What is an EU VAT invoice checker?
An EU VAT invoice checker is a tool that validates whether your invoice contains all required fields according to EU regulations. It checks for mandatory information like invoice number, date, VAT IDs, descriptions, and amounts, and verifies that VAT numbers follow the correct country-specific format.
Which countries are supported?
All 27 EU member states are supported: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Each country has specific VAT ID format validation.
What fields are required on an EU VAT invoice?
According to EU regulations, a valid VAT invoice must include:
- Invoice number (unique sequential identifier)
- Invoice date (date of issuance)
- Seller's VAT identification number
- Buyer's VAT identification number
- Description of goods or services supplied
- Net amount (excluding VAT)
- VAT amount
- Total amount (including VAT)
How do VAT ID formats differ by country?
Each EU country has a unique VAT ID format. Examples include:
- Germany (DE): DE123456789 (9 digits)
- France (FR): FRXX123456789 (2 characters + 9 digits)
- Netherlands (NL): NL123456789B01 (9 digits + B + 2 digits)
- Spain (ES): ESX12345678 (1 character + 7 digits + 1 character)
- Italy (IT): IT12345678901 (11 digits)
Our validator checks the correct format for each country automatically.
Is my invoice data kept private and secure?
Yes, absolutely. All validation is performed entirely in your web browser using JavaScript. Your invoice data never leaves your device and is never sent to any server. This ensures complete privacy and security for your sensitive business information.
Can I validate VAT invoices from different EU countries?
Yes! Simply select the country from the dropdown menu, and the validator will apply the correct requirements and VAT ID format validation for that specific country. You can switch between countries at any time to validate invoices from different EU member states.
What is the auto-detection feature?
The auto-detection feature allows you to paste raw invoice text (from a PDF, email, or document), and the tool will automatically extract key fields like invoice number, dates, VAT IDs, and amounts. This saves time compared to manually typing each field. After extraction, you can review and adjust the detected values before validation.
Does this tool verify VAT numbers with tax authorities?
No, this tool performs format validation only. It checks whether a VAT ID follows the correct pattern for the selected country (e.g., correct number of digits and characters). It does not verify whether the VAT number is actually registered with tax authorities. For official verification, you should use the European Commission's VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) service.
Is this tool suitable for businesses and accountants?
Yes! This tool is designed for businesses, accountants, bookkeepers, and anyone who needs to ensure their EU VAT invoices meet regulatory requirements. It provides instant feedback on missing or invalid fields, helping you maintain compliance and avoid errors in your invoicing process.
How accurate is the VAT ID format validation?
The validation is based on official VAT ID format patterns for each EU country. While the format check is highly accurate, it's intentionally conservative to minimize false positives. Some edge cases or recently updated formats may not be covered. For critical applications, we recommend cross-referencing with official tax authority sources.
Still have questions?
If you couldn't find the answer you're looking for, please feel free to return to the validator and try it out. The tool provides real-time feedback and examples for each field.