How to check an EU VAT number on VIES

Check the validity of an EU VAT number with our VIES tool

Our tool queries the European Commission's VIES database directly. Select the country, enter the number without the country code, and run the check. The result is instant.

• Green light (valid): the number exists and is active. The tool displays the country of establishment, the company name and the registered office address.
• Red light (invalid): the number is not recognised, is not activated for intra-EU transactions, or the format you entered is wrong.

VIES is not a standalone database. It is an engine that queries, on each request, the national databases of the 27 EU tax authorities. That is why a number can be valid locally but not yet activated for intra-EU trade: the two statuses are not the same. Since the Quick Fixes 2020, a valid VIES status is a substantive condition for zero-rating intra-Community supplies, not just a formality.

Don't know your own VAT number?

If you are looking for your own EU VAT number, there is no need to guess it. It is built from your national company identifier and follows a fixed structure. In France, for example, the number is made up of FR, a 2-character key, and the 9 digits of the SIREN business registration number; most member states apply a similar logic based on the local company number.

If you are unsure of the structure that applies to you, check the format table further down this page, then confirm activation with your local tax authority before you put the number on intra-EU invoices.

The information returned by our VAT number checker

When a number is found valid, VIES returns several pieces of information you can use for your accounting and internal controls.

Is the VAT number valid?

The fundamental answer is binary: valid or not valid. This is the information that determines the VAT regime applicable to your transaction. A valid number opens the door to the exemption on intra-EU supplies of goods; an invalid number rules it out.

Who does the VAT number belong to?

For most countries, VIES displays the company name and the registered office address linked to the number. You can therefore confirm that the number really matches the business you are dealing with.

What to do if the VAT number is invalid

An invalid result should never be ignored: it immediately changes the VAT treatment of the transaction. How you react depends on which party is concerned. The applicable VAT rates in the EU also change depending on whether the transaction remains B2B or becomes B2C.

If it is your own VAT number that is invalid

As long as your number is not valid on VIES, your EU suppliers must invoice you with VAT included, applying the VAT of their own country. You lose the exemption on your intra-EU acquisitions and tie up cash in foreign VAT, which is often slow to recover.

If it is your customer's VAT number that is invalid

You are required to charge your customer the VAT of your own country. Before doing so, ask them for a certificate of taxable status issued by their tax authority: it can show that intra-EU activation is in progress. If they provide no supporting document, apply your local VAT regime without hesitation.

How do I get my VAT number validated?

In many countries a VAT-registered company's number is active automatically as soon as it is registered, and a blocked number is sorted out with the local tax office. In other EU countries, activation for intra-EU transactions is not automatic. Italy, for example, requires a specific registration in the VIES register with the local authority, separate from the allocation of the national VAT number: a tax representative in Italy builds this registration into the application from the start.

What to do if VIES is down or unavailable

VIES depends on the availability of the national databases it queries. So a tax authority can be temporarily unreachable: the tool then returns an unavailability message, not an "invalid" result.

• Do not conclude the number is invalid: a technical outage is not a rejection. Run the check again later.
• Keep proof of the attempt: a timestamped screenshot of the unavailability message documents your due diligence.
• For bulk checks, the Commission offers a web service (the VIES API) that lets you automate the verification of many numbers and archive each response, consultation number included.

In which countries can you hold an EU VAT number?

All 27 EU member states issue an EU VAT number, each with its own format. Knowing the expected structure avoids false "invalids" caused by a simple typing error (the digit 9 stands for a numeric character, X or L for a letter).

The special case of Northern Ireland. Since Brexit, the United Kingdom has left the EU, but Northern Ireland keeps a special VAT regime for goods. Businesses there are identified by a number starting with XI (in addition to their GB number) for their movements of goods with the EU. For services, the GB number applies, outside the scope of VIES.

Everything you need to know about EU VAT numbers

What is an EU VAT number?

An EU VAT number is a unique identifier assigned by the tax authority of each EU country to VAT-registered businesses carrying out commercial transactions within the Union. It identifies each economic operator individually in cross-border trade and lets tax authorities track VAT flows. Once the VAT number is confirmed, a VAT calculator helps estimate the VAT amount due on specific transactions in each Member State.

What is an EU VAT number used for?

The EU VAT number plays four essential roles:

• Invoicing: it is mandatory on invoices relating to intra-EU transactions, for both the seller and the buyer.
• Exemption: it conditions the VAT exemption on intra-EU supplies of goods and certain services.
• Reporting: it is essential for EC Sales Lists and for tracking trade within the EU.
• Control: it makes administrative checks easier and supports the fight against VAT fraud.

How do you get an EU VAT number?

How you obtain it depends on your situation:

• On incorporation: if you set up a VAT-registered company, the number is usually allocated to you automatically at registration.
• By registering in another EU country: if you carry out taxable transactions in another member state (storing goods, distance sales above the thresholds, imports), you must register for VAT in that country.

The advantage of working with an agent or a fiscal representative

Entrusting the registration of your VAT number to an agent or a fiscal representative brings concrete benefits:

• full command of the administrative procedures and the documents required;
• an upfront analysis of your commercial flows to confirm the registration obligation;
• language expertise and knowledge of local specifics (sworn translations, forms, deadlines);
• VIES registration built into the application, so a number that is genuinely valid for intra-EU trade;
• a more cost-effective solution than setting up a subsidiary or a branch, with a real time saving.

Looking for a fiscal representative?

Obtaining a valid VAT number in another EU country, activating it for intra-EU trade and securing your exemptions: that is what we do. Eurofiscalis handles VAT registration and fiscal representation across Europe, with an upfront analysis of your flows and a dedicated contact. Talk to our experts for a tailored assessment.