About VAT Registry Europe

Our mission

VAT Registry Europe exists to make European VAT information accessible, understandable, and practical. The EU VAT system spans 27 member states, each with its own tax authority, registration procedures, and local variations on harmonised rules. Navigating this complexity challenges businesses of all sizes, from sole traders making their first cross-border sale to multinational corporations managing registrations across multiple jurisdictions.

We created this resource to bridge the gap between official tax authority documentation, which can be technical, fragmented, and difficult to locate, and the practical knowledge businesses need to comply with VAT obligations. Our guides explain concepts in plain language, provide concrete examples, and point users toward the official sources where authoritative answers reside.

This site does not verify VAT numbers, process registrations, or provide tax advice. We explain how the systems work and where to find the official tools and information. The goal is empowerment through understanding rather than dependency on intermediaries.

What this resource covers

Our content focuses on several interconnected areas that together provide a foundation for understanding EU VAT identification numbers and related compliance topics.

VAT number formats receive detailed treatment because understanding structure helps identify errors before they cause problems. Knowing that a German VAT number has exactly nine digits after the DE prefix, while an Italian number has eleven, enables basic sanity checking before engaging formal verification processes.

Verification procedures occupy significant attention because proper validation protects businesses from fraud and supports their right to zero-rate cross-border supplies. We explain how VIES works, what its results mean, what limitations exist, and when national alternatives may be necessary or preferable.

Compliance guidance covers the rules that determine how VAT applies to cross-border transactions. Reverse charge, One-Stop Shop schemes, invoicing requirements, and the B2B/B2C distinction all receive practical explanation aimed at helping readers understand what applies to their situations.

Registration information helps businesses understand when VAT registration becomes necessary and what each process typically involves. While specific requirements change and vary between countries, understanding the general landscape helps businesses plan and prepare.

Our methodology

Content on this site draws from official sources: EU directives and regulations, European Commission guidance, national tax authority publications, and established interpretations reflected in administrative practice and case law. We do not invent rules or speculate about how provisions should be interpreted.

When explaining complex topics, we prioritise clarity over exhaustive coverage. Real-world VAT compliance often involves nuances and exceptions that would overwhelm anyone trying to learn the basics. We present the general rules that cover most situations while noting that specialist advice may be necessary for unusual circumstances.

Information is reviewed periodically to identify changes in rules, procedures, or official resources. However, tax law changes frequently, and time inevitably passes between updates. Readers should verify current requirements through official channels rather than relying solely on any secondary source, including this one.

Independence and neutrality

VAT Registry Europe operates independently. We are not affiliated with the European Commission, any EU institution, any national tax authority, or any commercial verification service. This independence allows us to present information without institutional bias or commercial interest in particular outcomes.

We maintain strict neutrality between member states, presenting each country's system factually without favouring or criticising particular approaches. Different countries have made different choices about thresholds, procedures, and enforcement. Our role is to explain these differences, not to judge them.

This site is funded through advertising. Advertisements are clearly distinguished from editorial content and have no influence on what we write or how we present information. We do not accept payment for favourable coverage or provide endorsements of commercial services.

Limitations and appropriate use

Nothing on this site constitutes legal, tax, or accounting advice. The information provided is educational in nature, intended to help readers understand how EU VAT systems generally operate. Applying these general principles to specific business situations requires professional judgment that only qualified advisors familiar with all relevant facts can provide.

We encourage readers to use this resource as a starting point for understanding VAT concepts and as a reference for locating official sources. For compliance decisions with material consequences, consult qualified tax professionals who can consider your complete circumstances and provide advice you can rely upon.

Official sources should always take precedence over our explanations where any discrepancy exists. Tax authority guidance represents the authoritative interpretation of law; our content represents our understanding of that guidance, filtered through the goal of accessibility.

Who this resource serves

Business owners making cross-border sales within the EU often encounter VAT complexity for the first time when expanding beyond their home market. Our guides provide orientation to help them understand what obligations arise and where to find help.

Finance and accounting professionals benefit from our format references and procedural overviews when processing transactions involving unfamiliar countries or navigating registration requirements outside their primary expertise.

Students and researchers studying European taxation find our explanations useful as accessible introductions to topics they may then explore in greater technical depth through academic or official sources.

Service providers supporting clients with EU VAT matters can use our content as a reference when explaining concepts to clients or as a starting point when researching unfamiliar jurisdictions.

Contact and feedback

We welcome feedback on factual accuracy, clarity of explanation, and topics that deserve additional coverage. While we cannot provide individual tax advice or answer specific compliance questions, suggestions for improving this resource help us better serve all users.

If you identify errors or outdated information, please bring them to our attention so we can investigate and correct where appropriate. Maintaining accuracy requires ongoing attention, and reader feedback forms an important part of that process.