Validate any European VAT identification number instantly using official VIES data.
Enter a VAT number with or without the country prefix. Our system validates it against official European Commission VIES databases in real-time, returning the registration status and company details where available.
Value Added Tax (VAT) identification numbers are unique codes assigned to businesses registered for VAT within the European Union. Every company conducting business across EU borders must have a valid VAT number to participate in intra-community trade. VAT number validation is the process of verifying that a given VAT identification number is legitimate, currently active, and properly registered with the relevant national tax authority.
When you validate a VAT number through our service, we connect directly to the official VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) maintained by the European Commission. This system aggregates data from all 27 EU member states' national tax databases, providing real-time verification of VAT registration status. The validation process confirms whether a VAT number exists in the official records and, for most countries, returns the registered company name and address associated with that number.
VAT validation is not merely a convenience but a legal requirement for businesses claiming VAT exemptions on cross-border sales. Under EU VAT rules established by the Quick Fixes 2020 directive, suppliers must verify their customer's VAT number before applying the zero-rate VAT treatment on intra-community supplies. Failure to validate VAT numbers properly can result in the supplier becoming liable for the VAT amount, along with potential penalties and interest charges from tax authorities.
There are several compelling reasons why businesses must validate VAT numbers before completing transactions with EU trading partners. Understanding these reasons helps ensure your business remains compliant with European tax regulations while avoiding costly mistakes that could impact your bottom line.
European Union VAT legislation requires businesses to verify their customers' VAT numbers before applying VAT exemptions to cross-border transactions. Since January 2020, the Quick Fixes directive made VAT number validation a substantive condition for zero-rating intra-community supplies. This means that if you sell goods to another EU business and apply the zero VAT rate without properly validating their VAT number, your tax authority may deny the exemption and assess VAT on the full transaction value, plus penalties.
VAT fraud costs EU member states billions of euros annually. Common schemes involve using fake or stolen VAT numbers to obtain goods without paying VAT, then selling them on the black market. By validating VAT numbers before shipping goods or rendering services, you protect your business from inadvertently participating in carousel fraud or missing trader schemes. If a transaction later proves fraudulent, having documented VAT validation helps demonstrate your due diligence to tax authorities.
Accurate VAT numbers on invoices are essential for proper tax reporting on both sides of a transaction. An incorrect VAT number can cause problems during VAT return preparation, potentially triggering audits or queries from tax authorities. Many accounting systems automatically validate VAT numbers during invoice creation, but manual verification provides an additional layer of accuracy assurance.
Beyond tax compliance, VAT validation serves as a basic business verification step. A valid VAT number confirms that the entity you are dealing with is a registered business in their stated country. While not a complete background check, it provides initial assurance that you are dealing with a legitimate commercial operation rather than a fictitious company.
The VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) is the official tool provided by the European Commission for validating EU VAT numbers. Understanding how this system works helps you interpret validation results correctly and troubleshoot any issues that may arise during the verification process.
VIES is not a database itself but rather a search interface that queries national VAT databases across all EU member states. When you enter a VAT number for validation, VIES sends a request to the relevant country's tax authority system, which checks its records and returns the current status. This real-time approach ensures you always receive the most up-to-date information available, though it also means that temporary technical issues with any national system can affect validation availability.
Each member state is responsible for maintaining its own VAT registration database and making it accessible through VIES. The quality and completeness of information varies by country. Some nations, like Austria and Belgium, provide full company details including name and address. Others, like Germany, return only the validation status without company information due to data protection regulations. A few countries have additional requirements; Spain, for instance, only registers businesses in VIES when they specifically request intra-community trader status.
When you validate a VAT number, you will receive one of several possible responses. A "valid" result confirms the number is registered and active for intra-community transactions. An "invalid" result means the number is not found in the database, which could indicate the number does not exist, has been deactivated, or the business is not registered for cross-border trade. Some queries may return a "service unavailable" message when a national database is temporarily offline for maintenance.
It is important to note that a valid VAT number does not guarantee the business is financially sound or trustworthy. VAT validation confirms only that the number is properly registered with tax authorities. For comprehensive business verification, you should combine VAT validation with credit checks, reference requests, and other due diligence procedures appropriate to your transaction size and risk tolerance.
Our VAT validation service supports all 27 European Union member states, plus Northern Ireland (which remains in the EU VAT area for goods) and provides information about validating UK VAT numbers through the separate UK government service. Each country uses its own VAT number format, beginning with a two-letter country code followed by a country-specific combination of numbers and letters.
The currently supported EU member states are: Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (HR), Cyprus (CY), Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Greece (EL), Hungary (HU), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Malta (MT), Netherlands (NL), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovakia (SK), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), and Sweden (SE). Northern Ireland uses the special XI prefix for goods traded with the EU.
Each EU country has its own VAT number format, registration requirements, and validation nuances. We provide detailed guides for the major trading nations to help you understand local specifics:
Sometimes VAT validation returns unexpected results. Understanding common issues helps you troubleshoot problems and determine whether a failed validation indicates a genuine problem or a temporary technical issue.
The most frequent cause of invalid results is incorrect number entry. VAT numbers must be entered with the correct country prefix and without spaces, dashes, or other separators unless specifically required by that country's format. Double-check the number against the original source document and ensure you have not transposed any digits.
New businesses may not appear in VIES immediately after VAT registration. National databases update at different intervals, and some countries require separate registration for intra-community trading privileges. If your customer has a new VAT number that shows as invalid, ask them to confirm their registration status with their local tax office and request documentation.
Technical outages occasionally affect VIES availability. Individual country databases go offline for scheduled maintenance or experience unexpected issues. If you receive a "service unavailable" response, wait an hour and try again. Persistent problems with a specific country's validation may indicate extended maintenance, which the European Commission usually announces on the VIES website.
For detailed troubleshooting guidance, see our guide to fixing invalid VAT results.
Maintaining proper VAT compliance requires more than occasional number validation. Implementing systematic procedures protects your business from compliance failures and the associated financial penalties.
Validate VAT numbers at multiple touchpoints: when establishing new customer relationships, before each significant transaction, and periodically for ongoing accounts. Business circumstances change, and a previously valid VAT number may become inactive due to company closure, merger, or administrative deregistration.
Document all validation checks by saving validation confirmations with timestamps. The VIES service provides consultation numbers for each successful validation, which serve as proof of due diligence. Many businesses integrate automated validation into their ERP or accounting systems to ensure consistent checking without manual intervention.
Stay informed about regulatory changes affecting VAT compliance. The EU periodically updates VAT rules, and individual countries may modify their registration or validation procedures. Subscribing to updates from your national tax authority and relevant trade associations helps you adapt to changes promptly.
