When dealing with European buyers, especially for tax and compliance purposes, it is important to collect the tax numbers of your clients to ensure smooth and efficient transactions. Below is a list of the format for tax numbers (also known as VAT numbers) for each European country, which can help streamline the process:
| Country | VAT Number Format |
|---|---|
| Austria | ATU99999999 |
| Belgium | BE0999999999 |
| Bulgaria | BG999999999 or BG9999999999 |
| Croatia | HR99999999999 |
| Cyprus | CY99999999L |
| Czech Republic | CZ99999999 or CZ999999999 or CZ9999999999 |
| Denmark | DK99999999 |
| Estonia | EE999999999 |
| Finland | FI99999999 |
| France | FR99999999999 |
| Germany | DE999999999 |
| Greece | EL999999999 |
| Hungary | HU99999999 |
| Ireland | IE9S99999L or IE9999999WI |
| Italy | IT99999999999 |
| Latvia | LV99999999999 |
| Lithuania | LT999999999 or LT999999999999 |
| Luxembourg | LU99999999 |
| Malta | MT99999999 |
| Netherlands | NL999999999B99 |
| Poland | PL9999999999 |
| Portugal | PT999999999 |
| Romania | RO999999999 |
| Slovakia | SK9999999999 |
| Slovenia | SI99999999 |
| Spain | ESX9999999X |
| Sweden | SE999999999999 |
| United Kingdom* | GB999999999 or GB999999999999 or GBGD999 or GBHA999 |
Please ensure that the VAT number provided by your buyers is in the correct format. This will help prevent delays and ensure compliance with tax regulations. The formats listed include both numeric and alphanumeric variations, depending on the country.
*Note: The United Kingdom has left the EU, but VAT numbers are still used for trade between the UK and the EU.
Collecting these numbers at the point of sale or during initial account setup can save a lot of time and prevent delays in processing transactions.
