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EU VAT number formats by country

Updated 2026-10-11

Every EU VAT number starts with a two-letter country prefix followed by up to 12 characters. Spaces, dots and dashes are not part of the number. Use the table below, or paste any number into the VAT checker: it validates the format first and then asks VIES whether the number is active.

Country	Prefix	Format	Example	Local name
Austria	`AT`	ATU + 8 digits	`ATU12345678`	UID-Nummer (Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer)
Belgium	`BE`	BE + 10 digits (starts with 0 or 1)	`BE0123456789`	BTW-nummer / numéro de TVA
Bulgaria	`BG`	BG + 9 or 10 digits	`BG123456789`	ИН по ДДС (DDS number)
Cyprus	`CY`	CY + 8 digits + 1 letter	`CY12345678X`	Αριθμός Εγγραφής Φ.Π.Α. (TIC/VAT)
Czech Republic	`CZ`	CZ + 8, 9 or 10 digits	`CZ12345678`	DIČ (daňové identifikační číslo)
Germany	`DE`	DE + 9 digits	`DE123456789`	USt-IdNr. (Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer)
Denmark	`DK`	DK + 8 digits	`DK12345678`	CVR / SE-nummer (momsregistreringsnummer)
Estonia	`EE`	EE + 9 digits (starts with 10)	`EE101234567`	KMKR number (käibemaksukohustuslase number)
Greece	`EL`	EL + 9 digits	`EL123456789`	ΑΦΜ (AFM)
Spain	`ES`	ES + 9 characters (letter or digit first and last)	`ESX1234567X`	NIF-IVA (NIF / CIF)
Finland	`FI`	FI + 8 digits	`FI12345678`	ALV-numero (based on Y-tunnus)
France	`FR`	FR + 2 characters (key) + 9-digit SIREN	`FR12123456789`	Numéro de TVA intracommunautaire
Croatia	`HR`	HR + 11 digits	`HR12345678901`	PDV ID (OIB)
Hungary	`HU`	HU + 8 digits	`HU12345678`	Közösségi adószám
Ireland	`IE`	IE + 8 or 9 characters	`IE1234567X`	VAT number (based on TRN/PPSN)
Italy	`IT`	IT + 11 digits	`IT12345678901`	Partita IVA
Lithuania	`LT`	LT + 9 or 12 digits	`LT123456789`	PVM mokėtojo kodas
Luxembourg	`LU`	LU + 8 digits	`LU12345678`	Numéro d'identification à la TVA
Latvia	`LV`	LV + 11 digits	`LV12345678901`	PVN reģistrācijas numurs
Malta	`MT`	MT + 8 digits	`MT12345678`	VAT number
Netherlands	`NL`	NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits	`NL123456789B01`	Btw-identificatienummer
Poland	`PL`	PL + 10 digits	`PL1234567890`	NIP (numer identyfikacji podatkowej)
Portugal	`PT`	PT + 9 digits	`PT123456789`	NIF / NIPC
Romania	`RO`	RO + 2 to 10 digits	`RO1234567890`	CIF / cod de înregistrare în scopuri de TVA
Sweden	`SE`	SE + 12 digits (ends in 01)	`SE123456789001`	Momsregistreringsnummer
Slovenia	`SI`	SI + 8 digits	`SI12345678`	ID za DDV
Slovakia	`SK`	SK + 10 digits	`SK1234567890`	IČ DPH
Northern Ireland	`XI`	XI + 9 or 12 digits	`XI123456789`	UK VAT number (XI prefix)

Common gotchas

Greece uses EL, not the ISO code GR.
Austria: the number always starts with U after the prefix (ATU12345678).
Netherlands: the B01-style suffix is part of the number.
Finland: drop the hyphen from the Y-tunnus (1234567-8 becomes FI12345678).
Sweden: the organisation number followed by 01.
UK: GB numbers aren't in VIES since Brexit; Northern Ireland uses XI. See checking UK VAT numbers.

A correct format doesn't mean the number is registered. Only a live VIES check confirms that. Examples above are format illustrations, not real businesses.

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