ELSTER XML Processing Tools

Command-line tools and PHP SDK for processing German ELSTER XML documents with the ERiC API

Quick start CLI Reference

CLI

Command-line tools for processing ELSTER XML documents with ERiC API integration

PHP SDK

Object-oriented PHP wrapper for easy integration into your application

Examples

Ready-to-use XML examples for various ELSTER data types and use cases

Process ELSTER documents in minutes

mini-eric provides powerful tools for processing German ELSTER XML documents. Whether you need to validate, transmit, or download data from German tax authorities, we've got you covered.

• Draft: Validate XML and generate PDF previews

• Send: Validate and transmit documents with PDF confirmation

• Transmit: Transmit documents (without PDF confirmation)

• Download: Download data from OTTER server using object UUID

Quick start CLI Reference

CLI examples

# draft
ceric --pathXml info.xml --dataType Kontoinformation

# send
ceric --usecase send --pathXml ustva-2026.xml --dataType UStVA_2026

# transmit
ceric --usecase transmit --pathXml inbox.xml --dataType PostfachAnfrage_31

# download
cotto --objectUuid aaaaaaaa-bbbb-4ccc-dddd-eeeeeeeeeee

PHP example

use Rechtlogisch\MiniEric\Ceric;
use Rechtlogisch\MiniEric\Dto\CericInput;

$ceric = new Ceric();
$result = $ceric->draft(new CericInput(
    dataType: 'Kontoinformation',
    pathXml: '/path/to/info.xml',
));

if ($result->cericOutput->exitCode === '0') {
    echo "PDF generated: " . $result->cericOutput->pathOutputFile;
}

Built for German tax filings

mini-eric is specifically designed for German tax filings submitted via ELSTER, and supports all data types and procedures, for example:

• ElsterAnmeldung: Periodic returns (UStVA_,* LStA_* and more)

• ElsterErklaerung: Yearly declarations (USt_*, ESt_*, KSt_* and more)

• ElsterFSE: Registration for tax purposes (ElsterFSE_*)

• ElsterKMV: KONSENS-Mitteilungsverfahren (Gewerbemeldung, LSTMitteilung, MVZMitteilung, MVOMitteilung and more)

• ElsterLohn*: Wage related (DUe*, LStB)

• ElsterNachricht: Messages to the tax office (Aufzeichnung146a_*, Belegnachreichung_*, Einspruch* and more)

• ElsterExtern: ZMDO and IBANMeldung

• ElsterDatenabholung: Data retrieval (Postfach* operations)

• Otto: Data retrieval from OTTER servers

Data types Examples

Trusted by developers worldwide

Built for reliability and compliance with German legal regulations.

Open Source

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