EU VAT Number Validator
Enter an EU VAT number with its country prefix to check that it matches the format for that country. This is a format check for all 27 EU states plus Northern Ireland. Confirming a number is real and active needs the official VIES service.
Processed entirely in your browser. This validator runs on your device using JavaScript. The number you enter is never sent to a server, stored, or logged, and nothing leaves your device.
How It Works
Every EU VAT number starts with a two-letter country prefix, then a national number whose shape is set by that country. The prefix is almost always the country's ISO code, with two exceptions: Greece uses EL, and Northern Ireland uses XI. The tool reads the prefix, then checks the rest against that country's pattern.
| Country | Prefix | Format of the national part |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | DE | 9 digits |
| France | FR | 2 letters or digits, then 9 digits |
| Italy | IT | 11 digits |
| Spain | ES | a letter or digit, 7 digits, then a letter or digit |
| Netherlands | NL | 9 digits, then B, then 2 digits |
| Greece | EL | 9 digits (prefix EL, not GR) |
Because each country is different, a number that is valid for one country will usually fail for another. What this tool cannot do is confirm the number is real and active. That requires the European Commission's VIES service, which checks the number against the live databases of the member states.
Worked Example
Take the sample number DE123456789, which is made up rather than a real registration. The prefix DE means Germany, and a German VAT number is nine digits. The part after the prefix, 123456789, is nine digits, so it matches the German format and passes the check. The same digits under a different prefix, such as IT123456789, would fail, because Italy expects eleven digits.
When You Would Use This
Businesses trading across the EU need a customer's or supplier's VAT number to be right before they zero-rate a cross-border sale or reclaim VAT. A format check is a fast first pass that catches a wrong prefix or a mistyped number, so you only take the well-formed ones to VIES for the live confirmation. If you deal with the United Kingdom too, the separate UK VAT validator handles GB numbers, which use their own check-digit scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a valid format mean the VAT number is registered?
No. This confirms only that the number is shaped correctly for its country. To confirm a VAT number belongs to a real, currently registered trader, use the European Commission's VIES service, which checks the number against the member states' live databases.
Why does Greece use EL instead of GR?
It is a long-standing quirk. For VAT purposes Greece uses the prefix EL, even though its ISO country code is GR. Using GR is one of the most common reasons a Greek VAT number fails a format check, so this tool points it out.
Which countries does this cover?
All 27 EU member states, each with its own format, plus Northern Ireland, which uses the XI prefix for goods-trade VAT numbers after Brexit. Great Britain VAT numbers use the separate GB scheme, which has its own validator on this site.
Why is a format check not enough on its own?
Formats catch typos and obviously wrong numbers, but many well-formed numbers were never issued. Only VIES can confirm a number is active, and for reclaiming VAT or zero-rating a cross-border sale, that live confirmation is what matters.
Is my VAT number sent anywhere when I check it?
No. The format check runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is transmitted, stored, or logged. VIES is a separate step you would do yourself on the European Commission's own site.