EU VAT Number Checker — Free VIES Validation

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How the EU VAT checker works

VatPad queries the VIES system directly — the same database used by EU tax authorities — so results reflect the official registration status in real time.

Enter the VAT number with its country prefix (e.g. DE for Germany, FR for France, PL for Poland) or select the country from the dropdown and enter the number alone. The checker auto-detects the country if you include the prefix.

Two outcomes are possible:

VALID — The VAT number is active in the VIES database. You'll see the company's registered name and official address. For B2B transactions within the EU, this confirms your customer or supplier is a VAT-registered business, which determines whether the reverse charge mechanism applies.

NOT VALID — The number either doesn't exist, has been deactivated, or hasn't yet synchronized with VIES. New registrations can take 24–72 hours to appear. If a supplier insists their number is valid, request a VAT certificate directly from their national tax authority.

Why checking a VAT number matters

Getting this wrong has direct financial consequences.

For B2B cross-border sales inside the EU, whether you charge VAT — and which country's rate applies — depends entirely on whether your customer is a registered VAT business. Sell to an unverified number and you may end up liable for VAT you didn't collect.

For buyers, verifying a supplier's VAT number before payment is basic due diligence. Fraudulent or deactivated VAT numbers are a common marker of shell companies and invoice fraud. A valid VIES result gives you the registered company name and address to cross-check against the invoice.

The European Commission's VIES system covers all 27 EU member states. It does not cover the UK (post-Brexit) or Norway — those require separate checks via HMRC and the Norwegian Tax Administration respectively.

What is a EU VAT identification number?

Every business registered for VAT in the European Union is assigned a VAT identification number by their national tax authority. The format is always a two-letter country code followed by 8–12 digits or characters depending on the country.

Examples by country:

• Germany (DE): DE123456789 — 9 digits
• France (FR): FR12345678901 — 11 characters
• Italy (IT): IT12345678901 — 11 digits
• Spain (ES): ESA12345678 — 9 characters
• Poland (PL): PL1234567890 — 10 digits
• Netherlands (NL): NL123456789B01 — 12 characters

The number is used on all B2B invoices for cross-border EU transactions and is required for VAT reporting under OSS (One Stop Shop) for digital services.

VAT number checker vs. VIES directly

The official VIES portal at ec.europa.eu returns raw results with no context. VatPad wraps the same data with automatic country detection, cleaner output formatting, and a map view of the registered address — useful when you're validating a counterparty you've never dealt with before.

Both tools query the same underlying database. If VIES is temporarily unavailable (which happens, particularly during EU maintenance windows), both will return errors.

After validation — calculate the right VAT rate

Knowing your customer has a valid VAT number is step one. Step two is calculating which VAT rate applies to your specific transaction.

That depends on: your country, your customer's country, whether you're selling goods or services, the product category, and your annual turnover in the destination country relative to OSS thresholds.

Use the Advanced VAT Calculator to work through all of those variables and get the correct rate for your invoice.

FAQ

Which countries does this VAT checker cover?
All 27 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

Can I check a UK VAT number here?
No. The UK left the EU VAT system after Brexit. UK VAT numbers (format: GB followed by 9 digits) can be checked via HMRC's online service at gov.uk.

What does "NOT VALID" mean — is the company fake?
Not necessarily. A "NOT VALID" result means the number isn't in the VIES database at the time of checking. New registrations take time to sync. The company may also be VAT-registered only in their home country without EU-wide VIES registration. Always request supporting documentation if you're uncertain.

Is this checker free?
Yes, completely free with no account required and no limit on checks.

What is the reverse charge mechanism?
When both buyer and seller are VAT-registered businesses in different EU countries, the reverse charge mechanism typically means the seller issues a VAT-exempt invoice and the buyer accounts for VAT in their own country. Verifying your customer's VAT number is the prerequisite for applying reverse charge correctly.

Does a valid VAT number mean I don't charge VAT?
Not automatically. Whether you apply reverse charge depends on the transaction type (goods vs. services), the countries involved, and OSS thresholds. Use the Advanced VAT Calculator to determine the correct treatment for your specific invoice.