How to Implement E-Invoicing in Austria: A Step-by-Step Guide

Unlike countries mid-rollout of a new mandate, Austria's B2G e-invoicing requirement has been stable since 2014 — which makes implementation more predictable, but the steps are still worth walking through carefully, especially if you're a new supplier to Austrian public bodies or setting up e-invoicing for the first time.

Step 1: Confirm Whether the Mandate Applies to You

Austria's e-invoicing mandate applies to suppliers of federal government agencies and constitutional bodies. If you only invoice private Austrian businesses (B2B) or consumers (B2C), structured e-invoicing remains voluntary — see our complete Austria regulations guide for the full scope, including how individual Länder and municipalities may have their own separate requirements.

Step 2: Choose Your Format — ebInterface or Peppol BIS 3.0

Both are accepted for federal B2G invoicing:

ebInterface (currently version 6.1) — Austria's domestic standard, deeply integrated into local accounting software like BMD and RZL
Peppol BIS 3.0 — the international standard, more practical if you already invoice other Peppol-mandated markets (Germany, Belgium, Poland)

See our ebInterface vs Peppol comparison if you're unsure which fits your situation.

Step 3: Register on USP (Unternehmensserviceportal)

Most Austrian B2G invoicing flows through USP, the federal business service portal, typically authenticated via FinanzOnline credentials.

If you don't already have a FinanzOnline account, register for one first — this is the prerequisite for USP access
Register on usp.gv.at
From USP, you can access e-Rechnung.gv.at, the dedicated e-invoicing submission portal

Step 4: Configure Your Accounting Software

Check whether your existing accounting software already supports your chosen format natively:

ebInterface-native: BMD, RZL Software, and other Austria-focused accounting platforms
Peppol-native: many German and international platforms with Peppol access-point connectivity

See our Austria software comparison for a fuller vendor breakdown. If your software doesn't support either format, you'll need either a plugin/add-on or a switch to software that does — don't assume manual PDF submission will be accepted.

Step 5: Reference the Correct Procurement ID

Austrian public bodies commonly reject invoices missing the correct reference number (Auftragsnummer or EKID). Confirm the exact procurement/order reference format with each contracting agency before your first submission — this is one of the most common causes of invoice rejection for new suppliers.

Step 6: Submit and Confirm Receipt

Depending on your setup:

Direct portal upload: log into e-Rechnung.gv.at and upload manually — suitable for low invoice volumes
Web service / API: for higher volumes, connect your accounting software directly via web service integration
Peppol network: if using Peppol BIS 3.0, invoices route through your access point to the Bundesrechenzentrum (BRZ), Austria's federal Peppol authority

Whichever route you use, confirm you receive a delivery/acceptance confirmation — don't assume silence means success.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming B2B invoicing is mandatory. It isn't (yet) — don't over-invest in B2B-only tooling ahead of an announced mandate.
Skipping the procurement reference number. This is the single most common rejection reason for new Austrian public-sector suppliers.
Ignoring older ebInterface versions in legacy integrations. Versions 4.0–4.2 have been discontinued on USP; confirm your software or custom integration targets 6.0/6.1 (or the upcoming 7.0 once released — see our ebInterface 7.0 update).

Last updated: August 2026. Registration and submission steps reflect current USP and e-Rechnung.gv.at processes; confirm current procedures directly with BRZ or your contracting agency for agency-specific requirements.