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Swiss QR-bill: the 30 September 2026 deadline many didn't see coming

Since November 2025, only structured addresses (type S) are allowed in the QR code. From 30 September 2026, banks may reject payments for QR-bills still using the old format.

Bill Alps 6 min read
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The Swiss QR-bill standard has changed. If your invoices still use the old address format, your customers may soon be unable to pay them: from 30 September 2026, banks may reject QR-bills whose address is not structured. Here's what changes and how to check that your invoices stay payable.

What changes on 30 September 2026

Since 21 November 2025, version 2.3 of the QR-bill standard requires structured addresses (type S) in the QR code: street, house number, postal code, town and country sit in separate fields. The old combined address (type K), where everything fits on two free-text lines, is no longer compliant.

A transition period is still running: banks keep accepting unstructured addresses until 30 September 2026. After that, a QR-bill left in type K may be rejected or processed manually — and your customer will simply tell you that "scanning doesn't work".

Combined address (K) versus structured address (S)

FieldCombined address (K)Structured address (S)
Street and numberOn a single free-text lineTwo separate fields: street + number
Postal code and townOn a single free-text lineTwo separate fields: postal code + town
CountryOften implicitExplicit country field (e.g. CH)
Status from 30.09.2026May be rejected by the bankCompliant and accepted

How to tell if your QR-bills are compliant

  • Separate addresses: the creditor's address (yours) and the debtor's (the customer's) must use distinct fields for street, number, postal code, town and country.
  • No free-text address line: if your tool puts the whole address on one or two lines, you are probably still in type K.
  • Valid IBAN or QR-IBAN: with the matching QR reference where applicable.
  • Test a payment: scan a recent QR-bill with the e-banking app and check that every field fills in automatically and without errors.

Watch out for old templates

Invoice templates saved long ago, one-off QR generators and spreadsheets often keep producing type K addresses without flagging it. Re-check your invoices well before the end of September, not the day before the deadline.

With Bill Alps, your QR-bills are already compliant

Bill Alps generates QR-bills with structured addresses (type S) automatically, via the Swiss SwissQRBill library. There is nothing to reconfigure: your invoices comply with the v2.3 standard and will stay compliant after 30 September 2026. For the full product positioning, see the page dedicated to QR-bills for sole proprietors in Switzerland.

Conclusion

Moving to structured addresses is not optional: it's the condition for your QR-bills to stay payable after 30 September 2026. Don't wait for autumn — check your templates now, or use a tool that's already compliant so you never have to think about it again.