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Latvian VAT Number Checker
A Latvian VAT number is LV followed by eleven digits. For a company it is the eleven-digit registration number from the Enterprise Register; for an individual it is based on the personal code.
As in most Baltic states, the registration number exists whether or not the business is registered for VAT (PVN), so the shape alone proves little.
Checked live against VIES, the European Commission’s VAT Information Exchange System. Not affiliated with the European Commission or the Latvia tax authority.
Latvia VAT number format
- Local name
- PVN reģistrācijas numurs (Pievienotās vērtības nodoklis)
- Structure
- LV + 11 digits
- Format example
- LV12345678901Illustrative: right shape, not a registered business.
- Standard rate
- 21% · reduced 12%, 5%
LV plus eleven digits. Personal codes are often written with a hyphen after the sixth digit; it is removed before the check.
How this Latvia check works
- Format, in your browser. As you type, the number is compared with the Latvia pattern (prefix, length and characters). This costs nothing and sends nothing: a number in the wrong shape is rejected on the spot and never reaches the registry.
- Registration, live. A well-formed number is then looked up in VIES, the European Commission’s VAT Information Exchange System, which says whether it is registered today and, where the register publishes them, the business name and address. Free checks are limited per visitor per hour so the registry is not scraped through this page.
- More checks, or from your code. A free account gives you an API key with 100 validations a month, the same answer as this page as JSON.
What usually goes wrong
Assuming a registration number means VAT registration
Every Latvian company has a registration number; only those in the VAT register are active in VIES.
Keeping the hyphen in a personal code
Individuals' numbers are written 123456-12345 in Latvia. Strip the hyphen before sending it to VIES from your own code.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Latvian VAT number the same as the registration number?
For companies the digits are the same: LV plus the registration number. It is active in VIES only while the company is VAT registered.
What does PVN mean?
PVN (pievienotās vērtības nodoklis) is the Latvian name for VAT.
Is checking the format enough?
No. The format check catches typos; the VIES lookup tells you whether the number is registered today.
Validating Latvia numbers from your own code instead of by hand? The Latvia VAT validation API guide has the endpoint, the response shape and examples in four languages. To check a number from another country, go back to the VAT number checker.