VAT number checker
Check a supplier’s or client’s VAT number before you rely on it. EU and Northern Ireland numbers are checked live; UK numbers are checked for format and check digits, with a link to HMRC’s service.
VAT number formats
| Where | Format | How we check it |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | GB + 9 digits (or 12 with a branch code) | Format and HMRC check digits; confirm on GOV.UK |
| Northern Ireland (goods trade with the EU) | XI + 9 digits | Live in VIES |
| Ireland | IE + 8 or 9 characters | Live in VIES |
| Germany | DE + 9 digits | Live in VIES |
| France | FR + 2 characters + 9 digits | Live in VIES |
| Greece | EL + 9 digits (not GR) | Live in VIES |
| Other EU countries | Two-letter country code + number | Live in VIES |
Need to work out the VAT on an invoice? Use our VAT calculator.
Why check a VAT number?
A VAT number on an invoice should belong to the business that sent it. Checking it helps you spot typing mistakes, made-up numbers and invoices from businesses that aren’t VAT registered but charge VAT anyway.
A real VAT number on a fake invoice is a common trick too. If an invoice also asks you to pay new bank details, call the supplier on a number you already have, and try our check before you pay tool on the sender’s email address.
Limits of this check
- GB numbers are not looked up live. A number can pass the check-digit test and still not be registered. Confirm it on GOV.UK.
- VIES depends on each country. Some countries don’t share names or addresses, and national systems can be offline.
- A valid number isn’t identity verification. It doesn’t prove who you are dealing with, and it isn’t customer due diligence under the Money Laundering Regulations.
VAT number questions
How do I check a UK VAT number?
A UK VAT number has 9 digits, sometimes with a 3-digit branch code, and usually starts with GB. Our checker tests the format and HMRC’s check digits, which catches most typing mistakes and made-up numbers. To confirm the number is registered and see the business name, use HMRC’s free Check a UK VAT number service on GOV.UK.
Why don’t you show the business name for GB numbers?
HMRC’s live VAT number service needs a registered application for automated use, so for now we check the format and check digits only and link to GOV.UK, where you can see the registered name and address. EU and Northern Ireland (XI) numbers are checked live against the European Commission’s VIES service.
What does a valid result mean?
For EU and XI numbers, “valid” means the tax authority of that country reported the number as active for cross-border trade in VIES at the time of the check. It doesn’t prove that the person you are dealing with is that business. Compare the name and address with your paperwork and the company’s other details.
What is an XI VAT number?
Businesses in Northern Ireland that trade goods with the EU use a VAT number starting with XI under the Windsor Framework. XI numbers are checked in VIES like EU numbers. The same business will also have a GB number with the same digits.
The check says the service is unavailable. What now?
VIES passes each check to the tax authority of the country concerned, and national systems are sometimes down for maintenance. Try again later, or check directly on the European Commission’s VIES website.
Do you keep the VAT numbers I check?
No. We send the number to VIES (for EU and XI numbers) while you wait and keep the answer in a short cache for up to an hour. We don’t save what you entered or who checked it.
AML checks for UK firms
ID, sanctions and PEP checks for small regulated firms through one secure link. £5.40 a check inc. VAT (£4.50 + VAT), 5 free checks to start, no subscription.