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VAT number check
Validate VAT identification numbers from all 27 EU countries and Northern Ireland directly with the EU's VIES service – one at a time or up to 20 at once.
All EU countries Bulk check with CSV export
Check a VAT number
Validate VAT identification numbers from all EU countries via VIES.
The numbers you enter are sent to the PaperOffice API over an encrypted connection and checked with the EU's VIES service. Results are cached so that repeated checks do not put load on VIES.
How it works
Check a VAT number in three steps
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Enter the number
Type the VAT identification number including the country code, or paste a list of up to 20 numbers.
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Check with VIES
The tool queries the European Commission's service. Many countries also return the company's name and address.
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Keep the result
You see right away whether the number is valid. For bulk checks, download the result as a CSV file.
When you should check a VAT number
Intra-community supplies and reverse charge
If you supply goods VAT-free to another EU country or invoice services under the reverse charge mechanism, you need your customer's valid VAT identification number. If the number is not valid at the time of supply, the tax authority can refuse the exemption.
Check numbers when you create a new customer and again before larger deliveries. Keep the result with its date together with your records.
What VIES returns
VIES is the VAT Information Exchange System of the European Commission. It confirms whether a number is valid at the time of the query. Each country decides for itself whether it also shares the name and address.
- Valid: the number is registered and active in that country.
- Not valid: the number does not exist, is not active yet or has been deregistered.
- Unavailable: a country's service is not responding right now. Please try again later.
How the number is built
Every number starts with the country code, for example DE for Germany, ATU for Austria or FR for France. Greece uses EL. Since Brexit, Northern Ireland uses XI. The tool catches typical typos before it asks VIES.
More with PaperOffice AI
Read and check invoices automatically
Incoming invoices arrive as PDF, scan, photo or e-invoice. PaperOffice AI reads every format in the same workflow and files them in order.
- Header data, line items, totals and references as fields
- Arithmetic check and audit trail for every invoice
- E-invoices in XRechnung and ZUGFeRD format
- Filing with retention periods per document type
FAQ
Questions about VAT number checks
What does "not valid" mean?
At the time of the query, VIES does not know the number as an active VAT identification number. Common reasons are typos, a number that has not been activated yet or a registration that has been cancelled. If in doubt, ask your business partner.
Why does VIES show no name for German numbers?
Germany only shares whether a number is valid through VIES, not the name or address. A qualified confirmation that also matches name and address is offered by the German Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt).
How many numbers can I check at once?
Up to 20 numbers per run in bulk mode. You can download the result as a CSV file and open it in Excel, for example.
Can I check Swiss or UK numbers?
No. VIES covers the 27 EU member states and Northern Ireland (XI). Swiss and British numbers are listed in separate registers of the respective tax authorities.
Does the check replace a qualified confirmation?
The check shows whether a number is valid. As evidence for intra-community supplies, a qualified confirmation from the tax authority can also make sense. Clarify individual cases with your tax advisor.
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