VAT number verification (for "Legal entity EU with VAT" profiles)
1. VAT Number Verification: Process and Requirements
VAT (Value Added Tax) is a tax on goods and services in EU countries. Every registered company is issued a unique VAT number, confirming its legitimacy. INTROSERV verifies VAT numbers during account verification to:
- Prevent fraud.
- Ensure compliance with EU tax regulations.
All new accounts with the "EU Legal Entity with VAT" profile undergo verification before order processing. During verification, we verify the company's legitimacy, VAT number validity, and alignment with provided details (name, address). Additional requirements may include a VAT registration document or payment from a corporate account.
1.1 VAT Number Format
A VAT number consists of:
- Country prefix (2 characters) + number (8-12 characters, digits and/or letters).
- Austria: ATU12345678
- Belgium: BE0123456789
- Germany: DE123456789
- France: FR12123456789
- Italy: IT12345678901
- Netherlands: NL123456789B01
- Spain: ESA12345674
- Poland: PL1234567890
Ensure the number matches the format of the country of registration.
2. Mandatory Fields and Their Alignment
Clients must complete the following fields in their INTROSERV profile:
- Company Name: Must exactly match the name in the VAT registration document
- Address (Zip, City, Address): Must correspond to the address in the VAT registration.
- VAT Number: Must be valid and registered to the specified company.
- Country: Must match the country code in the VAT number.
- Registration Number: If available, verified for consistency.
Accurate information provided upfront will help expedite the verification process.
3. Verification Process and Client Requirements
- The client completes their profile and submits a service request.
- Support verifies profile and VAT number using designated services (see 3.1).
- If the data is valid, the Account is approved.
- If discrepancies are found, a ticket is created requesting:
- A VAT registration document.
- Balance top-up or first order payment from a corporate account.
- Additional documents (e.g., company registry extract, invoice with VAT).
- The client is encouraged to respond as soon as possible to expedite the verification process.
The verification process is quick and efficient. When accurate information is provided and VAT registration documents are submitted, the procedure typically takes no more than one hour, often less.
3.1 Services That Can Be Used for Verification
- VIES (VAT Information Exchange System). Verifies status, company name, and address in real-time. Example: A valid number returns a "Valid" status, company name, and address.
- National Tax Authorities: E.g., BZSt for Germany or the French tax portal.
- Additional Tools: OpenCorporates for company verification, Google Maps for address confirmation, banking account verification services.
