How do I check if an EU VAT number is valid?
Enter the country and number in VIES, the European Commission’s VAT Information Exchange System. VIES asks the issuing member state’s database and answers whether the number is valid for cross-border (intra-EU) transactions; some member states also return the registered name and address, others withhold them and VIES shows "---". A valid result confirms the number is registered, not that the business you are dealing with is the one that holds it.
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How to check it manually
- Open the VIES VAT number validation page on the European Commission website.
- Choose the member state that issued the number and type the number without the country prefix. Greece uses the prefix EL, not GR.
- Optionally enter your own VAT number as the requester: VIES then returns a consultation number you can keep as proof that you ran the check.
- If VIES returns a name and address, compare them with the company’s record in its national register.
- If the name and address show "---", the member state does not share them through VIES. Confirm the match another way, for example against the registry record or the national tax authority’s own lookup.
- If VIES reports that the member state service is unavailable, try again later: that is a technical error, not an invalid number.
- For UK numbers (prefix GB), use HMRC’s Check a UK VAT number service. Northern Ireland numbers with the prefix XI can be checked in VIES.
What it tells you
- Whether the number is registered and active for intra-EU transactions at the time of the query.
- The registered name and address, in member states that share them through VIES.
- A consultation number for your records, if you entered your own VAT number.
What it doesn’t tell you
- Who you are actually dealing with: a valid number can be quoted by someone who does not own it, so compare names and addresses.
- Why a number is invalid: it may never have existed, have been deregistered, or be registered for domestic VAT only.
- Any history: VIES answers for the moment you ask.
How SONAR automates it
When you give SONAR a VAT number, it checks it in VIES and puts the result next to the registry record, so the names can be compared. A withheld name ("---") is reported as not published by VIES, not as a mismatch. If VIES does not answer, no result is recorded rather than an invalid one.
SONAR is a due-diligence tool for checking vendors, partners, resellers and suppliers. It compiles public-record data. It is not a regulated AML / KYC provider, does not verify identity documents, and is not legal advice.
You can try it on 2 companies a month for free, no card needed; every report includes a receipt for each source it used.
Frequently asked questions
Why does VIES show "---" instead of the company name?
Some member states do not pass the registered name and address to VIES. The number can still be valid; you need to confirm the holder from another source, such as the national company register.
Can a company have a valid national VAT number that VIES shows as invalid?
Yes. VIES reflects registration for intra-EU transactions. A business registered for domestic VAT only can show as invalid in VIES.
How do I check a UK VAT number after Brexit?
GB numbers are no longer in VIES. Use HMRC’s Check a UK VAT number service on GOV.UK. Numbers with the XI prefix (Northern Ireland, for trade in goods) can be checked in VIES.
How do I prove I checked a VAT number?
Enter your own VAT number as the requester in VIES. The result then includes a consultation number that identifies your check.
Official sources
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