How to check an EU VAT number with VIES

To check an EU VAT number, enter it with its two-letter country prefix in VIES, the European Commission's VAT lookup. A valid answer means the number is registered for trade between EU countries. An invalid answer is a reason to ask the customer before you send an invoice.

It takes seconds, and it is worth doing for every new business customer in another EU country. The VAT treatment of a cross-border sale often depends on the customer holding a valid VAT number, so a typo in that one field can turn into a correction later.

What VIES is

VIES stands for VAT Information Exchange System. It is run by the European Commission, and its public lookup lets anyone check whether a VAT number issued by an EU member state is valid for cross-border trade inside the EU.

VIES is a search tool rather than a database of its own. When you check a number, VIES asks the tax administration of the country that issued it and passes the answer back. That has two practical effects:

• The answer is as current as the national register. If a business registered last week, the national database decides whether VIES already knows about it.
• The service is sometimes unavailable. When a national system is down or being backed up, VIES cannot answer for that country. Try again later rather than treating the number as invalid.

How to read a VIES result

Result	What it generally means	What to do
Valid	The number exists and is registered for trade between EU countries.	Note the date you checked, and invoice as agreed.
Invalid	The number does not exist, is not activated for cross-border trade, or the registration is not finished yet.	Ask the customer to confirm the number before you invoice.
Format error	The prefix or the length does not match the country's pattern.	Look for a typo or a missing country prefix.
No answer	The country's system did not respond.	Check again later.

Depending on the country, a valid answer may also show the registered name and address, or just confirm that the number is valid. If a name comes back, compare it with the customer's legal name on your record.

Format tips before you check

• Always include the country prefix. A VAT number starts with two letters for the issuing country, such as BE for Belgium or DE for Germany. Greece uses EL, not GR.
• Leave out spaces and dots. Many invoices print a VAT number with separators for readability; the lookup wants the plain characters.
• Check the length. Each country has its own pattern. A number that is a digit short is a typo, not an unregistered business.

Why check every new business customer

In many EU countries, a sale to a business customer in another member state is invoiced without local VAT when the customer is VAT-registered, with a note that the customer accounts for the VAT. If the number turns out to be invalid, that treatment may not hold, and you could end up correcting the invoice. Rules vary by country and by type of sale, so ask your accountant how they apply to you.

A quick check when you add the customer catches most problems while they are cheap: a mistyped digit, a missing prefix, or a number that belongs to a different company. It also gives you a dated record that you checked. Our invoice checklist covers the other details a cross-border invoice should carry.

How it works in Swiftly Workspace

Swiftly Workspace checks VAT numbers against VIES from the customer or vendor record, so you do not have to copy the number into a website.

1. Save the record with its VAT number. Enter the number, with its country prefix, in the Tax ID (VAT) field of a customer, or the VAT Number field of a vendor, and save. The button appears once the record is saved.
2. Click Verify. It sits with the field, just below it or at the end of its row.
3. Read the badge. It shows Valid with the date it was verified, Invalid with a short reason, or a note that the service is unavailable and you should try later. A number with the wrong prefix or length is flagged without asking VIES.

A result is kept for 30 days. After that, or when someone changes the number, the button reads Re-verify so you can check again. The badge pairs an icon with text, so it never relies on color alone.

The check is advisory. It never blocks saving a customer or vendor: you might be adding a customer whose registration is still being processed, and that is your call to make. Email addresses on records get a similar check, which how email validation works explains. Both checks are on unless an admin turns them off.

If you are setting up your customer list from scratch, how to structure business customers and our CRM guide for small businesses are good next reads. And to see why VAT details belong on the same record you invoice from, read why a CRM with invoicing beats two separate tools.

Frequently asked questions

Is a VIES check free?

Yes. The European Commission's VIES lookup is a public tool on its website that anyone can use.

Why does VIES say a real company's number is invalid?

Common reasons are a missing country prefix, a typo, or a business that is VAT-registered at home but not activated for trade with other EU countries. A new registration can also take time to appear. Ask the customer to confirm the number.

Can I check a VAT number from outside the EU?

VIES covers numbers issued by EU member states. Countries outside the EU run their own registers, so check those with the relevant tax authority.

How often should I re-check a customer's VAT number?

Check when you add the customer, and again from time to time for customers you invoice often, since a registration can be cancelled. Many businesses re-check before a large invoice or once a year.