A valid result in the EU’s VIES system proves one thing: the VAT number is registered with a tax authority for cross-border trade on the day you look it up. It does not prove who is using the number, that the company is still active in the business register, or that it is not on a sanctions list. To see all of that in one place, search the company free on CheckBiz — the full report costs €1.99.
This guide is one step in How to verify a company in Europe before you pay it — the four checks to make in the official registers before you pay a new supplier.
- What does a VIES VAT number check prove?
- Why can a real VAT number come back invalid?
- What doesn’t a VAT number check prove?
- What should you compare before you pay?
- How do you verify all of it in one search?
- FAQ
What does a VIES VAT number check prove?
VIES (the VAT Information Exchange System) is the European Commission’s lookup service. It keeps no register of its own: it sends your query to the tax authority of the country in the number’s prefix and shows that authority’s answer.
A “valid” answer tells you that:
- the number exists in that country’s tax records,
- it is registered for intra-EU transactions, so it can appear on a cross-border invoice,
- and, where the country shares them, which name and address the number belongs to.
That last point varies more than most buyers expect. Look up a German VAT number in VIES and the answer is “valid” — with no company name and no address. For a German supplier, a valid result therefore says nothing about who owns the number. You have to compare the name with the German business register instead.
Why can a real VAT number come back invalid?
An “invalid” result doesn’t always mean a fake number. As the European Commission’s VIES service explains, some member states only record numbers that are registered for intra-EU trade. A correct domestic VAT number can fail if the business never registered for cross-border transactions. A number can also have been deregistered, or typed with the wrong country prefix.
UK numbers are a separate case. VIES stopped validating GB VAT numbers on 1 January 2021, so use HMRC’s Check a UK VAT number service instead. Numbers with the XI prefix (Northern Ireland) can still be looked up in VIES.
What doesn’t a VAT number check prove?
A VAT registration is a tax record, not a verdict on the company. A valid result does not tell you:
- whether the company is active, dissolved or bankrupt in the business register — VAT status and company status are separate records and are not always updated together,
- that the person emailing you works for that company,
- that the bank account on the invoice belongs to it,
- whether the company appears on EU, UN or US sanctions lists.
A valid VAT number tells you the number is real. It doesn’t tell you the supplier is.
What should you compare before you pay?
Put the invoice next to the official records. Every line should match before money leaves your account.
| Detail on the invoice | Compare it with | Stop and ask if … |
|---|---|---|
| VAT number and country prefix | VIES (EU) or HMRC (UK) | the result is invalid, or the prefix doesn’t match the supplier’s country |
| Company name | The name in VIES, or the business register when VIES shows none | the names differ |
| Address | The registered address | the invoice address is elsewhere with no explanation |
| Company status | The national business register | the company is dissolved, in liquidation or bankrupt |
| Bank account holder | The company name | the account is in another name or another country |
How do you verify all of it in one search?
By hand, that means VIES or HMRC for the VAT number, the right national business register for the status, and the sanctions lists for the name — a different register in every country. CheckBiz puts it in one search:
- Search the company by name — free.
- Open the free public profile to make sure you have the right company.
- Buy the full report for €1.99 to see identity, active status, VAT registration and sanctions screening together, plus ownership and financials where the national register publishes them.
No account needed. See how it works, what each country covers and pricing.
FAQ
Does a valid VAT number prove that a company exists?
It proves the number is registered with a tax authority. It doesn’t confirm that the company is still active in the business register, so look it up there as well.
Why does VIES show no name or address?
Some countries, Germany among them, only return whether the number is valid. Compare the company name with the national business register instead.
Can I check a UK VAT number in VIES?
No. GB VAT numbers are checked with HMRC’s own service. Numbers with the XI prefix (Northern Ireland) can still be checked in VIES.
Does a VAT number check include a sanctions check?
No. Sanctions lists are a separate lookup. A CheckBiz report screens the company against sanctions lists alongside the VAT result.
When should I run the check?
Just before you pay or sign, because a VAT registration can be cancelled at any time. Save the result with the date.
Paying a supplier you haven’t worked with before? Search the company free on CheckBiz and see whether it is real, active and VAT-registered before the money leaves your account.
Read also
- Can you check a European company against sanctions lists without an account?
- Supplier scam red flags you can check in the company register before you pay
This content was generated with artificial intelligence.
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