Can I Modify an E-invoice? Even After Sending It?
You spotted an error after sending an e-invoice. Unlike PDFs, these aren’t simple files, they’re official tax documents. Once submitted, especially via Peppol or a government system, you can’t just go back and change them.
Depending on the country and the invoice status, there are typically three legal ways to correct the mistake: issuing a credit note, cancelling the invoice (if allowed), or editing it directly through a government portal in rare cases. Each option comes with its own process and restrictions—so it’s important to know which one applies to your situation before taking action.
Can You Modify an E-invoice?
You made a mistake in an e-invoice, but have already sent it… Unfortunately, once an e-invoice has been submitted, especially through a government-regulated network like Peppol, you can’t modify it directly, it became a legal document.
However, if the invoice hasn’t been sent yet, you can still edit it freely in your invoicing software (items, prices, buyer info, etc.).
But mistakes happen to everyone, and there’s always a proper way to fix them. In this case, we can:
Option 1: Issue A Credit Note
A credit note is a legal document used to cancel or adjust a previously issued invoice. It serves as the reverse of an invoice, informing the buyer that they no longer owe the full or partial amount.
While it looks similar to an invoice, a credit note includes a new title: Credit Note; reference to the original invoice number, negative amounts or clearly marked adjustments; a reason for the correction (often required by law) and a new, unique document number (different from the original invoice). Here is how to issue a credit note:
Once the credit note is issued, you’ll need to create and send a new, corrected invoice.
Option 2: Cancel E-invoice
This is only possible in very limited situations and depends entirely on your country’s regulations and the e-invoicing network (e.g., Peppol, national portal). In most countries, once an e-invoice is submitted, especially if it's been validated by a government system or received by the buyer, you cannot cancel it outright.
However, you might be able to cancel an e-invoice if it hasn’t been approved or received yet, your country’s e-invoicing system supports cancellations, and you’re within the allowed time window (e.g., 24 hours in Italy or the UAE). All of these conditions must be met as being compliant with only one is not enough.
If cancellation is allowed, the steps usually look like this:
If cancellation isn’t permitted or fails, the correct process is to issue a credit note instead.
Option 3: Correct via E-invoicing Portal (Country-Specific)
Some countries, like Italy or Serbia, allow limited corrections to e-invoices directly through their government portals, without requiring a credit note or cancellation. However, this is rare and typically only permitted when the invoice is still in a “pending,” draft, or rejected state, no legal validation or tax number assignment has occurred, and you're within a very short correction window (often just a few hours or one business day). In these cases, you can usually fix technical errors, typos, or non-financial fields such as reference numbers or payment terms. To do so, you would:
What if It’s Only a Minor Mistake on the E-invoice?
Even small mistakes—like a typo in the client’s name or a minor price error—often require a credit note and reissuing the invoice, especially if:
Some countries, like Germany, may allow limited corrections only if the invoice hasn’t left the company or if both parties agree in writing and the change doesn’t impact tax-relevant values.
To Save Your Time…
Always double-check before sending an invoice. Use preview or draft modes in your invoicing tool and make sure your team understands the importance of accuracy. Once an invoice is submitted, it’s similar to filing a tax return—it becomes official, and any correction must follow a formal process.
The best way to minimize errors entirely is to streamline your invoicing—and that’s exactly what an invoicing API is designed to do.
Streamline Invoicing And Become Globally Compliant
Space Invoices is compliant with current and upcoming regulations in 70+ countries worldwide. With us, you can:
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