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What is VIES and how does it work?

Raquel
  • Opdateret

Purpose: Learn what VIES is, how it works and how to register.

Note: Only VAT numbers registered in one of the EU member states or Norther Ireland can be verified in VIES. All traders seeking to validate GB VAT numbers may address their request to the HM Revenue & Customs Authority.

What is VIES and how it works

VIES stands for VAT Information Exchange System and it's an online search engine owned by the European Commission. It works as an electronic method of VAT number validation for economic operators in the European Union region.

What does it mean in Sendcloud?

Sendcloud clients registered in Austria, Spain and Belgium can receive an invoice without VAT if their VAT number entered in Settings > Addresses > Invoice is valid in VIES.

Important note for Italian customers: All Italian users are billed through Sendcloud SRL. This means Italian VAT at 22% will always be applied to invoices, and the reverse charge mechanism is no longer available.

How to register for VIES

Registration is free. The registration process varies from one member country to another. In the case of many countries, no additional process is required other than registration to obtain a VAT number. However, in some countries, additional steps might be necessary for a VAT number to be included in VIES.

We advise you to contact your national tax authorities, either via their website, by phone or by email. Check the list of national authorities.

How to verify a VAT number in VIES

To validate whether a company is registered for VAT and cross-border trade in the European Union, follow these instructions:

  1. Open the online search engine owned by the European Commission 
  2. Select the Member State (the country where the business that you are looking for, which can be your own, is registered)
  3. Enter the VAT number without the country code
  4. Click Verify

The data is retrieved from national VAT databases when a search is made from the VIES tool. This search will allow you to check whether your VAT number is valid.

Responses

The search result that is displayed within the VIES tool can be in one of two ways:

  • VAT information exists (valid): The EU VAT information will be displayed in the VIES tool. This means that the VAT number is valid for cross-border trade in the European Union.
  • It doesn't exist (invalid): This means that the VAT number you are trying to validate is not registered in the relevant national database. This is due to one of the following reasons: the VAT number does not exist; the VAT number has not been activated for intra-EU transactions; or the registration is not yet finalized.

If you cannot find a VAT number on VIES you should first check if you wrote it correctly and if needed, request more information at national level with your national tax authorities.

FAQ

For more information or if you have any further questions, you can consult the FAQ page on VIES prepared by the European Commission or contact your national tax authorities.

Related articles

→ How do I change my invoice address and VAT number?

→ Can I get a VAT-free invoice?

→ Why did my invoice include VAT even though I should not be paying it?