What is a Peppol access point and do you need one?
A Peppol access point is the service that connects your software to the Peppol network and sends and receives e-invoices for you. You need access to one to use Peppol, but you rarely run your own: many businesses connect through their invoicing software or a Peppol service provider.
Peppol is a network, but you never plug into it directly. Every business reaches it through a provider that runs an access point, much like you reach email through a mail provider. If you are new to the network itself, start with what Peppol is; this guide is about the access point and how to get one.
What an access point does
Peppol uses a four-corner model. Corner one is the supplier, corner four is the buyer, and corners two and three are their access points. The supplier's software hands the invoice to its access point, which delivers it to the buyer's access point, which passes it to the buyer's software.
| Job | What happens |
|---|---|
| Finding the receiver | Looks up the receiver's Peppol ID to learn which access point receives for them and which documents they accept |
| Checking the format | Usually checks that the invoice follows the agreed rules before it leaves |
| Delivering securely | Sends it to the other access point over a messaging protocol called AS4 |
| Receiving | Accepts invoices addressed to your Peppol ID and hands them to your software |
| Registering you | Publishes your Peppol ID so suppliers can find you |
Your supplier and you can each use a different provider, as the four-corner model allows.
Who runs access points
OpenPeppol, the association that manages Peppol, calls these organizations Peppol service providers. Many offer two services: the access point that moves documents, and the address book entry (the service metadata publisher) that tells others where to send them.
Providers are vetted. A new provider may not offer services until it has completed OpenPeppol's onboarding, including testing with test certificates. In many countries a government body acts as the Peppol Authority and oversees the providers in its jurisdiction, and each provider signs an agreement within the Peppol framework. When you hear "accredited Peppol provider", this is what it means.
Do you need one?
You need access to one. Where e-invoicing between businesses is mandatory, you must be able to send and receive them. In Belgium, for example, that has applied between VAT-registered Belgian businesses since 1 January 2026. The guide to the Belgian e-invoicing mandate covers who is in scope there.
You don't need to become a member of OpenPeppol, and you rarely need to run an access point yourself. There are three common routes:
- Through your invoicing or accounting software. Many tools connect to a provider behind the scenes, so you send and receive from the screens you already use. This is the usual choice for small businesses.
- A provider you contract directly. You sign up with a Peppol service provider, which gives you a portal or a connection to your software. Useful when your software has no Peppol connection, or when several systems need one.
- Your own access point. You become a provider yourself. This means onboarding, testing and ongoing operation, and it suits software companies and very large organizations far better than a small business.
What an access point does not do
An access point is a carrier, not a bookkeeper. It checks that an invoice follows the agreed format and delivers it, but it does not check that your prices are right, that the customer agreed to the order, or that a supplier's invoice should be paid. Those checks stay with you and your software.
It also does not replace your invoicing software. You still create invoices, keep customer and supplier records and track payments somewhere; the access point moves the structured result between businesses. And it does not decide which documents you must send over Peppol: that follows from the rules in each country.
What to ask before you choose
- Does it send and receive? Receiving matters as much as sending once your suppliers are required to e-invoice you.
- Which documents? At least invoices and credit notes in the Peppol BIS Billing format, the Peppol rules built on the European standard EN 16931.
- Does it register your Peppol ID? Usually a company or VAT number with a scheme code in front. Ask who does the registration and how long it takes.
- How do documents reach your software? A built-in connection, a file you import, or a portal you log in to each mean different amounts of manual work.
- What happens when something fails? Ask how you learn that an invoice was rejected or could not be delivered.
- How is it priced? Per document, a monthly plan, or included in your software. How Peppol pricing works explains the usual models.
Once you are connected, make sure receiving runs smoothly: a checklist for receiving e-invoices walks through it, and what happens when a Peppol invoice arrives shows each step.
Frequently asked questions
Is an access point the same as a Peppol service provider?
Nearly. The access point is the technical service that moves documents; the service provider is the organization that runs it. In everyday use the two terms are often mixed, and many providers also run the address book service that makes you findable.
How long does it take to get connected?
It varies by provider and software. Connecting and registering a Peppol ID is often a matter of days, but allow extra time to test with a supplier and to tell your customers and suppliers your ID before a deadline.
How do I check that a Peppol provider is accredited?
OpenPeppol publishes a list of its service providers on peppol.org, with the country and the Peppol Authority for each. Look the provider up there before you sign.
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