Free EU VAT number validator for Peppol invoices

VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) is a free service provided by the European Commission. It allows businesses and individuals to verify whether a VAT identification number is valid. The system connects to the national VAT databases of all EU member states in real time.

Yes. This tool queries the official VIES REST API provided by the European Commission. The results come directly from the tax administration of the respective EU member state. We do not maintain our own database of VAT numbers.

Yes. Every lookup queries VIES live at the moment you run it. VIES forwards the request to the national VAT database of the relevant EU member state and returns the current registration status. There is no cached or delayed data.

No. VIES is a single EU-wide gateway from the European Commission. It does not hold its own records. It routes each query to the national VAT database of the member state that issued the number. The national registries hold the source data. VIES gives you one place to reach all 27 of them.

A VIES check returns whether the VAT number is valid or invalid. For most EU countries, it also returns the registered company name and address. Some countries (like Germany) do not provide name and address data through VIES for privacy reasons.

VIES depends on the national VAT databases of each EU member state. If a specific country's database is undergoing maintenance or experiencing issues, lookups for that country may temporarily fail. This is not something we can control. You can try again later.

No. VIES only covers VAT numbers from EU member states. For UK VAT numbers (post-Brexit), you need to use HMRC's VAT check service. For other countries, check with the respective tax authority.

Validating VAT numbers is essential for cross-border B2B transactions within the EU. If you apply the reverse charge mechanism (zero-rate VAT), you must be able to prove that the buyer has a valid VAT number. Regular VIES checks protect you from incorrect VAT treatment.

The reverse charge mechanism is an EU rule for B2B cross-border transactions. Instead of the seller charging VAT, the buyer self-assesses and reports the VAT in their own country. This simplifies cross-border trade. To apply reverse charge, the buyer must have a valid VAT number.

No. We do not store, log, or track any VAT numbers you check. The query is sent to the VIES API and the result is returned to your browser. Your search history exists only in your browser session and disappears when you close the page.

It is good practice to re-validate VAT numbers periodically, especially for ongoing business relationships. VAT registrations can be cancelled or changed. Many businesses re-validate quarterly or before issuing a new invoice to a cross-border customer.

An invalid result means the VAT number is not currently registered in the VIES database. The company may have ceased trading, the VAT registration may have been revoked, or the number may simply be incorrect. Double-check the number and contact the company if needed.