VAT number check: verify an EU VAT ID online
Check an EU VAT number online and for free: enter the VAT number of a business partner in another EU country. The request goes directly to Germany's Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern, BZSt), the federal authority that issues and confirms VAT identification numbers. For this VAT number check, you need your own German VAT identification number (USt-IdNr.).
For the check, you need your own German USt-IdNr. (DE plus 9 digits). Without it, the BZSt does not answer the request.
Simple or qualified check: with name and address
The simple check shows whether the VAT number is valid at the time of the request. You only need your own number and your business partner's number.
The qualified check also compares company name, city, postal code and street with the data registered in the EU member state. For each field, the BZSt reports whether your entry matches. Company name and city are required.
If you check an EU VAT number with name and address, you also see whether the number belongs to this specific company.
Why you need your own German USt-IdNr.
The BZSt only answers a request if you enter your own German USt-IdNr. Without this number, you cannot check a VAT number, either here or on the BZSt website.
If you do not have a USt-IdNr. yet, apply for one at the BZSt. Your German tax number from the tax office (Steuernummer) is a different number and does not work here.
Your number goes to the BZSt with the request. Your browser remembers your own USt-IdNr. on this device, so you do not have to enter it again on your next visit.
VAT numbers from Austria, Poland and other EU countries: how they are structured
Every VAT number starts with a two-letter country code. A German number consists of DE plus 9 digits, for example DE123456789.
In Austria, the number is called UID-Nummer. It consists of ATU plus 8 digits. To check a UID number, enter it with ATU at the start.
On English-language invoices, the number is called VAT number. You check it here the same way, with the country code. Greece uses the code EL, Northern Ireland the code XI.
| Country | Local name | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (AT) | UID-Nr. | ATU99999999 |
| Belgium (BE) | No. TVA / BTW-Nr. | BE9999999999 |
| Bulgaria (BG) | ДДС | BG999999999BG9999999999 |
| Croatia (HR) | PDV ID broj | HR99999999999 |
| Cyprus (CY) | ΦΠΑ | CY99999999A |
| Czechia (CZ) | DIČ | CZ99999999CZ999999999CZ9999999999 |
| Denmark (DK) | SE-Nr. | DK99999999 |
| Estonia (EE) | KMKR | EE999999999 |
| Finland (FI) | ALV-NRO | FI99999999 |
| France (FR) | — | FRXX999999999 |
| Germany (DE) | USt-IdNr. | DE999999999 |
| Greece (EL) | ΑΦΜ | EL999999999 |
| Hungary (HU) | — | HU99999999 |
| Ireland (IE) | VAT No. | IE9X99999AIE9999999AA |
| Italy (IT) | P.IVA | IT99999999999 |
| Latvia (LV) | PVN | LV99999999999 |
| Lithuania (LT) | PVM mokėtojo kodas | LT999999999LT999999999999 |
| Luxembourg (LU) | — | LU99999999 |
| Malta (MT) | VAT No. | MT99999999 |
| Netherlands (NL) | OB-Nummer | NLXXXXXXXXXXXX |
| Northern Ireland (XI) | VAT Reg. No. | XI999999999XI999999999999XIGD999XIHA999 |
| Poland (PL) | NIP | PL9999999999 |
| Portugal (PT) | NIPC | PT999999999 |
| Romania (RO) | TVA | RO99 …RO9999999999 |
| Slovakia (SK) | IČ DPH | SK9999999999 |
| Slovenia (SI) | DDV | SI99999999 |
| Spain (ES) | N.IVA | ESX9999999X |
| Sweden (SE) | MomsNr. | SE999999999901 |
9 = digit · A = letter · X = digit or letter (in the Netherlands also + or *)
Source: BZSt leaflet “Aufbau der USt-IdNr. in den EU-Mitgliedstaaten”
Check a German VAT number
The BZSt only confirms VAT numbers from other EU member states (§ 18e UStG). That is why you cannot check a German number with this tool.
For German numbers, use VIES, the European Commission's checking portal. VIES stands for VAT Information Exchange System, the EU's system for exchanging VAT information.
Keep the check result
Print the result with “Print result” or save it as a screenshot. File it with the records for this business partner.
The result contains the time of request and the request ID. Both come from the BZSt and show when you checked.
Ask your tax advisor which documents the German tax office (Finanzamt) accepts as proof. The BZSt offers the official confirmation request on its own website.
Frequently asked questions
Is the check free?
Yes. The BZSt charges no fees for the confirmation. You use this page without signing up.
Can I check a Swiss UID?
No. Switzerland is not an EU country, so the BZSt does not confirm Swiss UID numbers.
What does “does not match” mean?
Your entry differs from the data registered in the EU member state. Ask your business partner under which name and address they are registered. Also check the legal form and the spelling.
BZSt or VIES?
For numbers from other EU countries, use the BZSt. On request, it compares name and address and reports for each field whether your entry matches. VIES is the European Commission's portal. There you can also check German numbers, which the BZSt does not confirm.
Can I check retroactively?
No. The BZSt only confirms whether a number is valid at the time of the request. There is no confirmation for past dates.
Easy Invoice stores your customers' VAT numbers in the customer data and prints them on the invoice.
This page provides general information and does not replace tax advice. The result comes from the BZSt. We make no warranty for correctness in an individual case.