What is VIES?

VIES stands for “VAT Information Exchange System” and is a free online service, where companies can check that businesses they are trading with are properly VAT registered. 

Why is it important to validate the VAT number of your customers?

When selling goods or services to business customers, in the EU it is generally not required to charge VAT. So not validating the VAT number of your business customer, can lead to either charging tax when it is not needed or not charging tax when you should have. 

This is why it is important to check your customer`s tax status and to validate whether they have been VAT registered in VIES.

How to use VIES?

• Go to the VIES VAT number validation page

• Select the Member State of your business customer

• Enter the VAT number of your business customer (without the 2-letter country code) 

What information can I see in the VIES registry?

• You can see whether the entered VAT number is valid or invalid

• In most cases you will be able to see the name and the address of the business