QR code on invoices in Switzerland: legal requirements

• Organisations based in Switzerland: They are obliged to issue invoices with a Swiss QR code if the invoice triggers a payment and a Swiss or Liechtenstein bank account (IBAN beginning with CH or LI) is used.
• Invoices to Swiss recipients: Foreign organisations that issue invoices to Swiss organisations or private individuals must also ensure that they can receive and process QR-bills.
• Private individuals: The obligation primarily concerns organisations, not private payment transactions.

"The QR-invoice is a modern form of payment request," Schwarze explains. "It consists of a payment part and a receipt on which a Swiss QR code is printed. This code can be read with banking apps, smartphones or special scanners and enables simple, fast and error-free transfer of all payment data to e-banking or accounting software." 

• Efficiency: No more manual typing of payment data, which reduces errors and saves time.
• Standardisation: Uniform payment processing for CHF and EUR.
• Compatibility: QR-bills can be processed both digitally and on paper.
• Automation: Simplifies payment reconciliation and accounting.

"The QR-bill has been mandatory since October 2022. From 21 November 2025, additional technical requirements will come into force, such as the obligation to use structured addresses in the QR code. Organisations must adapt their systems accordingly by then," says Andreas. 

"In Switzerland, the QR code on invoices that trigger a payment is mandatory for companies. The QR-bill is now the standard in Swiss payment transactions and considerably simplifies both the issuing and payment of invoices." 

"ISPnext recognised the legal requirements for QR invoices at an early stage and fully integrated the functionality for processing Swiss QR codes into its AP Automation solution," Schwarze notes. "ISPnext thus enables organisations to digitise and process all invoices efficiently and in compliance with the law and to automate the payment process. Using ISPnext's powerful API, relevant master data and invoice information can be transferred directly from ERP systems so that the entire invoice workflow, from capture to payment, is seamless and error-free."

"A current example of the successful implementation of this solution is our customer Granovit in Switzerland. There, the integration of QR code functionality into AP Automation was successfully realised with ISPnext. Granovit now benefits from fully digitalised invoice processing, which not only meets legal requirements but also significantly increases efficiency and transparency in payment transactions. The automated processing of QR invoices ensures faster processing times, fewer errors and a noticeable reduction in the workload of the accounting department."