EORI Verifier – check your EORI number online
Check the EORI number of a company or contractor in the official system. You can enter the full EORI number or the Tax Identification Number of a Polish company; EU and XI numbers are checked by the European Commission, and GB numbers by HMRC.
Simply creating the PL + NIP + 00000 format does not guarantee EORI status. Validity is confirmed only by a response from the European Commission. For GB numbers, the source of the result is HMRC.
How to check your EORI number?
EORI number verification can begin with the full identifier or the Polish company's Tax Identification Number (NIP). In both cases, Taxenlight sends the specific number to the appropriate official system for verification, then displays the status, source, and response time.
Full EORI
Paste in the country prefix and identifier. The EU and XI numbers will be sent to the European Commission system, while the GB number will be sent to HMRC.
Tax Identification Number of a Polish company
Enter 10 digits. The tool will create a possible Polish EORI format and check its actual validity.
Checking a contractor's EORI number doesn't require creating an account. You can copy the result, save it to your local history, or print it to a PDF.
How to check EORI by NIP?
In the "Polish Company Tax Identification Number" mode, enter the correct, 10-digit Tax Identification Number (NIP). The EORI search engine uses the NIP number to generate a query structure described by PUESC:
For example, for NIP 1234567890, the string PL123456789000000 would be checked . The tool does not assign an EORI number, but only builds a possible format and submits it for official verification.
Simply creating the sequence PL + NIP + 00000 does not confirm that the company has an active EORI number. Only a positive result returned by the official system is decisive.
What does the EORI verification result mean?
The relevant official system has confirmed an active identifier for customs operations.
Check for typos and prefixes. This may be due to a lack of registration or a previous cancellation; the result does not mean the company no longer exists.
The number may be valid even if the entity's data is not disclosed. Publication depends on consent and the scope of data in the register.
If the European Commission or HMRC are temporarily unavailable, the tool will display a "no response" message. This is not a negative result – you should check again later.
What is an EORI number?
EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is a unique identifier for an economic operator or other person used in contacts with customs authorities. In the EU system, a person can have only one valid EORI at a time.
The number is used for identification purposes, including import, export, transit, and other activities requiring data from a customs participant. It is not a VAT number or confirmation of EU VAT taxpayer status.
What does an EORI number look like?
The EU EORI number format begins with the two-letter code of the issuing country. This is followed by a national identifier of up to 15 alphanumeric characters. There is no need to create a table of formats for all countries—the most important thing is to use the full number provided by the contractor.
Country code + ID
For example, the Polish format for a typical entrepreneur is PL + NIP + 00000. XI applies to relevant operations in Northern Ireland.
GB + 12–15 digits
The UK GB ID is checked against a separate official HMRC system.
EORI and NIP and EU VAT – these are not the same numbers
Tax Identification Number
Polish Tax Identification Number used in the national tax system.
EU VAT
Status relevant to relevant intra-EU transactions, verified in VIES.
EORI
Customs identifier used for import, export, transit and clearance.
VIES is a different register and answers a different question than the EORI verifier.
EORI EU, EORI GB and EORI XI – what is the difference?
Number issued by a Member State and checked against the European Commission register.
UK number for relevant UK operations. Taxenlight routes it to the official HMRC API.
An identifier related to relevant operations relating to Northern Ireland, verifiable against the EU system.
When is an EORI number needed?
The EORI number identifies an economic operator to customs authorities. It is required for customs operations within the EU, particularly import, export, and transit, as well as for certain customs declarations and applications. The appropriate number depends on the territory and the company's role in the operation.
Import
Identification of the entity involved in the entry of goods and import clearance.
Export
Details of the trader submitting or handling the export declaration.
Transit
Identification of the participant in the movement of goods under the customs procedure.
The company does not have EORI – what next?
A Polish company requiring a customs identifier registers its data and obtains an EORI number via PUESC. An entity established in another EU country generally applies for the number in its country of establishment. For a non-EU business, the country of the first customs operation or another rule specific to its situation may be applicable.
The string PL + NIP + 00000 is used to check the typical Polish format. It does not replace registration and does not assign an active EORI number to the company.
EORI number verification – frequently asked questions
How to check your EORI number?
Select the full number mode, enter the country prefix and identifier, and run the check. EU and XI country numbers will be checked against the European Commission system, while EORI numbers starting with GB will be checked against the official HMRC system.
How to check EORI by NIP?
Select the "Polish Company Tax Identification Number" mode and enter 10 digits. The tool will create the format PL + NIP + 00000 and submit it to the official registry. Simply building the string doesn't mean the company has an EORI number—this is confirmed only by the verification result.
What does a Polish EORI number look like?
For a typical Polish entrepreneur, the number is constructed as the country code PL, the 10-digit NIP and five zeros, i.e. PL + NIP + 00000. The format can be used for checking, but it should not be treated as an assigned number without confirmation in the register.
What does it mean that an EORI number is valid?
This means that the official system has confirmed an active EORI identifier. However, the result does not determine all the conditions of a specific clearance or the company's role in the transaction. The absence of a public name or address does not automatically change the positive status of the number.
Why is the EORI number invalid?
This could be due to a typo, an incorrect prefix, a missing registration, or a previously invalidated number. An invalid or unconfirmed result does not mean the company does not exist. Please verify the data and, if necessary, clarify the status with your counterparty or the relevant customs authority.
Is the EORI number the same as the Tax Identification Number?
No. NIP is the Polish tax identification number, while EORI is used for customs identification. For a typical Polish company, NIP may be part of the EORI number, but the two identifiers have different functions and should not be used interchangeably.
Is EORI the same as EU VAT?
No. EORI identifies the economic operator for customs purposes, while EU VAT identifies the status for relevant intra-EU transactions and is checked against VIES. A company may need both numbers, but one does not automatically confirm the validity of the other.
Is it possible to check the contractor's EORI?
Yes. Enter the full number provided by the customer and run the verification. The result will show validity according to the relevant register, and the name and address will only appear if the system provides them. It's important to note the date, time, and source of the verification.
Is there one EORI for the entire EU?
An EORI number issued by a Member State identifies an entity within the EU customs territory; a person can have only one valid EU EORI number at a time. However, this does not mean that the EU number replaces the UK EORI GB for operations requiring a UK identifier.
Does the EORI number expire?
The EU EORI number has no set expiry date. However, it can be invalidated upon request or upon the termination of the business. Therefore, it is worth re-checking the current status of the number before an important customs operation.
How to check EORI GB?
Enter the full number starting with GB. Taxenlight will recognize the prefix and route the query to HMRC's production API designed for validating UK EORI numbers. The result will show the status, name, and address if the holder has consented to their publication.
What is the difference between EORI GB and XI?
EORI GB applies to relevant operations involving Great Britain and is verified by HMRC. EORI XI applies to relevant operations involving Northern Ireland and can be verified against the EU EORI system. The number chosen depends on the route and type of operation.