How to find a VAT number for a company

There are various reasons why your business might need to look up and check the VAT number of another business. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain how to find a VAT number for companies in the UK and the EU. We’ll also cover how to check that number is valid and why finding the right number is important. 

What is a VAT number?

A VAT number – also called a VAT registration number or a VAT identification number – is a unique identifier for a business. It means that all the company’s activity relating to VAT (Value Added Tax) can be tracked. 

In the UK, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issues businesses with VAT numbers. VAT numbers always start with the letters GB (for Great Britain), followed by nine numbers. So, an example UK VAT number would be GB123456789. 

Every country in the European Union (EU) also has its own unique country code and its own format for VAT numbers. For example, VAT numbers in Latvia start with LV and have 11 digits, while Denmark uses DK and eight numbers. Businesses in Northern Ireland that trade with the EU will have a VAT number starting with XI.

See GOV.UK for the full list of EU VAT number formats.

Who has a VAT number?

Any business that’s registered for VAT will have its own VAT number. Being registered for VAT means that the company collects VAT from its customers on behalf of the government.

In the UK, any business with a taxable turnover of £90,000 or more must register for VAT. And some smaller businesses choose to register for VAT voluntarily, even though they don’t meet this threshold. 

Find out more about the VAT registration threshold and how to register. 

What’s not a VAT number?

VAT numbers sometimes get confused with other business and tax identifiers:

• Company Registration Numbers (CRN). These are unique identifiers issued by Companies House (not HMRC) when a business is incorporated. They’re made up of eight characters.
• Unique Taxpayer References (UTR). These are unique numbers issued by HMRC, either when you set up a limited company or register for Self Assessment. They’re made up of ten digits. 

How do I find a company VAT number?

If you need to find another business’s VAT number, there are a few ways to do this:

• Check invoices and other official documents. If a business is registered for VAT, it’s legally required to include its VAT number on any invoices it issues. So invoices from that business should be your first port of call. It’s also worth checking any other official documentation you’ve received from the supplier as the VAT number may well be listed there too. 
• Check the website. If the company has its own website, there’s a good chance the VAT number will be displayed somewhere. Usually this is in either the header or footer of the website. It might also be in the FAQs or on the Contact page. 
• Contact the business. If you’re struggling to find the VAT number yourself, reach out to the business directly. This is also a good way to double check that a VAT number you’ve found yourself is correct.

What should I do if I can’t find a company’s VAT number?

If you can’t find a VAT number or a way to contact the business, don’t panic! You can still reach out to HMRC, who should be able to help you find it. HMRC has a database of all businesses registered for VAT in the UK. 

Contact HMRC using its online chat service. If you can’t find the answer online, you can then call the helpline on 0300 200 3700 (or +44 2920 501 261 if you’re calling from outside the UK). 

If the business is based outside the UK, contact the relevant country’s tax administration instead.

How can I check if a VAT number is valid?

Once you’ve found a company’s VAT number, it’s a good idea to check that it’s valid. This is important to help ensure legal compliance and detect fraud – knowing it’s a real number registered to that specific business will give you peace of mind. It’ll also ensure that any VAT claims you submit won’t be rejected because you’ve used an invalid VAT number.

How to check UK VAT numbers

To check a UK VAT number, you can use HMRC’s online service. It’ll confirm whether or not the number is valid.

Simply enter the number and click “Search”. If it’s a valid VAT number, HMRC will confirm this along with the VAT registration details. That means the registered business name and the registered business address. If it’s not valid, contact the supplier to find out the correct number.

If you’re a UK business registered for VAT yourself, you can also choose to receive proof that you checked this VAT number. Again, this will help with peace of mind when ensuring the accuracy of your own VAT returns. 

Before you hit “Search,” tick the box that says “Select if you want proof of your check (for UK VAT-registered businesses only)”. You’ll need to provide your own VAT number as well. You’ll then receive proof of when you completed this check.

How to check EU VAT numbers

To check if a VAT number from any EU country is valid, you can use the European Commission’s online tool. It’s called the VAT Information Exchange System, or VIES for short. As with HMRC’s tool, it’ll confirm whether or not a number is valid.

To use the tool, you’ll need to enter:

• The EU member state (or Northern Ireland) where the number is registered
• The VAT number you want to check.

You can also provide your own country details or VAT number if you’d like to, but note that post-Brexit the UK (except Northern Ireland) is no longer listed as an option. 

If a number comes back as invalid, contact the business as you would with UK suppliers.

Note that with both services offered by HMRC and the European Commission, you need the VAT number to check the validity. Unfortunately it’s not possible to use these tools to search for a company’s VAT number itself, for example by providing the company’s name.

How can I find my own VAT number?

If you’re VAT-registered, you might also be wondering how to find your own VAT number, for example if you’d like proof from HMRC that you checked another number was valid. 

There are a few different ways to find this:

• Check your VAT registration certificate. When you registered for VAT, HMRC would have sent you a VAT registration certificate. You can find your VAT number there. 
• Check your VAT returns. Your business will need to regularly submit VAT returns to HMRC, usually once a quarter. These will always include your VAT number, so they’re a good place to look.
• Ask your bookkeeper or accountant. Your bookkeeper or accountant will use your VAT number regularly, for example when filing VAT returns. 
• Ask HMRC. If you’re really stuck, you can contact HMRC to confirm your VAT number.

Why are VAT numbers important?

So, we’ve covered the ins and outs of finding VAT numbers – both your own and those belonging to other businesses. But why would you need to find them? Well, there are plenty of important reasons…

Reclaiming VAT

If you’re a VAT-registered business collecting VAT on behalf of the government, you’re entitled to reclaim the VAT you pay to other businesses. If you’ve paid out more VAT than you’ve collected through sales, you’re even entitled to a refund from HMRC. 

But to submit a VAT claim, you need to prove the VAT transactions you’ve had with your suppliers. To do that, you’ll need official VAT invoices from those suppliers, including their valid VAT numbers.

If you can’t provide valid VAT invoices from the businesses you’ve paid VAT to, your claim could be rejected by HMRC. 

Read more: How to claim VAT back: Step-by-step guide

Filing VAT returns

If you’re a VAT-registered business, you’re legally required to submit VAT returns so that HMRC can track your VAT-related activities. Filing valid VAT returns is important for ensuring you’re paying the correct amount of tax.

It’s essential to have complete and accurate documentation of your business transactions to help you submit your returns. This includes VAT purchase invoices you’ve received and VAT sales invoices you’ve issued. HMRC may request to see these invoices, and you must keep any business records relating to VAT for at least six years.

Read more: VAT return: all the information you need

Issuing and paying invoices

If a supplier invoices you for VAT but doesn’t include their VAT number on the invoice, you should contact them as soon as possible. Inform them of the error, and request a valid VAT invoice that includes their unique ID. 

Similarly, if you’re VAT-registered, you’re legally required to issue VAT invoices to your clients and customers. These invoices should always include your VAT number.

Read more: How to Invoice as a Sole Trader: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Building trust and legitimacy

Many businesses will trust other businesses more if they’re VAT-registered. In fact, some will only trade with other VAT-registered businesses. 

Having another company’s VAT number and knowing that it’s valid also helps prove legitimacy. It shows the company is registered with the relevant tax administration and is authorised to collect VAT on that administration’s behalf. 

So, finding valid numbers for businesses you trade with can give you peace of mind. And being able to provide your own VAT number to others could help your business do better. 

Quickfire summary

There are a few different ways to find a VAT number, including invoices and company websites. You can also contact companies or the relevant tax administration directly if you get stuck. And you can find your own VAT number on your VAT registration certificate and VAT returns. 

HMRC and the European Commission both offer online tools to check the validity of VAT numbers. It’s important to know valid numbers for the businesses you deal with so that you can manage your VAT affairs correctly.