EU VAT number check (VIES)
Before you invoice, ship to or pay a new counterparty in the European Union — a distributor, an intermediary or your buyer’s paying agent — make sure its VAT number is valid, or find the number by company name and country. The check runs in real time against the national tax databases of the EU member states via VIES.
What else to check before a deal
Make sure the company name and address in the contract, the invoice and VIES match. Check the HS code of the goods against EU sanctions restrictions — we do this for every shipment before accepting it, and we only move goods that may lawfully be exported to Russia. Agree the delivery terms under Incoterms 2020 so that it is clear who pays for export formalities and transport.
If you lodge the export declaration yourself, check your EORI number too. If you prefer not to, our agent lodges the EX1 for you. Payments from Russian buyers to EU suppliers are handled through partners under an agency agreement.
Useful next steps
Frequently asked questions
Can I find a VAT number by company name?
Yes. On the search-by-name tab enter the company name and country: we search the country’s official open company register (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, the UK) — so small companies are found too — and the international LEI register (GLEIF) for other countries. The VAT number is taken from the register (e.g. Estonia, the Czech Republic) or derived from the registration number where the rule is unambiguous (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, France), then checked in VIES and shown as “confirmed” only after that check. In Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Austria VAT numbers are not published — ask the supplier for it.
Why check a VAT number?
A valid VAT number confirms that the company is registered for VAT in its country and is actually trading. Before a prepayment or the first delivery to a new counterparty it is the first free check: the number on the invoice must be valid, and the name must match the party in the contract.
Where does the data come from?
From VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) of the European Commission, which queries the tax databases of the EU member states in real time. Some countries, such as Germany and Spain, do not disclose the name and address — then only the status of the number is shown.
How should I enter the number?
Choose the country and enter the number with or without the country code — we remove the prefix, spaces and dots. For Greece the VIES code is EL, not GR. British GB numbers have not been part of VIES since 2021; Northern Ireland numbers use the XI prefix.
It says the country’s database is unavailable — is the number bad?
No. National tax databases go offline for maintenance from time to time, and VIES then returns an error. Repeat the check a few minutes later — the message says nothing about whether the number is valid.
The number is valid — is that enough?
It is a necessary check, but not a sufficient one: compare the name and address with the contract and the invoice, bank details with official company documents, and check the goods against sanctions restrictions.
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