VIES (VAT Information Exchange System)

VIES connects the VAT registers of all member states and lets anyone confirm that a VAT ID is valid at a given moment. For many countries it also returns the registered name and address. The check is available on the Commission's website and through a SOAP or REST interface for software.

The consultation number returned by VIES is the accepted proof that a supplier checked its customer before exempting an intra-community supply or applying the reverse charge. If the number is invalid, the supplier should charge domestic VAT. VIES only confirms registration for intra-EU transactions; a business registered purely domestically may not appear even though it is a VAT payer. Kontevia runs the VIES check when an invoice with a foreign VAT ID is created or received and stores the result with the document.