# Clear Access Point

A business cannot connect to the Peppol network directly. Connection is only possible through a certified Peppol Access Point (AP), which acts as a secure gateway to the network.

**ClearTax is a certified Peppol Access Point.**

As your certified Access Point, the ClearTax platform handles all the technical complexities of e-invoicing compliance:

* **Format Validation**: Automatically ensures every invoice created or imported adheres to the strict Peppol BIS 3.0 standard.
* **Secure Transmission:** Manages the secure exchange of documents using required protocols (like AS4).
* **Peppol Directory (SMP) Lookup**: Before sending, ClearTax automatically looks up the recipient's Peppol ID in the Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) directory to find their registered Access Point and confirm they can receive the document.