Check if a VAT number is valid using the EU's official VIES registry. Verify before applying Reverse Charge.
Enter an EU VAT number to validate via VIES
Include the 2-letter country prefix (DE, FR, NL, etc.)
VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) is the European Commission’s official database for validating EU VAT identification numbers. When a business claims to be VAT-registered, you can verify their number through VIES to confirm it’s active and legitimate.
If you sell B2B across the EU, you must validate customer VAT IDs before applying Reverse Charge (0% VAT). If you charge 0% VAT to a customer with an invalid VAT number, you could be liable for the unpaid VAT. VIES validation is your proof that you performed due diligence.
Enter a VAT number (with or without the country prefix) and we’ll check it against the VIES registry in real time. You’ll see whether the number is valid, the registered company name and address, and the date of the check. For automated validation on every Stripe transaction, use vidaReady.
Each EU country has its own VAT number format. For example: Germany uses DE followed by 9 digits (DE123456789), France uses FR followed by 2 characters and 9 digits (FR12345678901), and the Netherlands uses NL followed by 12 characters (NL123456789B01). This tool accepts all 27 EU formats.
vidaReady checks every customer's VAT ID via VIES in real time and applies the correct classification (B2B/B2C/Reverse Charge) automatically.