For B2B cross-border sales in the European Union, it is important to understand if your buyer is registered for VAT.  It is important if you want to issue an invoice. Because sometimes a reverse charge mechanism can be applied when the seller and buyer registered for VAT businesses.

VAT number check by company name

For those looking for information about a company’s VAT number, date, and place of incorporation, this can be crucial when dealing with a business as a supplier or customer. We have prepared 9 resources where you can find out the company’s VAT number, date, and address of registration if you have the name of the company.

Here are some more ways to find out the VAT number of the company:

1. Check the company’s website: Many companies list their VAT number and other registration details on their website.
2. Contact the company directly: You can ask the company for their VAT number, address, and registration date directly.
3. Check other online databases: Some countries may have their own online databases for verifying VAT numbers and registration details.
4. Use a commercial service: There are several commercial services available that provide access to global company data, including registration details and VAT numbers. These services may require a subscription or payment.

Using these resources, you can easily find the VAT number, date, and place of registration of the company. This information is necessary, among other things, to verify the identity of the company and comply with tax laws.

To check if  the company’s VAT number is valid, you can use our VAT checker

6 reasons why VAT number is not displayed in the VIES database

There could be several reasons why a VAT number is not displayed in the VIES database here are some most prevailing ones:

1. The main and most prevalent case is when the company’s VAT number is not registered for intra-EU supplies. Some countries in the EU, for example, Spain have a separate registration (Form 036 Register declaration for registration, modification, and cancellation and simplified register declaration) for intra-EU trade. In the first step, the company obtain a Spanish VAT number which is valid for Spain only. To be able to use the Spanish VAT number for intra-EU trade companies need to apply for additional registration. Some countries such as Germany automatically send all the info to the VIES database without any actions from a taxpayer’s side.
2. The second common case is when the VAT number is just received by a taxpayer. Delayed registration: It may take some time for newly registered VAT numbers to be added to the VIES database. If the registration is recent, the VAT number may not yet be displayed. On average, it takes from 3 days to 2 weeks until the number appears in the VIES database.
3. The third most common case is technical issues: There may be technical issues with an exchange between the country VAT database and the VIES database as well as system maintenance or connectivity problems, that could prevent the VAT number from being displayed.
4. Incorrect VAT number: If the VAT number entered by the user is incorrect, it will not match the records in the database, and the number will not be displayed.
5. Deregistration: If a company has deregistered for VAT, its number will not appear in the VIES database.
6. Non-compliance: If a company has not submitted its VAT returns or has not paid its VAT, its number may be removed from the VIES database.

What to do if the valid VAT company number is not added to the VIES database?

1. Contact the Tax Authority of the country where the number was registered and draw their attention to the fact that the VAT number is not displayed in the database. Most likely, upon your appeal to the registration department, this issue will be resolved and the data will appear.
2. If your country is on the list of countries where you need a special application to be added to the EU VAT database- apply for VIES VAT registration.

Here is a list of the countries which need special registration to see a number in the VIES database.

• Spain
• Italy
• Ireland

E-commerce sellers must recognize the significance of verifying the VAT company number, date, and place of incorporation when engaging with potential business partners or suppliers. This is a crucial step in complying with VAT regulations and protecting their business from potential legal troubles. By verifying these details, e-commerce sellers can confirm that the other party is registered as a VAT payer, and their registration information is accurate. It is crucial as conducting business with unregistered or fraudulent companies can make the e-commerce seller liable for any unpaid VAT. Furthermore, if an e-commerce seller is claiming a VAT refund on business expenses, it is crucial to ensure the vendor’s VAT registration details are correct. Providing incorrect information can result in the claim being declined or even a Tax Authority investigation.