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VAT number format checker for the EU, UK and GCC

A VAT identification number identifies a VAT-registered business; in the EU it starts with a two-letter country prefix, such as DE or EL, followed by a national number with a fixed structure.

Check the format of up to 500 EU, UK, UAE and Saudi VAT numbers against each country's published structure. Format only; confirm registration in VIES.

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EU and Northern Ireland formats from the European Commission's VIES FAQ; UAE and Saudi formats from the UAE and ZATCA e-invoicing specifications. Reviewed 30 October 2026.

This checks formats only. It does not check digits, because the European Commission says it cannot disclose the national check-digit algorithms, and it does not check registration. Confirm an EU number in VIES and a UK or GCC number with the tax authority.

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Inputs

Up to 500 lines. Spaces, dots and hyphens are ignored.

Result

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Checked7
Format OK6
Invalid format1
Not checked0

Format check only — not a check-digit or registration (VIES/HMRC) check. To confirm a number is registered, use VIES (EU and XI numbers), HMRC's UK VAT number checker (GB), the FTA TRN verification (UAE) or ZATCA's VAT number search (Saudi Arabia).

VAT and tax number format check

NumberCountryResultDetail
DE123456789Germany (DE)Format OKMatches DE + 9 digits.
ATU12345678Austria (AT)Format OKMatches ATU + 8 digits.
NL123456789B01Netherlands (NL)Format OKMatches NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits.
EL123456789Greece (EL)Format OKMatches EL + 9 digits.
XI123456789Northern Ireland (XI)Format OKMatches XI + 9 or 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits.
BE123456789Belgium (BE)Invalid formatExpected BE + 10 digits starting with 0 or 1.
GB123456789United Kingdom (GB)Format OKMatches GB + 9 or 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits.
DE123456789: Format OK. Matches DE + 9 digits.
ATU12345678: Format OK. Matches ATU + 8 digits.
NL123456789B01: Format OK. Matches NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits.
EL123456789: Format OK. Matches EL + 9 digits.
XI123456789: Format OK. Matches XI + 9 or 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits.
BE123456789: Invalid format. Expected BE + 10 digits starting with 0 or 1.
GB123456789: Format OK. Matches GB + 9 or 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits.

Format check only — not a check-digit or registration (VIES/HMRC) check.

Examples

Germany

DE123456789: DE followed by 9 digits matches the German format.

Netherlands

NL123456789B01: 9 digits, the letter B and 2 digits. NL123456789 without the B01 part fails.

Greece uses EL

Greek VAT numbers start with EL, not GR. GR123456789 is flagged with a note to write EL123456789.

Northern Ireland

XI123456789 is a Northern Ireland number for trade in goods with the EU; it has the same structure as a GB number.

Saudi Arabia

300000000000003: 15 digits that start and end with 3, the format ZATCA specifies. It is written without a country prefix.

Wrong length

BE123456789 fails: Belgian numbers have 10 digits after BE, starting with 0 or 1.

How to use it

  1. Paste one VAT number per line, with its country prefix, up to 500.
  2. Choose a default country for numbers written without a prefix, such as UAE TRNs and Saudi VAT numbers.
  3. Read the result for each line, with the expected format when it doesn't match.
  4. Confirm the numbers you rely on in VIES or with the tax authority.

Questions

Does this tell me whether a VAT number is registered?
No. It checks only that the number has the right format for its country. Use the European Commission's VIES service to confirm that an EU number is registered, and the tax authority's own service for UK, UAE or Saudi numbers.
Does it check the check digits?
No. The European Commission states that it cannot disclose the check-digit algorithms, and none was confirmed from an official national source, so every number is checked for format only.
Which countries are covered?
The 27 EU member states, Northern Ireland (XI), Great Britain (GB), the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain and Oman are listed but not checked, because no official format was confirmed.
Why must Greek numbers start with EL?
The EU's VAT systems use EL as Greece's prefix, while the ISO country code is GR. A number entered with GR is flagged.
What is an XI VAT number?
A UK VAT number used by Northern Ireland businesses that trade goods with the EU. It has the same structure as a GB number.
What format do UAE and Saudi numbers have?
A UAE TRN is 15 digits starting with 1 and ending with 03. A Saudi VAT number is 15 digits starting and ending with 3. Both are written without a country prefix, so choose the default country.
Are the numbers I paste uploaded?
No. The check runs entirely in your browser and nothing is uploaded. This tool does not keep a draft in your browser.

Sources

Last reviewed