VAT Number Validator (EU)

A VAT identification number (VATIN) is a unique identifier assigned to businesses registered for Value Added Tax in the European Union and some other countries.

VAT Number Structure

[Country Code] [Number]

• Country Code: 2 letters (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2)
• Number: 2–13 alphanumeric characters (country-specific format)

What Gets Checked

• Valid EU/associated country prefix
• Correct length for the country
• Format matches country-specific pattern (digits, letters, special characters)
• Check digit validation where applicable (DE, FR, IT, ES, etc.)

EU Member State Formats

Country	Prefix	Format	Example
Austria	ATU	U + 8 digits	ATU12345678
Belgium	BE	10 digits	BE0123456789
France	FR	2 chars + 9 digits	FR83404833048
Germany	DE	9 digits	DE123456789
Italy	IT	11 digits	IT12345678901
Netherlands	NL	12 chars (9 digits + B + 2 digits)	NL123456789B01
Spain	ES	1 letter + 7 digits + 1 char	ESB12345678

Limitations

This validator checks the format and structure of a VAT number. It does NOT verify:

• Whether the business is currently registered or active
• Company name or registration details
• Real-time VIES database status (use the EU VIES service for that)

You can embed this util on your own site as a widget. Adding ?embed=1 to the URL loads a compact version with just the tool itself; no header, menu, or documentation. Paste this snippet into your HTML:

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