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EU VAT Number Validator

Check any EU VAT identification number. Instant format validation plus live verification against the official VIES database of the European Commission.

Format validation runs in your browser. VIES lookups go through the official European Commission API.

What Is a VAT Identification Number?

A VAT identification number (VAT ID) is a unique identifier assigned to businesses registered for Value Added Tax in the European Union. It is required on every cross-border invoice within the EU and is used to verify that a business is authorized to trade without charging VAT under the reverse charge mechanism.

What Is VIES?

VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) is a search engine operated by the European Commission. It queries national VAT databases in real time to confirm whether a given VAT number is currently valid and registered for intra-EU trade. Our tool connects to the same official system used by tax authorities across Europe.

VAT Number Formats by Country

Each EU member state has its own VAT number format. The table below shows the structure for every country. Note that Greece uses 'EL' instead of 'GR' as its VAT prefix.

Country Prefix Format Example
🇦🇹 Austria AT ATU + 8 digits ATU12345678
🇧🇪 Belgium BE BE + 10 digits (starts with 0 or 1) BE0123456789
🇧🇬 Bulgaria BG BG + 9 or 10 digits BG123456789
🇨🇾 Cyprus CY CY + 8 digits + 1 letter CY12345678A
🇨🇿 Czech Republic CZ CZ + 8 to 10 digits CZ12345678
🇩🇪 Germany DE DE + 9 digits DE123456789
🇩🇰 Denmark DK DK + 8 digits DK12345678
🇪🇪 Estonia EE EE + 9 digits EE123456789
🇬🇷 Greece EL EL + 9 digits EL123456789
🇪🇸 Spain ES ES + 1 char + 7 digits + 1 char ESA12345678
🇫🇮 Finland FI FI + 8 digits FI12345678
🇫🇷 France FR FR + 2 chars + 9 digits FR12345678901
🇭🇷 Croatia HR HR + 11 digits (OIB) HR12345678901
🇭🇺 Hungary HU HU + 8 digits HU12345678
🇮🇪 Ireland IE IE + 7 digits + 1-2 letters (or old format) IE1234567AB
🇮🇹 Italy IT IT + 11 digits IT12345678901
🇱🇹 Lithuania LT LT + 9 or 12 digits LT123456789
🇱🇺 Luxembourg LU LU + 8 digits LU12345678
🇱🇻 Latvia LV LV + 11 digits LV12345678901
🇲🇹 Malta MT MT + 8 digits MT12345678
🇳🇱 Netherlands NL NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits NL123456789B01
🇵🇱 Poland PL PL + 10 digits (NIP) PL1234567890
🇵🇹 Portugal PT PT + 9 digits PT123456789
🇷🇴 Romania RO RO + 2 to 10 digits RO1234567890
🇸🇪 Sweden SE SE + 12 digits SE123456789012
🇸🇮 Slovenia SI SI + 8 digits SI12345678
🇸🇰 Slovakia SK SK + 10 digits (IČ DPH) SK1234567890
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁮󠁩󠁲󠁿 Northern Ireland XI XI + 9 or 12 digits (or GD/HA + 3 digits) XI123456789

Why Verify VAT Numbers?

Verifying your trading partner's VAT number before issuing an invoice is not just good practice — it's a legal requirement for applying the VAT reverse charge on intra-EU supplies. If you invoice a customer with an invalid or non-existent VAT number, you may be held liable for the uncollected VAT. Keeping a record of your VIES verification is recommended in case of a tax audit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does VIES say my VAT number is invalid?
There are several possible reasons: the number may not exist, it may not be activated for intra-EU transactions, or the registration may not yet be finalized. Some EU countries require a separate registration for cross-border trade. Contact your national tax authority if you believe the number should be valid.
Is the VIES database always available?
Not always. Each member state maintains its own national database, and these occasionally go offline for maintenance. When a country's database is unavailable, the VIES system cannot verify numbers from that country. The tool will show you a clear error message and suggest trying again later.
Why does Greece use 'EL' instead of 'GR'?
Greece uses the prefix 'EL' (from 'Elláda', the Greek name for Greece) for VAT purposes, instead of its ISO country code 'GR'. This is a historical convention maintained by the EU VAT system.
Should I keep records of my VIES checks?
Yes. The European Commission recommends keeping track of your VAT number validations in case of a tax audit. When you apply the reverse charge mechanism on an intra-EU invoice, you should be able to demonstrate that the buyer's VAT number was valid at the time of the transaction.
What is the reverse charge mechanism?
The reverse charge mechanism allows a supplier to issue an invoice without VAT when selling to a VAT-registered business in another EU country. The buyer then accounts for VAT in their own country. This avoids the need for the seller to register for VAT in every EU country where they have customers. A valid VAT number for both parties is required.
Can I verify non-EU VAT numbers?
VIES only covers EU member states and Northern Ireland (XI prefix). VAT numbers from non-EU countries like Switzerland, the UK (after Brexit), or Norway cannot be verified through this system. Check with the respective national tax authority.
Is my data safe?
Format validation happens entirely in your browser. When you click 'Verify with VIES', the VAT number is sent to the official European Commission API — the same system used by tax authorities. We don't log, store, or track the numbers you check.

Processing invoices across the EU?

Veluvanto automatically extracts VAT numbers, payment details, and key data from your invoices and business documents. Let AI handle the paperwork.

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