Home › VAT Number Format Checker
What this checks
Every VAT system publishes the shape its numbers take: a country prefix, a fixed count of digits, and sometimes letters in set positions. This tool compares what you type against those published patterns — nothing more.
| Scheme | Expected format |
|---|---|
| GB VAT | GB + 9 digits (12 for branch traders; GD/HA + 3 digits for government departments and health authorities) |
| DE VAT | DE + 9 digits |
| FR VAT | FR + 2-character key + 9 digits |
| IE VAT | IE + 7 digits + 1–2 letters |
| ES VAT | ES + letter/digit + 7 digits + letter/digit |
| IT VAT | IT + 11 digits |
| NL VAT | NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits |
| BE VAT | BE + 0 + 9 digits |
| PL VAT | PL + 10 digits |
| US EIN | 2 digits + hyphen + 7 digits |
Why bother checking format at all?
Because most bad numbers on invoices and forms are bad at this first hurdle — a missing digit, a transposed prefix, a personal tax number pasted into the VAT box. A format check catches those instantly, before a form is rejected or a payment is queried. What it can never do is tell you the number belongs to the business named on the paperwork.
Common questions
It says the format matches — can I rely on the number?
No. Treat a match as “worth proceeding to a real check”, never as proof. Confirm EU numbers through VIES and GB numbers through HMRC's checker; an EIN can only be confirmed by the IRS or the business's own IRS paperwork.
Do I need to type the country letters?
For the European schemes you can type just the digits/letters — the tool adds the selected country's prefix before testing. For the US EIN, type it with its hyphen, as issued.