About EU Verifier
EU Verifier is an independent reference tool for checking European business identifiers using official authoritative sources. This page explains what the site does, how it works, and who it is for.
Purpose and scope
Business identifier verification is a routine but error-prone task. When onboarding a new supplier, issuing a cross-border invoice, or preparing a customs declaration, accurate identifier data matters. A VAT number with a transposed digit, a wrong country prefix, or an EORI number missing its country code will cause delays, rejected filings, and compliance gaps.
EU Verifier exists to reduce those errors before they reach official systems. The site provides two things: a format sanity check that catches structural mistakes before you open the official service, and a direct path to the correct official verification tool for each identifier type. The site does not perform authoritative verification itself — only official government and regulatory services can confirm whether an identifier is currently registered and active.
The scope covers the four identifier types most commonly needed by businesses operating in or with the EU and UK: EU VAT numbers (verified via VIES), EORI numbers (verified via the European Commission customs portal), Legal Entity Identifiers (looked up via GLEIF), and UK VAT numbers post-Brexit (verified via HMRC).
How the format check works
Each identifier type has an officially published format specification. EU VAT numbers follow country-specific patterns defined by the European Commission — for example, a German VAT number consists of the prefix DE followed by exactly 9 digits, while an Irish VAT number uses IE followed by 8 characters in a specific alphanumeric pattern. EORI numbers follow the Union Customs Code format. LEI codes follow ISO 17442. UK VAT numbers follow HMRC's published format rules.
EU Verifier applies country-specific regular expression patterns based on these published specifications. When you enter an identifier, the tool checks whether the number's structure matches the expected pattern for the selected country or identifier type. A passing format check means the number is structurally plausible — the length is correct, the character types are correct, and the prefix is correct. It does not mean the number is registered, active, or belongs to a specific entity. That confirmation can only come from the official source.
All processing is done locally in your browser. Identifier numbers are never transmitted to EU Verifier's servers or stored in any way. The site has no database of identifiers, no lookup capability of its own, and no connection to the official databases operated by VIES, the European Commission, GLEIF, or HMRC.
Who this site is for
EU Verifier is designed for people who regularly work with European business identifiers as part of their job — accounts payable and receivable teams, compliance officers, procurement specialists, customs agents, freight forwarders, and anyone handling B2B invoicing or onboarding across EU member states and the UK.
The typical workflow is: receive an identifier from a counterparty (on an invoice, in a supplier form, or in an onboarding document), check the format on EU Verifier to catch any obvious errors, then open the linked official service to confirm registration status. The format check step saves time when an obvious error — wrong prefix, missing digits, copied spaces — would otherwise only be discovered after an official query fails.
The site is also useful as a reference for teams that need to understand the structure of each identifier type, the correct official verification service to use, and the compliance requirements associated with each one. The Format Guide and FAQ pages provide this reference information.
What this site is not
- Not an official EU, UK, or government service. EU Verifier is an independent site with no affiliation to the European Commission, any EU member state tax or customs authority, GLEIF, or HMRC.
- Not a source of authoritative verification. Only official services can confirm whether an identifier is registered and currently active. EU Verifier's format checks catch structural errors only.
- Not a tax or legal adviser. The guidance on this site is general and informational. It does not constitute tax advice, legal advice, or compliance advice for any specific business situation.
- Not a data aggregator. EU Verifier does not hold, collect, or process identifier data. There is no database of VAT numbers, EORI numbers, or LEI codes on this site.
- Not affiliated with euverify.com or any commercial compliance platform. Several similarly named services exist. EU Verifier (eu-verifier.eu) is a free independent reference site and is unrelated to any subscription or paid service.
Privacy and data handling
Identifier numbers you enter into the tools on this site are processed entirely in your browser using JavaScript. They are not sent to EU Verifier's server, not logged, and not stored. When you click through to an official service (VIES, the EORI checker, GLEIF, or HMRC), the identifier is passed to that official service's URL as a query parameter — your interaction from that point is governed by the official service's own privacy policy.
The site uses Google AdSense to serve advertisements. Google may use cookies for ad personalisation subject to your consent choice under the GDPR consent notice shown on first visit. The site's Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy provide full details.
Contact and feedback
EU Verifier is maintained independently. If you find a format pattern that appears incorrect, a link to an official service that has changed, or any other error, feedback is welcome. The site aims to keep format patterns and official service links current as official services evolve.
The Sources page lists the official references used for format specifications and verification service links.