invoicing rules in France
Status: Mandatory from 1 Sep 2026. See who must issue and receive e-invoices, deadlines and accepted formats.
Validate your Factur-X invoice now
Drop your PDF invoice and get an instant compliance report. No file uploaded, no account needed.