VIES – check the contractor's EU VAT number
Check your contractor's EU VAT number in the VIES system and confirm their status for intra-EU transactions. You can copy the result, save it to your history, or print it as confirmation of the verification.
VIES retrieves data from national registers. Temporarily unavailable registers do not mean that the number is invalid.
How to check your EU VAT number in VIES?
Checking your EU VAT number takes just a few moments. To verify, you'll need the country code and the customer number without the prefix. The tool forwards the query to the VIES system and displays the response.
- Select the contractor's country
Indicate the country that issued the number, e.g. PL, DE, FR or IT.
- Enter your VAT number
Enter the part of the number after the country prefix.
- Optionally, enter your own EU VAT
Your own country and number may allow you to obtain a consultation ID.
- Click "Check with VIES"
Read the status and keep the confirmation if needed.
The system confirmed the EU VAT information for the indicated number.
VIES has not confirmed the active status for the data provided.
The query was not resolved. This message does not indicate a negative outcome.
What is VIES?
VIES is an EU system for checking information on EU VAT numbers. Although users often search for "VIES database," it is not formally a central database of taxpayers. During the query, the VIES search engine retrieves information from the national VAT database of the country that issued the number.
This means that the European Commission provides a query mechanism, while the data comes from national registers. VIES checks help determine whether a given number has an active status for trade within the European Union. International terms for this type of check include "VIES checker" and "VAT number check EU.".
Official Your Europe information about the VIES system →What does a positive VIES result mean?
Active EU VAT number
A positive EU VAT verification means that the system has confirmed the EU VAT information for the specified country and number at the time of the query. If the national register provides additional data, the result may include a name or address. However, the scope of this information depends on the rules and data provided by the relevant national register.
What does an invalid or inactive EU VAT number mean?
The message "VIES number invalid" means that the system did not validate the EU VAT information for the data provided. According to the official EU portal, this could be because the VAT number does not exist in VIES, has not been activated for intra-EU transactions, or the actual registration has not yet been completed.
Check the data
Compare the country, prefix, and number with the counterparty's documents. Remove any extra spaces or characters.
Try again
Please re-check your EU VAT number to rule out a temporary connection problem.
Ask your contractor
Ask for confirmation of the number and activation for intra-EU transactions.
Contact the administration
If the status is still in doubt, verification can be clarified with the relevant national administration.
An inactive EU VAT number should not be automatically "corrected" by selecting another country. The query country must match the prefix and the country that issued the number.
VIES not working or registry unavailable – what to do?
The VIES system uses national VAT databases, so a specific database may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance or connection issues. A "VIES unavailable" message or a VIES error does not automatically mean that the customer number is invalid.
In such a situation, do not record unavailability as a negative result. Please verify the accuracy of your data and retry your request after some time. If the matter is urgent, the status can be confirmed with the relevant national administration.
Why is it important to keep your VIES verification confirmation?
The official Your Europe portal recommends keeping proof of verification in the event of a tax audit. A VIES confirmation documents that the company performed a contractor check at a specific point in time and received a specific system response.
In the Taxenlight the result can be copied, saved to history , printed, or saved as a PDF. The scope of data depends on the response received from the register. It's a good idea to save the result along with the date of the verification and the contractor number for which the query was made.
VIES and intra-Community transactions
EU contractor
Collect the correct country and EU VAT number of the buyer or supplier.
EU VAT contractor verification
Check VIES and keep the confirmation you receive.
Transaction evaluation
Please check the other terms and conditions regarding IDT or other settlement separately.
Before an intra-Community transaction, checking the contractor's VIES is an important element of verifying their EU VAT status. However, a valid VIES number alone does not confirm the transport of goods, the type of service, documentation, or other settlement criteria. Therefore, a positive result should not be considered the sole condition for applying the 0% VAT rate to intra-Community supplies.
EU VAT number and national VAT or NIP number
Tax or VAT number
Identifies the taxpayer in the national system in accordance with the rules of the given country.
Active EU VAT number
Status relevant to intra-EU transactions, which can be checked via VIES.
Having a national VAT number or a Polish Tax Identification Number (NIP) doesn't necessarily mean you're eligible for intra-EU transactions. That's why an EU VAT check is performed separately. This page doesn't describe the registration procedure; it's intended to verify the status of a number you've already provided.
VIES and the VAT White List – what is the difference?
VIES
It is used to verify EU VAT numbers in the context of intra-Community transactions. The response is based on data from the relevant national register.
VAT White List
This is a Polish list of VAT payers containing data specific to the Polish system, including information needed for the inspection of a domestic contractor.
Use a separate tool to avoid confusing EU VAT verification with the Polish list check.
VIES – frequently asked questions
How to check your EU VAT number?
Select the country that issued the number, enter the part of the number without the country prefix, and click "Check in VIES." The system will return information about whether the number has an active EU VAT status. If you need proof of verification, copy the result, save it to your history, or print it to a PDF file, along with the verification date.
How to check a contractor in VIES?
Request your counterparty's full EU VAT number, compare the prefix with the country of registration, and then complete the query. Optionally, you can also provide your own EU VAT number. Verifying the counterparty's EU VAT number confirms the number's status but does not replace checking the other conditions of the planned transaction.
What does an active EU VAT number in VIES mean?
An active result means that the system has confirmed the EU VAT information for the specified number at the time of the query. The name and address can only be displayed if the data provided by the relevant national register allows it. The result does not automatically determine the tax treatment of the transaction.
Why is the EU VAT number invalid in VIES?
The number may not exist, not yet be activated for intra-EU transactions, or its registration may be pending. First, check the country and the number's spelling, then repeat the query and ask the counterparty for confirmation. If necessary, clarify the status with the relevant national administration.
What to do if VIES does not work?
Do not consider a technical error as a negative result. VIES queries national registers, which may be temporarily unavailable. Please check your data and try again later. If verification is urgent, contact the tax administration responsible for the number.
Does VIES check the Polish NIP?
VIES can verify a Polish number against EU VAT status by selecting Poland and entering the number without the PL prefix. However, it is not equivalent to the Polish VAT White List and is not intended to verify all information contained in the national taxpayer register.
Should the VIES result be kept?
Yes, it's worth keeping proof of the verification. The official Your Europe portal advises that you keep this proof in case of a tax audit. The Taxenlight tool allows you to copy the result, save it to your history, and print or save it as a PDF.
Are VIES and the VAT White List the same?
No. VIES is used to check the status of an EU VAT number, while the White List is the Polish register of VAT taxpayers. For foreign contractors and intra-EU transactions, VIES will be the appropriate reference, while the VAT White List may be needed to verify the data of a Polish taxpayer.
Is a positive VIES result enough to apply 0% VAT?
No. A positive result confirms your EU VAT number status, but applying the 0% rate also requires meeting other conditions specific to the specific transaction. Depending on the situation, the type of delivery, the movement of goods, documentation, and deadlines may be important.