EU VAT numbers explained

An EU VAT number is the tax ID given to businesses registered for Value Added Tax in an EU member state. If you trade B2B across borders — buying from a German supplier, selling to a French customer, or validating an Irish company before an invoice — you will see these numbers on every commercial document. Knowing how they work, and how to run a live VIES check, helps you stay compliant and avoid fraud.

What does an EU VAT number look like?

Every European VAT number starts with a two-letter country code followed by digits or letters set by national rules. Germany uses DE (for example DE123456789), France FR, Ireland IE, the Netherlands NL, and so on across all 27 EU member states. The prefix shows which tax authority holds the record. If the format looks wrong, verify before you pay.

How EU VAT registration works

Businesses register with their national tax office once they exceed local thresholds or register voluntarily. Each country issues its own number, but the EU treats them as one system for cross-border trade. On invoices and customs paperwork, the VAT ID confirms a company is registered to charge or reclaim VAT under EU rules — but a number on a PDF does not prove it is still active. Only a live lookup confirms that.

VIES and EU VAT validation

The European Commission runs VIES (VAT Information Exchange System), the official channel for EU VAT validation. A VIES request is routed to the relevant national database — Revenue in Ireland, the Finanzamt in Germany, and so on. A successful VIES lookup returns whether the number is valid right now, plus the registered business name and address where the member state provides them.

Cross-border B2B and intracommunity VAT

When you sell B2B to a customer in another EU country, you often apply the zero rate or reverse charge — but only if their VAT number checks out. The same applies when you receive invoices from new suppliers: a quick VAT ID verification confirms you are dealing with a registered business before you approve payment. Read why you should verify VAT numbers before every B2B transaction.

Common EU VAT number formats

Formats vary by country, which is why an EU VAT check tool beats guessing from the invoice. Irish numbers use IE plus seven digits and a letter; German numbers use nine digits after DE; French numbers mix letters and digits after FR. Our guide to how VAT validation works explains what appears in the results.

Check any EU VAT number online

Validate any EU member state number for free on Check VAT Number — enter the full ID with the country prefix for instant official VIES data. No login required. For UK registrations checked via HMRC after Brexit, see UK VAT numbers. Visit our FAQ or use the free EU VAT number checker now.