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BR-49: Payment means type code (BT-81) is missing

Official message

[BR-49] A Payment instruction (BG-16) shall specify the Payment means type code (BT-81).

EN 16931 (CII) · Error · Message language: English · Version: xrechnung-3.0.2-validator-configuration-2026-08-31

[BR-49] A Payment instruction (BG-16) shall specify the Payment means type code (BT-81).

EN 16931 (UBL) · Error · Message language: English · Version: xrechnung-3.0.2-validator-configuration-2026-08-31

[BR-49] A Payment instruction (BG-16) shall specify the Payment means type code (BT-81).

Factur-X / ZUGFeRD EN 16931 · Error · Message language: English · Version: Factur-X 1.08 / ZUGFeRD 2.4
Severity
Error The invoice is invalid and may be rejected by the recipient.
Applies to
EN 16931 (CII), EN 16931 (UBL), Factur-X / ZUGFeRD EN 16931
Affected fields
BG-16, BT-81

What does this mean?

Every payment instruction (BG-16) must specify the payment means type code (BT-81), e.g. 58 for SEPA credit transfer. It is missing for at least one payment means.

Typical causes

The payment means was output with bank details or free text only.
The payment means only appears as text in the payment means text (BT-82).

How to fix the error

State the code from the UNTDID 4461 list for every payment means, e.g. 58 (SEPA credit transfer), 30 (credit transfer), 59 (SEPA direct debit), 48 (bank card) or 10 (in cash).
CII: ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans/ram:TypeCode, UBL: cac:PaymentMeans/cbc:PaymentMeansCode.
Generate and validate the invoice again.

In E-Rechnungsfreund

In the invoice form ("Experte" view), section "Zahlungsmittel (BG-16)" (payment means), select the payment means in the field "Zahlungscode (BT-81)" (payment means code) for every payment means.

Example

Wrong

<ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans>
  <ram:Information>Credit transfer</ram:Information>
  <ram:PayeePartyCreditorFinancialAccount>
    <ram:IBANID>DE02120300000000202051</ram:IBANID>
  </ram:PayeePartyCreditorFinancialAccount>
</ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans>

Correct

<ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans>
  <ram:TypeCode>58</ram:TypeCode>
  <ram:Information>Credit transfer</ram:Information>
  <ram:PayeePartyCreditorFinancialAccount>
    <ram:IBANID>DE02120300000000202051</ram:IBANID>
  </ram:PayeePartyCreditorFinancialAccount>
</ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans>
For developers: test expression per syntax

EN 16931 (CII) (CII)

Context: //ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans

(ram:TypeCode)

EN 16931 (UBL) (UBL)

Context: cac:PaymentMeans

exists(cbc:PaymentMeansCode)

Factur-X / ZUGFeRD EN 16931 (CII)

Technical ID in the source: FX-SCH-A-000131

Context: //ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans

(ram:TypeCode)

Related validation rules

  • BR-01: Specification identifier (BT-24) is missing
  • BR-02: Invoice number (BT-1) is missing
  • BR-03: Invoice issue date (BT-2) is missing
  • BR-04: Invoice type code (BT-3) is missing
  • BR-05: Invoice currency code (BT-5) is missing
  • BR-06: Seller name (BT-27) is missing

Last updated:
Explanation of the validation rule, not legal or tax advice.