Check an EU VAT number with VIES
Enter an EU VAT number to query VIES, the European Commission’s VAT information exchange system. The result shows whether VIES reports the number as valid at the time of the check.
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How does the VAT number check work?
The form tidies the VAT number, checks its national format and sends it to the European Commission’s VIES service. It reports the response for this request only.
What does a VIES result tell you?
Valid means VIES reported the number as valid at that time. Invalid means VIES did not. Unavailable means no conclusion was possible. Some national registers do not return a company name or address.
Why can a check fail?
A missing country prefix, an invalid national format, a VIES outage or an unavailable national register can prevent a result. An unavailable response is never shown as an invalid VAT number.
Privacy and external processing
The VAT number is sent to yourtinyoffice and forwarded to VIES for this request. It is not stored, cached or added to an account or database. Standard server logs retain request time, route, status and IP address for 14 days, but not the POST body.
Sources
VAT checker questions
What does a valid VIES result mean?
It means VIES reported the VAT number as valid for intra-EU transactions when the check was made. It does not verify creditworthiness, signing authority or the legitimacy of a specific transaction.
Why is no company name or address shown?
Not every national VAT register returns a name and address through VIES. A number can therefore be valid even when those fields are empty.
Is this result proof for tax records?
The checker displays the live VIES response but does not issue a certificate. If you need formal evidence, use the European Commission’s VIES service and follow the documentation rules that apply to your business.
What happens when VIES is unavailable?
The checker reports that the service is unavailable and asks you to try again later. An unavailable response is never presented as an invalid VAT number.
Do you store the VAT number?
No. The public checker sends it to VIES for this request and does not add it to a yourtinyoffice account or database. Standard server logs still contain the request time, route, status and IP address, but not the POST body.
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