Invalid VAT number in VIES: possible causes and further checks

VIES is a European Commission search engine using national VAT databases, not a separate database.

What does an invalid result mean?

The Commission lists three possible causes:

• the VAT number does not exist;
• it has not been activated for intra-EU transactions;
• registration is not yet complete — some EU countries require separate registration for these transactions.

Changes are not always immediately visible in national databases or, consequently, in VIES. The result alone does not identify the cause. This article does not use it to determine whether a taxpayer exists, eligibility for the 0% rate or whether reverse charge applies.

What next?

For urgent matters, contact your country’s tax administration. If a business partner claims VAT registration but VIES does not confirm it, you can request verification from their country’s tax office. Additional registration for intra-EU transactions may be needed; procedures vary by country.

National authorities can confirm the number’s validity and its association with a supplied name and address. They do not disclose the name or address assigned to it.

Unavailability is not an invalid result

An unavailability message, for example during national database maintenance, indicates an access problem, not a number verification result. Try again after a few minutes or hours.

Keep evidence of the check for a tax inspection. The Commission is not responsible for national data accuracy and cannot correct it.

Official source: Your Europe — Checking a VAT number (VIES).

Evidence scope: only the supplied source version, main-content region (evidence-region-v1), including substantive content [13627–17886] and “Last checked: 18/06/2026” [18559–18590]. Current accuracy and publication readiness have not been confirmed.