PPF vs PDP in France E-Invoicing: Which Platform Does Your Business Need?
PPF vs PDP explained for France's e-invoicing reform. What the PPF is now (Central Directory and Data Concentrator only, no free platform, no routing), what a Plateforme Agréée does, a side-by-side comparison, and why a PA is required. Complyance guide.
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If you started researching French e-invoicing a couple of years ago, you may have read that the government would provide a free public platform for issuing and receiving invoices, or that a hybrid "Y" model would let you invoice through the state portal. That advice is now out of date, and following it could leave your business without a compliant way to invoice at all.
Here is what changed. At the end of 2024, France moved from the planned hybrid Y-model (invoicing through the public portal, a PA, or an OD) to a strict 5-corner model, effective September 2026. The Portail Public de Facturation (PPF) and the Plateforme Agréée (PA), formerly called a Plateforme de Dématérialisation Partenaire (PDP), now play very different roles. The mandate still lands on 1 September 2026, but the "free government platform" many people were counting on is no longer part of the plan, and the PPF no longer routes invoices for businesses.
Let us clear it up: what the PPF is today, what a PA does, how they compare side by side, and which one your business actually needs.
What Is the PPF Today?
The Portail Public de Facturation (PPF) is the state-run backbone of France's e-invoicing system. But its role is far narrower than many people assume, and much narrower than early guidance suggested.
Today, the PPF is essentially two things:
- The Central Directory (Annuaire Central), a central registry that tells platforms how to find each other, so an invoice from one platform can be delivered to the recipient's platform.
- The Data Concentrator (Concentrateur de Données), the central point that collects the required invoice and transaction data on behalf of the DGFiP.
What the PPF is not anymore is a platform that issues, receives, or routes invoices. In the strict 5-corner model, all B2B e-invoices flow exclusively through certified platforms. The PPF does not put invoices in and out on your behalf and it does not route them between platforms. It hosts the directory that lets platforms find each other and concentrates data for the tax authority.
The key takeaway: the PPF connects the addressing layer and collects the data. It does not issue, receive, or route invoices. That job belongs entirely to a Plateforme Agréée.
What Is a Plateforme Agréée (PA)?
A Plateforme Agréée (PA), formerly a Plateforme de Dématérialisation Partenaire (PDP), is a private platform certified by the DGFiP to do the hands-on invoicing work:
- Issue compliant e-invoices in approved formats
- Receive invoices sent to your business
- Transmit invoices between platforms across the ecosystem
- Report the required data to the DGFiP
A PA earns certification by passing security and compliance audits and receiving an official registration number, granted for a fixed term and renewable. It supports the EN 16931-aligned formats (Factur-X, UBL 2.1, and UN/CEFACT CII) and handles the four mandatory lifecycle statuses under AFNOR XP Z12-012: Déposée (submitted), Rejetée (rejected on technical grounds), Refusée (refused commercially by the buyer), and Encaissée (cashed).
In short: the PA is the working platform your business plugs into. The PPF is the directory and collection point it connects to. France also became a Peppol Authority on 8 July 2025, reinforcing interoperability between certified platforms.
PPF vs PDP: Side by Side
Here is how the two compare across the things that matter.
| Dimension | PPF (Portail Public de Facturation) | Plateforme Agréée (formerly PDP) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | State-run Central Directory and Data Concentrator | Certified private platform |
| Issues invoices? | No (never; not an invoicing platform) | Yes |
| Receives invoices? | No | Yes |
| Routes between platforms? | No. Provides the directory so platforms can find each other | Yes, actively transmits and routes |
| Reports to the DGFiP? | Concentrates and receives the data | Yes, transmits the required data |
| Registration | Operated by the state | Certified via DGFiP immatriculation (time-bound, renewable) |
| Who uses it directly | Platforms (via the directory) | Businesses, directly or through a connected operator |
| Your relationship to it | Indirect, through your PA | Direct, it is your gateway to the system |
The pattern is clear: the PPF is infrastructure that works quietly in the background, and the PA is the platform your team actually uses.
Why a Plateforme Agréée Is Required
Because the PPF does not issue, receive, or route invoices, businesses need a certified platform to enter the system. That platform is a PA. Here is why it is required in practice.
1. Someone has to issue and receive your invoices
The PPF will not do it. A PA is the platform that actually creates, sends, and receives your structured invoices.
2. Certified platforms are the channel to the DGFiP
A PA transmits invoice and e-reporting data to the DGFiP. Without one (directly or through a connected operator), you cannot close the reporting loop.
3. Reception is mandatory for everyone from September 2026
Every business must be able to receive e-invoices from 1 September 2026, which requires a way in, and that way is a PA.
4. E-reporting needs a platform too
B2C and cross-border transactions require e-reporting, which also runs through your PA.
5. Lifecycle statuses need to be handled
Tracking an invoice through the four mandatory statuses happens through platform-to-platform status exchange, a PA capability.
Common Misconceptions After the 5-Corner Shift
The rules moved, and a lot of older advice has not caught up. Here are the myths worth retiring.
"The government portal will handle my invoicing for free."
No. France dropped the free public platform. The PPF remains the Central Directory and Data Concentrator, but the invoicing itself runs through a PA.
"I can just plug straight into the PPF and invoice through it."
No. Businesses do not invoice through the PPF, and the PPF does not route invoices. You connect to a PA, and PAs exchange invoices directly with each other, using the PPF directory only to find one another.
"PPF and PDP are basically the same thing."
They are complementary, not interchangeable. The PPF is state infrastructure for addressing and collecting data. A PA is a certified private platform that issues, receives, transmits, and reports.
"I have plenty of time to decide."
Reception is mandatory for all businesses from 1 September 2026, and no further delay has been announced. Choosing and testing a PA takes time, so starting early is the safe move.
Why Choose Complyance as Your Plateforme Agréée?
If a PA is the piece you actually need, Complyance is an Approved Platform (PA) for France, built to be that piece and to make the transition simple.
1. Faster go-live with less effort
Pre-built ERP integrations and sandbox testing take you from kickoff to ready in days, not months.
2. Built for the required formats and statuses
Full support for Factur-X, UBL 2.1, and CII, plus the four mandatory lifecycle statuses the French model depends on.
3. Both e-invoicing and e-reporting
Domestic B2B invoicing and cross-border and B2C e-reporting handled together, so nothing falls through the cracks.
4. Compliance without complexity
Automated validation, error detection, and audit-ready records, backed by expert support for complex cases.
5. Continuity without downtime
If a downstream system is unavailable, your invoices are queued and sent when service resumes, so operations never stop.
Ready to connect through the right platform?
Complyance equips your developer, IT, finance, and operations teams with the tools and expert support for a smooth transition to the 2026-2027 mandate.
Conclusion: Know the Difference, Then Choose Your PA
The PPF and the PA are not rivals. They are two parts of one system. The PPF addresses and collects. The PA issues, receives, transmits, and reports. Once you understand that, the question "PPF vs PDP" answers itself: you connect to a Plateforme Agréée, which exchanges invoices with other PAs and uses the PPF directory to find them. Before you go live, check:
- Confirm the PPF's role: Central Directory and Data Concentrator, not your invoicing platform and not a router
- Choose a DGFiP-certified PA as your gateway
- Verify Factur-X, UBL 2.1, and CII support plus the four mandatory lifecycle statuses
- Confirm both e-invoicing and e-reporting are covered
- Integrate the PA with your ERP or billing system
- Test in a sandbox well before 1 September 2026
Get the roles straight, pick the right PA, and the September 2026 deadline becomes a plan rather than a scramble.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The PPF (Portail Public de Facturation) is now only the Central Directory and Data Concentrator. It lets platforms find each other and collects data for the DGFiP, but it does not issue, receive, or route invoices. A Plateforme Agréée (PA), formerly PDP, is a certified private platform that actually issues, receives, transmits, and reports your invoices. You connect to a PA, and PAs exchange invoices with each other.
No. France dropped the free public platform when it moved to the strict 5-corner model. The PPF still hosts the central directory and concentrates data, but the invoicing itself now runs through a PA.
You need a PA. Businesses do not invoice through the PPF. You connect to a certified platform (a PA), which handles issuing, receiving, transmission, and reporting, and uses the PPF directory to find your counterparty's platform.
No. The PPF is infrastructure for addressing and data collection, not a platform businesses invoice through, and it does not route invoices. Your route into the system is a PA, either directly or through an operator connected to one.
Reception of e-invoices is mandatory for all businesses from 1 September 2026, with issuing and e-reporting starting for large and medium-sized companies at the same time, and for small and micro-enterprises from 1 September 2027. No further delay has been announced, so it is wise to select and test a PA early.
Complyance is an Approved Platform (PA) for France. It issues, receives, transmits, and reports your invoices in the required formats, handles the four mandatory lifecycle statuses and e-reporting, and uses the PPF directory to reach your counterparties, so your team gets a single, compliant gateway to the French ecosystem.
About the Author
Swathy
Content Marketer
I’m a Content Marketer at Complyance, focused on e-invoicing. Over the years, I’ve created a wide range of content, including blog posts, whitepapers, and product guides, which have supported Complyance’s growth across markets such as the UAE and EU regions. My goal is to deliver content that is comprehensive, clear, accurate, and easy to understand, no matter how complex the topic.
