How can I tell whether my IBAN is a QR-IBAN?

Look at the five digits after CH and the two check digits. If they are between 30000 and 31999, it is a QR-IBAN.

Is the reference mandatory?

With a QR-IBAN, yes: the 27-digit reference, including the check digit, is required. With a standard IBAN it is optional, although an RF reference remains recommended for tracking payments.

Can I send a QR invoice by email?

Yes. The PDF can be scanned directly from the screen using a banking app, with no need to print it.

Guide

QR-IBAN and QR invoice

The two concepts are often confused. The QR invoice is the document; the QR-IBAN is a special account number used only in certain cases.

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Receipt

Account / Payable to

CH44 3199 9123 0008 8901 2

Atelier Rive Sàrl

1204 Genève

Payable by

Helvetia Studio SA

8001 Zürich

Currency

CHF

Amount

2 897.10

Payment part

Currency / Amount

CHF 2 897.10

Reference

21 00000 00003 13947 14300 09017

Additional information

Consulting retainer, March 2026

The QR invoice is the document

Since the old payment slips were replaced, any Swiss invoice can include a payment section with a QR code. The code contains the creditor, debtor, amount, currency and, where applicable, a reference. The customer scans it and all details are prefilled.

This section occupies the bottom of the page and must never be cut, resized or covered, otherwise payment may become impossible.

The QR-IBAN is an account number

A QR-IBAN can be identified by its institution identification number between 30000 and 31999. It is issued by your bank and is used exclusively for payments with a 27-character structured reference, the equivalent of the former orange payment slip.

With a standard IBAN, the structured reference is not allowed. You then use either no reference or a free-text message to identify the invoice.

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Choose the right combination

If your bank has provided a QR-IBAN and you want automatic reconciliation of incoming payments, use the structured reference. Otherwise, a standard IBAN with the invoice number in the free-text message fully covers the needs of a self-employed person.

What never works: a QR-IBAN without a structured reference, or a structured reference with a standard IBAN. Banks reject both combinations.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell whether my IBAN is a QR-IBAN?: Look at the five digits after CH and the two check digits. If they are between 30000 and 31999, it is a QR-IBAN.
Is the reference mandatory?: With a QR-IBAN, yes: the 27-digit reference, including the check digit, is required. With a standard IBAN it is optional, although an RF reference remains recommended for tracking payments.
Can I send a QR invoice by email?: Yes. The PDF can be scanned directly from the screen using a banking app, with no need to print it.

A correct payment section, every time

Invalid combinations are blocked before the invoice is issued, so your customers can pay without errors.

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