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UK VAT Number Checker
A UK VAT registration number is GB followed by nine digits, or twelve for some branch and group registrations. Since 1 January 2021 UK numbers are not in VIES; they are checked against HMRC's own VAT register.
The last two of the nine digits are check digits, so a typo is usually caught in your browser before HMRC is asked anything.
Checked live against HMRC’s VAT register. Not affiliated with the United Kingdom tax authority.
United Kingdom VAT number format
- Local name
- VAT Registration Number
- Structure
- GB + 9 digits
- Format example
- GB123456782Illustrative: right shape and check digit, not a registered business.
- Standard rate
- 20% · reduced 5%
GB plus nine digits (twelve for some branch registrations). The nine digits must pass HMRC's modulus-97 check, which this page verifies locally. Numbers starting XI belong to Northern Ireland's EU goods arrangements and are checked in VIES, not here.
How this United Kingdom check works
- Format, in your browser. As you type, the number is compared with the United Kingdom pattern and its check digit is recomputed. 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 HMRC’s VAT register, 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
Sending an EORI number
UK EORI numbers also start with GB but have twelve digits, often the VAT number followed by 000. An EORI is a customs number, not a VAT number.
Checking a UK number in VIES
VIES stopped answering for GB numbers when the UK left the EU VAT system. A VIES tool will say the number is invalid or unsupported regardless of whether it is registered.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check a UK VAT number in VIES?
No. Since 2021 UK numbers are checked against HMRC. This checker routes GB numbers to HMRC automatically.
What is the difference between a VAT number and an EORI?
The VAT number is for VAT. The EORI identifies a business to customs. A UK EORI is often GB + the VAT number + 000, which is why they get mixed up.
What does the UK check return?
Whether the number is registered, and the business name and address HMRC holds for it.
Validating United Kingdom numbers from your own code instead of by hand? The United Kingdom 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.