What are the fines for not sending e-invoices in Belgium?
The tolerance period of the first quarter of 2026 is over. From April 2026 the normal rules apply — and they have teeth. Businesses that still do not send e-invoices via Peppol risk escalating fines from the SPF Finance (Belgian Federal Public Service Finance).
Here is what you can concretely expect if you are not compliant.
The fines at a glance
The penalties are laid down in the Royal Decree of 8 July 2025 and follow a three-step escalation:
- First offence: €1,500
- Second offence: €3,000
- Third offence and beyond: €5,000 each time
Between each fine there is a buffer period of three months. This means that a second offence can only be established three months after the first. If you are still not compliant every quarter, the fines stack up — €5,000 per quarter from the third offence onwards.
Does the fine only apply to sending?
No, and this is an important detail. The obligation — and therefore the fine — applies to both sending and receiving e-invoices via Peppol. If you are technically unable to process incoming e-invoices, you also fall under the penalty regime.
What was the tolerance period?
From January through March 2026, the SPF Finance applied a tolerance policy. Businesses that could demonstrate they were seriously working on the transition were not fined. But that period is now over. From April 2026, enforcement proceeds without tolerance.
Important: the tolerance never applied to those who simply did nothing. Anyone who had not taken a single step towards e-invoicing was not covered by the tolerance period either.
An additional risk
Besides the direct fines, there is also a practical risk. If you send a non-compliant invoice (for example a PDF instead of a structured e-invoice), clients may reject it or withhold payment until they receive a correct e-invoice.
This can lead to payment delays, cash-flow problems and uncomfortable conversations with clients.
How do you get compliant quickly?
You need invoicing software that is connected to the Peppol network. Registration on Peppol runs automatically through the software — you do not need to arrange anything technical yourself.
With Cleero you are connected to Peppol in just a few minutes and can immediately send and receive compliant e-invoices. Start for free — no credit card required.