VAT Number Checker - EU VIES and EORI Validation

How the check works

What a VAT or EORI number is made of

① The two-letter country code (Greece uses EL for VAT); ② the national number, whose format differs by country. A GB EORI is GB + 12 digits, usually the VAT number plus 000. Spaces, dots and dashes are removed automatically.

Where your numbers are checked

① Your browser sends the numbers only to xunl.net; ② the server checks the format offline and then queries only fixed official endpoints: EU VIES (VAT and Northern Ireland XI), EU EOS (EORI) and HMRC (GB EORI). GB VAT gets HMRC’s offline check-digit test only.

VAT number formats by country

National part of the number (after the prefix). Examples show the pattern, not real numbers.

Filter chart

VAT number formats by country
Prefix	Country	Format	Pattern	VAT registry
AT	Austria	U + 8 digits	ATU12345678	VIES
BE	Belgium	0 or 1 + 9 digits	BE0123456789	VIES
BG	Bulgaria	9–10 digits	BG123456789	VIES
CY	Cyprus	8 digits + letter	CY12345678X	VIES
CZ	Czechia	8–10 digits	CZ12345678	VIES
DE	Germany	9 digits	DE123456789	VIES
DK	Denmark	8 digits	DK12345678	VIES
EE	Estonia	9 digits	EE123456789	VIES
EL	Greece	9 digits (VAT prefix EL; EORI prefix GR)	EL123456789	VIES
ES	Spain	letter/digit + 7 digits + letter/digit	ESX1234567X	VIES
FI	Finland	8 digits	FI12345678	VIES
FR	France	2 characters + 9 digits (SIREN)	FRXX123456789	VIES
HR	Croatia	11 digits	HR12345678901	VIES
HU	Hungary	8 digits	HU12345678	VIES
IE	Ireland	7 digits + 1–2 letters	IE1234567WA	VIES
IT	Italy	11 digits	IT12345678901	VIES
LT	Lithuania	9 or 12 digits	LT123456789	VIES
LU	Luxembourg	8 digits	LU12345678	VIES
LV	Latvia	11 digits	LV12345678901	VIES
MT	Malta	8 digits	MT12345678	VIES
NL	Netherlands	9 digits + B + 2 digits	NL123456789B01	VIES
PL	Poland	10 digits	PL1234567890	VIES
PT	Portugal	9 digits	PT123456789	VIES
RO	Romania	2–10 digits	RO1234567890	VIES
SE	Sweden	10 digits + 01	SE123456789001	VIES
SI	Slovenia	8 digits	SI12345678	VIES
SK	Slovakia	10 digits	SK1234567890	VIES
XI	Northern Ireland	9 or 12 digits (checked in VIES)	XI123456789	VIES
GB	United Kingdom (Great Britain)	9 or 12 digits; EORI GB + 12 digits	GB123456789	HMRC check digits (offline)

Formula and method

1) Remove spaces, dots and dashes and upper-case; 2) match the country’s format published by VIES; 3) EU/XI VAT goes to the VIES REST API, EORI to the EU EOS service and GB EORI to HMRC’s Check EORI API; 4) GB VAT: multiply the first 7 digits by 8…2, add the last two digits; the number passes if the sum (or sum + 55) is divisible by 97.

Worked example

IE6388047V → VIES returns valid with GOOGLE IRELAND LIMITED and its address; a GB VAT number → only HMRC’s check-digit result, with a pointer to GOV.UK.

Assumptions and limits

Results reflect what the official service returned at the time of the check. For zero-rated invoices, keep proof of the VIES check (the official site can issue a consultation number).
VIES depends on each member state’s system; a country under maintenance shows as unavailable.
Live registration for GB VAT numbers must be checked on GOV.UK (HMRC’s API requires registered credentials).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a VAT and an EORI number?

A VAT number is for invoicing and intra-EU trade; an EORI number is for customs declarations. Many EU companies have an EORI equal or similar to their VAT number.

Does “invalid” in VIES always mean the number is wrong?

Not always. The number may not be enabled for intra-EU trade, may be newly registered and not yet synced, or may be deregistered. Check with the business.

Why does Greece use EL?

Greek VAT numbers use the prefix EL, while EORI numbers use the ISO code GR. The tool handles both.

Can I check several numbers at once?

Yes, one per line and up to 10 at a time; copy the results or download them as CSV.

References

EU VAT & EORI Number Checker practical guide and common questions

What does EU VAT & EORI Number Checker calculate?

Paste one or more numbers (one per line, spaces allowed) and press Check. Numbers go only to the European Commission and HMRC official services and are not stored. 1) Remove spaces, dots and dashes and upper-case; 2) match the country’s format published by VIES; 3) EU/XI VAT goes to the VIES REST API, EORI to the EU EOS service and GB EORI to HMRC’s Check EORI API; 4) GB VAT: multiply the first 7 digits by 8…2, add the last two digits; the number passes if the sum (or sum + 55) is divisible by 97.

When is this useful?

IE6388047V → VIES returns valid with GOOGLE IRELAND LIMITED and its address; a GB VAT number → only HMRC’s check-digit result, with a pointer to GOV.UK.

How do I enter the inputs?

Enter the inputs for EU VAT & EORI Number Checker: VAT or EORI numbers (one per line, up to 10), Number type. Calculate, check the units and assumptions, then copy or download the results.

How should I interpret the results?

Results reflect what the official service returned at the time of the check. For zero-rated invoices, keep proof of the VIES check (the official site can issue a consultation number). VIES depends on each member state’s system; a country under maintenance shows as unavailable. Live registration for GB VAT numbers must be checked on GOV.UK (HMRC’s API requires registered credentials).

Where are my inputs processed?

Numbers are sent to the xunl.net server, which forwards them only to the official EU VIES, EU EOS and HMRC services. Results are cached in memory for 15 minutes to avoid repeat queries and are not written to logs or a database. To prevent abuse, each visitor can run 12 checks a minute and 200 a day.

EU VAT & EORI Number Checker

Inputs

Results