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🔍 EU VAT Number Validator — Format Check for 30 Countries
Instant official-pattern check for all 27 EU states plus the UK, Norway and Switzerland — then confirm live registration in VIES. Free, private, no sign-up.
🔒 100% Client-Side Privacy: Format checks run entirely in your browser. The optional live VIES check forwards your number to the official EU database through a secure relay so the lookup works from any browser. For archivable proof, save the live result with your invoice.
How to Validate EU VAT Numbers Online
Cross-border B2B trade in the EU requires verifying that your client is VAT-registered in a member state. Applying a 0% zero rate under reverse charge without valid verification exposes your business to audits, fines, and back-tax bills. Use this page as a fast first gate — then confirm live:
- Enter the VAT number: type it without spaces, periods, or hyphens (or paste it and press Clean to normalize).
- Instant format check: the country prefix is auto-detected and tested against the official national pattern.
- Click Validate: a green result means the structure is correct — a red result names the exact mismatch to fix.
- Confirm live in VIES: open the official VIES database, re-check on the invoice date, and archive the proof with your records.
Understanding the VIES Database System
VIES is a search service managed by the European Commission, but it stores no company records itself. When you query it, VIES connects directly to the national database of the specified member state to confirm registration status.
Why validation is essential for B2B invoicing
Under EU VAT Directive 2006/112/EC, intra-Community supplies and cross-border B2B services are zero-rated at sale — but the seller carries the burden of proof. You must show two things: the customer is a taxable person in another EU member state, and a valid VAT identification number was supplied and verified on or before the invoice date. Pair this check with the VAT calculator and the reverse-charge vs OSS checker before you send the invoice.
EU Country VAT Number Format Guide
Every member state assigns a unique structure to its VAT identification numbers. Knowing the syntax catches typos before any official query. Key markets shown below — all 30 supported countries have a one-click example in the tool above:
| Member State | Code | Format Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | AT | ATU + 8 digits | ATU12345678 |
| Belgium | BE | BE + 10 digits | BE0123456789 |
| France | FR | FR + 2 alphanumerics + 9 digits | FRXX123456789 |
| Germany | DE | DE + 9 digits | DE123456789 |
| Italy | IT | IT + 11 digits | IT12345678901 |
| Netherlands | NL | NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits | NL123456789B01 |
| Spain | ES | ES + letter + 7 digits + alphanumeric | ESA1234567B |
Why does this tool say valid but VIES says invalid?
This page runs two different checks. Validate checks the official number format only — correct prefix, length and character pattern. Check live in VIES queries the EU Commission database for live registration status, showing the registered name, address and timestamp. A correctly formatted number can still fail the live check if it was deregistered, never authorized for intra-EU transactions, or registered so recently it has not synchronized yet (allow 24–48 hours).
How do I validate a VAT number on the invoice date and prove it later?
Check the format here first to catch typos, then query the official VIES database on or before the invoice date and save a screenshot or PDF of the result with a visible timestamp, and archive it alongside the invoice in case the VAT treatment is queried.
Which VAT number formats fail most often?
France (FR + 2 alphanumerics + 9 digits — the two check characters are the usual mistake), Spain (ES + 9 alphanumerics with position-dependent letters), and Italy (IT + 11 digits, where people enter 10). Paste the number, press Clean to strip spaces and punctuation, then Validate to see the exact mismatch.
Last verified: 25 September 2026. Sources: EU Commission VAT rates, ECB euro reference rates and national tax authorities. Confirm with your local authority before filing.
Official sources: EU VIES database · EU VAT Directive 2006/112/EC
Troubleshooting Validation Errors
If a number fails here — or shows invalid in VIES for a business that claims registration — consider these causes:
1. Number not authorized for intra-EU transactions
In some states (such as Italy or Spain), businesses can hold a local tax number that is not activated for cross-border intra-EU trade. The client must ask their tax office to register them for VIES.
2. Member state database timeout
VIES routes requests to national tax databases, so national maintenance causes temporary timeouts (MS_UNAVAILABLE / SYSTEM_BUSY). Wait 15–30 minutes and retry.
3. Recent registration lag
Newly registered entities may face a 24–48 hour delay between local approval and VIES synchronization.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is VIES and how does it validate VAT numbers?
VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) is operated by the European Commission and retrieves live VAT registration data from national member state databases. This page checks the official number format first — always confirm live status in VIES before zero-rating an invoice.
Why is a valid VAT number showing as invalid?
A number may fail because of a typo (check the format here first), because it is not authorized for cross-border intra-EU transactions, because national servers are offline for maintenance, or because a very recent registration has not synchronized yet.
Do I need to validate a B2B client's VAT number before applying 0% tax?
For intra-EU transactions where the VAT treatment depends on the customer's VAT status, check whether the applicable rules require VIES validation, and retain appropriate evidence of the customer's VAT identification status (for example, a saved VIES result).
What should I do if a buyer's VAT number is invalid?
If a buyer fails validation, do not treat the failure alone as proof the customer is not VAT-registered — investigate the reason (including VIES downtime or sync delays), retain evidence, and only apply the 0% reverse charge rate once validity is confirmed. Charge your local standard VAT rate on the invoice until the client provides a verifiable VIES-registered VAT ID.
Does VIES confirm company name and address details?
Yes, for most member states. However, due to national data protection rules, certain countries (such as Germany) only confirm validity status without displaying address records unless requested via official channels.
Is the UK VAT number verifiable on VIES?
No. Following Brexit, United Kingdom VAT numbers (GB prefix) were removed from the EU VIES system. UK VAT numbers must be verified through the official UK Government HMRC checker.
Should I keep a record of the validation result?
Yes. Save a screenshot or PDF copy of the VIES validation timestamp alongside your transaction records, so you can evidence the customer's VAT status if the transaction is ever queried.
Format check only — not a live registration lookup and not tax advice. Confirm live status in VIES before zero-rating.
EU VAT Number Syntax & Format Guide
Before issuing B2B reverse charge invoices, businesses must verify that customer VAT numbers conform to national syntax requirements across the European Union.
Common EU VAT Formats
- Germany (DE):
DE999999999(9 digits) - France (FR):
FRXX999999999(2 alpha/numeric + 9 digits) - Italy (IT):
IT99999999999(11 digits) - Spain (ES):
ESX9999999X(9 characters, alphanumeric)