What is a credit note?
A credit note is an accounting document used to correct or reduce the amount of an original invoice. It records a cancellation, refund, discount granted after invoicing or another change that justifies reducing the amount invoiced.
In practice, it has the opposite effect to a sales invoice. The original invoice creates a receivable from the customer, while the credit note reduces or cancels that receivable.
For example, a Belgian business issues an invoice for €121 including VAT for a service. It then finds that the service must be cancelled in full. A credit note for €100 excluding VAT and €21 VAT offsets the amounts on that invoice.
The correction must be justified, identifiable and recorded in the accounts. The original invoice is retained: it is not simply deleted.
What is the difference between an invoice and a credit note?
An invoice states the price payable for goods sold or services supplied. A credit note reduces an amount previously invoiced.
| Document | Purpose | Usual effect |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice | Charge for goods or services | Increases the amount the customer owes |
| Credit note | Cancel or reduce an invoice | Reduces the amount owed |
| Debit note | Add a further charge | Increases the amount owed |
| Corrective invoice | Correct information or a transaction | Depends on the correction |
A credit note is therefore not an ordinary new sales invoice. Its purpose is to preserve a record of the change made.
Is a credit note the same as an “avoir”?
Yes. In everyday French, “note de crédit”, “avoir” and “facture d’avoir” generally refer to the same type of document.
The term note de crédit is particularly common in Belgium, including in invoicing software and the accounts of self-employed people and companies.
However, a commercial credit, such as a voucher given to a consumer, is not necessarily an accounting credit note that complies with VAT rules.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture
When should you issue a credit note in Belgium?
A credit note is appropriate when an invoice already issued needs to be reduced or cancelled for a valid reason.
Article 12 of Royal Decree No 1 of 29 December 1992 requires a corrective document when certain invoicing documents need to be corrected after they have been issued.
Several situations can arise.
Cancelling an invoice in full
A full cancellation applies when the entire amount invoiced needs to be removed.
This can happen when an order is cancelled, a service will no longer be provided or an invoice has been issued twice.
Example: a company invoices €500 excluding VAT plus €105 VAT. The order is cancelled in full. A credit note for €605 including VAT offsets the original invoice.
If a new transaction needs to be invoiced, a new, correct invoice can be issued.
Partial cancellation, returned goods or a price reduction
A partial credit note applies when only part of the original invoice needs to be corrected.
The most common situations are:
- A product or goods being returned.
- A commercial discount granted after invoicing.
- A price reduction because of a defect.
- A quantity invoiced that exceeds the quantity delivered.
- Cancellation of part of a service.
- A partial refund of costs originally invoiced.
Example: a customer ordered five items at €100 excluding VAT each. One item is returned. The supplier issues a credit note for that item alone, with the corresponding VAT.
The original invoice remains valid for the four items kept.
An invoicing error or incorrect amount
An error may concern the price, VAT rate, quantities, customer details or other required information.
Once an invoice has been issued, any correction must be documented. A credit note is appropriate if it reduces the amount; another form of corrective document may be used depending on the error.
For example, if a self-employed person mistakenly invoices €1,000 excluding VAT instead of €800, they can issue a credit note for €200 excluding VAT, plus the corresponding VAT.
However, if the customer’s VAT number is incorrect but the price is unchanged, the correction does not necessarily require a full financial cancellation.
Overview: when should you use a credit note?
| Situation | Usual solution |
|---|---|
| Order cancelled in full | Full credit note |
| Some products returned | Partial credit note |
| Discount granted after invoicing | Credit note for the reduction |
| Price invoiced too high | Credit note for the difference |
| Incorrect VAT rate | Corrective document and appropriate VAT adjustment |
| Invoice sent to the wrong customer | Documented correction of the invoice |
| Service only partly performed | Credit note for the part that cannot be charged |
| Customer merely late paying | No automatic credit note |
The key is to establish whether the commercial transaction actually needs correcting. A late payment alone does not mean the sale has been cancelled.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · SPF Finances: Base d’imposition
How do you prepare a credit note in Belgium?
To prepare a correct credit note, use the information from the original invoice, identify exactly what is changing and apply the appropriate VAT treatment.
These are the main steps to follow.
Step 1: find the original invoice
Start by identifying the invoice to be corrected in your invoicing software or accounts.
Check its number, issue date, customer name, taxable amount and VAT rate.
The link between the original invoice and the corrective document must be clear and unambiguous.
Step 2: establish the reason for the correction
State why the credit note is needed: returned goods, an incorrect price, an order cancellation, a commercial discount or another reason.
This helps you manage the business and justify the correction during an inspection.
Step 3: calculate the amount to credit
Identify the amount excluding VAT concerned, the corresponding VAT and the total including VAT.
The credit note must cover only the items being corrected. A partial correction should not cancel the entire invoice amount.
If several rates were used, each part must be recalculated separately.
Step 4: create a corrective document
Give the document its actual issue date and a unique number. Include the supplier’s and customer’s details, the reference to the original invoice, the reason and the corrected amounts.
The note must also contain any VAT wording required for the situation.
Step 5: send the credit note to the customer
The supplier or seller issuing the document sends it to the customer through an authorised channel.
Since 1 January 2026, credit notes falling within Belgium’s mandatory B2B electronic invoicing rules must be handled in accordance with the rules for structured electronic invoices, notably through Peppol.
There are exceptions, particularly for certain international transactions or corrections to invoices issued before 2026.
Step 6: record the correction and adjust the VAT
Creating the document is not enough. The credit note must be entered in the accounting records and included in the VAT return if the business is required to file one.
You must also establish whether the customer should receive a refund, whether the amount can be offset against a future invoice or whether an unpaid receivable should simply be reduced.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · e-facture: Champ d’application de la facturation électronique obligatoire · e-facture: FAQ, droit à déduction, notes de crédit et sanctions
What information must a credit note contain?
A credit note must identify the transaction being corrected without ambiguity.
Depending on the transaction and the applicable invoicing rules, it includes in particular:
- Document identification: the words “Credit note” and a unique number following a consistent numbering system.
- Issue date: the actual date on which the note was created and issued.
- Supplier details: name or company name, registered address and VAT identification number.
- Customer details: identity, address and VAT number where required.
- Reference to the original invoice: the number and, preferably, the date of the document being corrected.
- Reason for the correction: cancellation, return, error, discount or commercial price reduction.
- Description of the transaction: the product, goods, service or quantity concerned.
- Amount credited excluding VAT: the taxable amount being corrected.
- VAT rate and VAT amount: a breakdown by rate where necessary.
- Total amount credited: the amount including VAT corresponding to the correction.
- Specific tax wording: for example, wording on reverse charge, exemption or VAT refunds where required by the rules.
Royal Decree No 1 sets out the information required on invoices and certain corrective documents, notably in Articles 5, 12 and 13.
The wording on VAT to be repaid to the State
Where a credit note entitles the supplier to a VAT refund under the conditions laid down in Belgian law, Article 4 of Royal Decree No 4 requires the document given to the customer, in the cases concerned, to carry the following wording:
“VAT to be repaid to the State to the extent that it was originally deducted.”
This wording reminds customers who recovered the VAT on the original invoice that they must adjust the corresponding deduction.
It is particularly important in transactions between VAT-registered businesses.
However, this sentence alone does not make a credit note valid for tax purposes: the grounds for the refund, supporting documents and other conditions must also be met.
Example of a credit note in Belgium
Here is a simplified sample credit note cancelling an invoice for €121 including VAT at 21% in full.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Document type | CREDIT NOTE |
| Number | NC-2026-001 |
| Issue date | 14/10/2026 |
| Supplier | Name, registered address, VAT number |
| Customer | Name, address, VAT number if applicable |
| Original invoice | F-2026-125 dated 09/10/2026 |
| Reason | Full cancellation of the service |
| Amount credited excluding VAT | €100.00 |
| VAT rate | 21% |
| VAT credited | €21.00 |
| Total credited | €121.00 |
Original invoice amount: €121.00 including VAT. Amount credited: €121.00 including VAT. Invoice balance after correction: €0.00.
This sample is deliberately simplified. It must be completed with the parties’ actual details, the required tax wording and the information needed for the transaction concerned. It is not a universal legal template.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · Sénat: réponse du ministre des Finances, document rectificatif et restitution (question 647)
How do you calculate VAT correctly on a credit note?
The basic rule is simple: a credit note must correct the VAT relating to the transaction originally invoiced.
The calculation distinguishes three elements:
- The amount excluding VAT, which is the price before tax.
- The VAT amount, calculated on the taxable amount.
- The amount including VAT, which is the total with tax.
A credit note reduces these amounts where they were invoiced incorrectly or a sale is reduced.
Calculating a full credit note at 21%
Take an original invoice for €100 excluding VAT, subject to 21% VAT.
| Item | Original invoice | Arithmetic correction |
|---|---|---|
| Amount excluding VAT | €100.00 | −€100.00 |
| VAT at 21% | €21.00 | −€21.00 |
| Total including VAT | €121.00 | −€121.00 |
The correction cancels all three amounts in full.
Formula:
VAT to correct = amount credited excluding VAT × VAT rate / 100.
In this example:
100 × 21 / 100 = €21 VAT.
The total amount corrected is therefore €121.
How do you work out the VAT on a credit note from the amount including VAT?
If you know only the invoice total, you can use the reverse VAT calculation formula.
Amount excluding VAT = amount including VAT ÷ (1 + VAT rate / 100).
To cancel €121 including VAT at 21%:
121 ÷ 1.21 = €100 excluding VAT.
The corresponding VAT amount is:
121 − 100 = €21.
Representing the correction with negative signs, as in the CalculTVA.be calculator:
−121 ÷ 1.21 = −€100 excluding VAT.
−121 − (−100) = −€21 VAT.
You should therefore not simply subtract 21% of €121. VAT is calculated on the price before tax, not on the total including VAT.
For more on this method, see our reverse VAT calculation guide.
Example of a partial credit note at 6%
A supplier invoices a customer for several products, but some of the goods are returned.
The returned products are worth €50 excluding VAT, with an original VAT rate of 6%.
The correction is calculated as follows:
- Amount excluding VAT: −€50.00.
- VAT at 6%: −€3.00.
- Amount including VAT: −€53.00.
The credit note therefore reduces the invoice by €53 including VAT.
Only the VAT relating to the return should be corrected. The part of the sale kept by the customer is unchanged.
Example of a credit note with several VAT rates
An invoice may contain several products or services subject to different VAT rates.
In that case, the correction must be split by rate. Applying a single rate to the credit note’s overall amount would be incorrect.
Take a credit note covering two lines of an invoice:
| Corrected taxable amount | VAT corrected | Total including VAT |
|---|---|---|
| −€100.00 at 21% | −€21.00 | −€121.00 |
| −€50.00 at 6% | −€3.00 | −€53.00 |
| Total: −€150.00 | −€24.00 | −€174.00 |
The partial cancellation of these two lines therefore reduces the total by €174 including VAT.
The method is the same whenever several rates are involved: identify each taxable amount, apply its rate and add the corrections together.
How should you handle VAT rounding?
Rounding can produce a one-cent difference between an original invoice and a later calculation.
For example, a taxable amount of −€0.50 at 21% gives:
−0.50 × 0.21 = −€0.105 VAT.
With arithmetic rounding to the nearest cent, rounding halves away from zero, the displayed result is −€0.11.
However, invoicing software may use its own rounding convention, particularly depending on whether it rounds each line or an amount grouped by rate.
Tip: when cancelling an invoice in full, always reconcile the credited amounts with the original invoice to avoid an unexplained difference.
Can you use a free calculator for a credit note?
Yes. The free CalculTVA.be VAT calculator lets you check a correction by entering a negative amount and the relevant rate.
You can calculate from a price excluding or including VAT, then check the corresponding tax amount.
The main calculator accepts negative amounts. However, its multi-line table does not currently accept negative unit prices. To check several rates, use the main calculation separately for each taxable amount.
The tool helps you calculate, but it does not automatically create a legally compliant credit note, send a Peppol document or replace accounting software.
Sources: SPF Finances: Base d’imposition · Peppol BIS Billing: Spécifications de calcul et d’arrondi
How does a credit note affect VAT?
Issuing a credit note may change the VAT originally due from the supplier and the VAT deductible by the customer.
Its effect depends on the transaction being corrected, the applicable VAT scheme and any entitlement to a refund.
Effect on the VAT due from the supplier
When a business invoices a service for €1,000 excluding VAT at 21%, it normally charges €210 VAT.
If it then grants a justified reduction of €200 excluding VAT, the credit note represents €42 VAT.
The correction therefore amounts to €242 including VAT.
Where the legal conditions for a refund are met, the supplier can recover or offset the €42 VAT relating to the reduction.
Turnover from this sale also falls by €200 excluding VAT.
However, recovering the tax and refunding the customer are separate matters. A credit note does not automatically trigger a bank transfer.
Effect on the customer’s deductible VAT
For a business customer, the effect is reversed.
If the customer had already deducted €210 VAT on the original invoice and receives a credit note for €42 VAT, they must adjust that deduction to the extent originally deducted, in the period in which they receive the corrective document.
The amount of recoverable VAT relating to the purchase is then reduced.
If the customer had no right to deduct the VAT, the treatment is different: you cannot simply assume that all VAT shown on a credit note was previously recovered.
How do you report a credit note in a Belgian VAT return?
The periodic VAT return has specific boxes for credit notes.
| Box | Usual use |
|---|---|
| 49 | Amount excluding VAT of credit notes issued for the outgoing transactions concerned |
| 64 | VAT to recover on credit notes issued |
| 85 | Amount excluding VAT of credit notes received for the incoming transactions concerned |
| 63 | VAT to repay following credit notes received |
Box 48 covers credit notes issued for transactions reported in boxes 44 and 46. Box 84 covers credit notes received for transactions reported in boxes 86 and 88. Other credit notes belong in boxes 49 and 85 respectively. The applicable box therefore depends on the type of transaction.
Amounts are entered as positive values in the VAT return’s correction boxes: do not copy across the negative sign used in a calculator. Corrections are handled in the appropriate boxes, rather than by freely altering sales or purchases reported earlier.
Example: a business issues a credit note for €100 excluding VAT and €21 VAT for an ordinary Belgian transaction taxable at 21%.
Where the refund conditions are met, the taxable amount of €100 is entered in box 49 and the €21 tax in box 64.
For a customer who deducted the VAT in full, the adjustment normally goes through boxes 85 and 63. The purchase amount is also reduced in the relevant box 81, 82 or 83, as these boxes are completed net of credit notes received.
See also our guide to VAT returns in Belgium.
How do you record a credit note in the accounts?
In the supplier’s accounts, a credit note reduces the sale amount and the receivable from the customer.
For a correction of €100 excluding VAT and €21 VAT, the accounting treatment is broadly to:
- Reduce sales by €100.
- Adjust €21 VAT.
- Reduce the customer receivable by €121.
For the customer receiving the credit note, the opposite entry reduces the amount owed to the supplier and, where applicable, the purchase expense and VAT previously deducted.
The accounts to use depend on the chart of accounts, the transaction and the particular circumstances.
An accountant can help a self-employed person or company record these corrections correctly, particularly when they relate to a financial year that has already closed.
What if the original invoice has already been reported?
A credit note can be issued after filing the VAT return that included the original invoice.
In the usual case of a justified subsequent price reduction, the correction is taken into account in the period when the adjustment conditions are met and the corrective document is issued.
You should therefore not automatically reopen the original return.
Note: correcting an old tax error and granting a later commercial discount are not necessarily treated in the same way. The cause of the error, dates and statutory deadlines must be examined.
Sources: SPF Finances: Déclaration périodique · Belgium.be: Déduction de la TVA en amont · SPF Finances: déclaration TVA, opérations à la sortie · SPF Finances: déclaration TVA, opérations à l’entrée · SPF Finances: déclaration TVA, taxes dues · SPF Finances: déclaration TVA, taxes déductibles · SPF Finances: règles de validation d’une déclaration Intervat · Sénat: restitution et reversement de TVA sur créances récupérées, article 79 · Commission des normes comptables: plan comptable minimum normalisé des entreprises
Credit notes and mandatory electronic invoicing in 2026
Since 1 January 2026, structured electronic invoicing has been mandatory for B2B transactions falling within the scope of these rules in Belgium.
The obligation also covers credit notes and debit notes that correct structured electronic invoices.
Must a credit note be sent through Peppol?
Peppol is the default channel when the credit note falls within Belgium’s mandatory structured electronic invoicing rules. Another system remains possible by agreement between the parties, provided it complies with European standard EN 16931 and the permitted syntaxes. Businesses concerned must nevertheless be able to send and receive through Peppol. The network allows documents to be exchanged directly between invoicing software systems.
An electronic credit note must, in particular, allow you to:
- Identify the supplier and customer.
- Locate the original invoice.
- Distinguish the credited amounts and taxes.
- Process the correction automatically.
- Keep a verifiable record of transmission.
For Belgian B2B transactions covered by the rules, simply emailing a PDF is no longer sufficient as the normal invoicing method.
However, the obligation does not apply universally to all customers. B2C transactions, international transactions and certain other situations remain subject to their own rules.
Can you still send a PDF credit note in 2026?
It depends on the invoice being corrected and the circumstances.
The official Belgian electronic invoicing FAQ explains that a credit note issued in 2026 to correct a 2025 invoice that was not a structured electronic invoice, such as a PDF invoice, may still be issued in that form, subject in particular to the customer’s acceptance.
However, when a note amends and refers to a structured electronic invoice, it must meet the format requirement applicable to that invoice.
Example: a PDF invoice was issued in December 2025. A price reduction takes place in October 2026. The credit note’s format must be assessed under the transitional provisions explained in the official FAQ.
Should amounts in Peppol be positive or negative?
This is an important difference between the arithmetic calculation and creating the electronic document.
On CalculTVA.be, you can enter −€121 to represent a correction of €121 including VAT.
In a structured Peppol credit note of type 381, the document type already indicates a credit. Credited amounts are therefore usually shown as positive values. However, the specifications allow negative lines in certain situations.
There are also negative invoices, which handle signs differently.
Do not automatically turn every amount negative when creating the electronic file. Use invoicing software that complies with the Peppol specifications.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · e-facture: Champ d’application de la facturation électronique obligatoire · e-facture: Fonctionnement de Peppol et du format Peppol-BIS · e-facture: FAQ, droit à déduction, notes de crédit et sanctions · Peppol BIS Billing: Spécifications de calcul et d’arrondi
Special cases: which VAT rules apply?
Not every credit note concerns an ordinary Belgian sale subject to 21% VAT.
Some transactions require specific treatment.
Credit notes and the VAT reverse charge
Where the original invoice falls under the reverse charge, the customer accounts for the VAT under the applicable rules.
The credit note must follow the tax treatment of the transaction concerned. Do not automatically add 21% Belgian VAT to the amount credited.
The customer must, where applicable, adjust the amounts they accounted for under the reverse charge and deducted.
The reverse charge wording and other required information must remain consistent with the correction.
Credit notes for VAT-exempt transactions
An original invoice may be exempt from VAT or fall under a scheme in which no tax is charged.
The credit note then retains that tax treatment when correcting the relevant transaction.
The absence of VAT does not necessarily mean that the applicable rate is 0%.
You need to distinguish between a zero rate, an exemption, a transaction outside the scope of VAT and a special scheme.
Credit notes under the small business VAT exemption scheme
A self-employed person using the small business exemption scheme does not normally charge VAT on transactions covered by that scheme.
A credit note relating to one of those invoices therefore contains no charged VAT to recover.
The wording applicable to the exemption scheme must be retained, and the document must clearly identify the original invoice.
Find the rules for this status in our guide to the VAT exemption in Belgium.
Which VAT rate applies if the rate has changed since the invoice?
When a credit note corrects an earlier transaction, you need to establish that transaction’s VAT rate and scheme.
The rate in force on the day the credit note is issued is not automatically the right rate.
For example, if an original sale correctly qualified for a rate of 6%, a correction to that sale must not be arbitrarily recalculated at 21%.
However, a cancellation followed by a new transaction may require a different assessment, depending on the dates and applicable VAT rules.
Should you issue a credit note if a customer does not pay?
No, not simply because a customer has failed to pay.
An unpaid invoice normally remains a business receivable unless the sale is cancelled or reduced, or the conditions for another adjustment are established.
Article 77, § 1, 7°, of the VAT Code provides for a refund where all or part of the price receivable is lost. The loss must be established; a late payment alone is insufficient. In bankruptcy, the right can be exercised from the bankruptcy judgment, without waiting for the proceedings to close or for a prior certificate from the trustee.
This recovery is subject to tax and documentary conditions. It must not be confused with a commercial discount or a voluntary invoice cancellation.
If the customer later pays all or part of a debt that has given rise to a VAT refund, the supplier must repay the VAT corresponding to the amount recovered in the period in which they receive that payment.
Sources: SPF Finances: Régime de la franchise de taxe · SPF Finances: Déductions et remboursement de TVA · Chambre: réponse du ministre des Finances, TVA et créances perdues (question 335, 7 juin 2012) · Sénat: restitution et reversement de TVA sur créances récupérées, article 79
Three checks often overlooked before issuing a credit note
Some difficulties arise after the document is created, when reconciling accounts or preparing the tax return.
These three checks help reduce errors.
1. Check the actual balance when the invoice is partly paid
Suppose the original invoice is for €605 including VAT.
The customer has already paid €300. You then issue a credit note for €121 including VAT.
The new net amount invoiced is:
605 − 121 = €484.
After deducting the €300 already paid, the customer still owes €184.
You should therefore not automatically refund the €121 credit: the credit note may simply reduce the outstanding amount.
Reconciling the invoice, payment and credit note is essential to managing the customer’s account correctly.
2. Compare the credited amounts with the original invoice lines
For an invoice with several VAT rates, delivery charges or discounts, the amount credited must relate to the items actually cancelled.
A goods return may require the product price to be corrected, but not necessarily every incidental charge.
Conversely, charges originally invoiced may also need to be credited if the cancellation removes the reason for them.
You must therefore assess the taxable amount before calculating the tax.
3. Check credit notes issued and received across different periods
A business may invoice a transaction in December and issue the credit note in January of the following financial year.
To support the accounting and tax treatment, it is useful to keep an audit trail including:
- The original invoice.
- The reason for the change.
- The dated and numbered credit note.
- Proof that it was sent to the customer.
- Any payment or refund made.
- The corresponding VAT reporting period.
Keeping these records also helps identify duplicates and prevents the same correction from being recorded twice.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · SPF Finances: Base d’imposition
Which mistakes should you avoid when creating a credit note?
Several mistakes can undermine the document or lead to an incorrect VAT adjustment.
Deleting the original invoice. An invoice that has already been issued and needs correcting must leave a documentary trail. Deletion does not replace a corrective document.
Forgetting the reference to the original invoice. Without that reference, it may be difficult to demonstrate the link between the correction and the original transaction.
Applying the wrong VAT rate. The tax treatment must match the transaction actually being corrected.
Crediting the whole amount instead of part of it. This risks reducing turnover and VAT due by too much.
Omitting specific tax wording. A credit note may require particular information about an exemption, reverse charge or refund.
Using the wrong electronic format. Since 2026, documents covered by the mandatory B2B electronic invoicing rules must comply with the applicable transmission and format requirements.
Ignoring the VAT return. A correctly sent note can still create a tax error if it is recorded in the wrong period or box.
If in doubt, ask an accountant or tax adviser before making the correction.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · e-facture: Champ d’application de la facturation électronique obligatoire
How can you check a credit note with Calcul TVA?
To check the amounts on a credit note, start by finding the original invoice and the applicable VAT rate.
On CalculTVA.be, you can then:
- Enter the amount excluding or including VAT to be corrected, with a negative sign.
- Select the transaction’s VAT rate.
- Check the calculated tax amount.
- Compare the corrected amounts with those on the original invoice.
- Repeat separately where several rates apply.
The calculator lets you check amounts, but it cannot on its own determine your legal obligations, reporting period or entitlement to a refund.
For more on the calculations, also see our guides to the VAT taxable amount, intra-community VAT and checking VAT on an invoice.
Sources: SPF Finances: Base d’imposition
Official sources and useful references
The rules explained in this guide draw in particular on:
- Royal Decree No 1 of 29 December 1992, particularly Articles 5, 12 and 13 on invoicing and corrective documents.
- FPS Finance: bookkeeping and invoicing, for bookkeeping obligations and records. For VAT retention periods, see the Act of 18 December 2025 and the official electronic invoice retention guidance listed among the sources.
- FPS Finance: VAT taxable amount, for determining the amounts subject to tax.
- The official electronic invoicing FAQ, particularly for Peppol credit notes and corrections to 2025 invoices.
- Electronic invoicing requirements in Belgium, for the B2B rules that took effect in 2026.
A credit note lets you correct an invoice without erasing the original transaction. To be prepared correctly, it must identify the original invoice, justify the correction, state the right amounts and follow the applicable VAT scheme.
Checking the calculations excluding VAT, VAT itself and the total including VAT is essential, but it must always be accompanied by accounting and tax treatment appropriate to the circumstances.
Sources: Justel: arrêté royal n° 1 du 29 décembre 1992, article 5, mentions de la facture · SPF Finances: Base d’imposition · e-facture: FAQ, droit à déduction, notes de crédit et sanctions · e-facture: Champ d’application de la facturation électronique obligatoire · e-facture: Conservation des factures et original XML · Justel: loi du 18 décembre 2025, conservation TVA (articles 97 et 101)