Look up the business behind a VAT number.
Check a VAT number against the live authority service and see the registered name and address where the authority returns them, with the observation time.
Questions
What does a valid result prove?
It records that the authority service reported the VAT registration as valid at the moment of the check. It is an authority observation about the VAT identifier, not proof of the company, its address or any tax treatment of a supply.
Why do some numbers come back unavailable or unsupported?
A live check depends on the authority service being reachable and on a reviewed live route existing for the jurisdiction. When either is missing, no conclusion is drawn and the outcome stays unknown rather than being reported as invalid.
How does the format check relate to the live result?
The format check only confirms that the string matches the reviewed structure and, where implemented, its check digit. It is a statement about the number's shape. Only the authority service can report whether the registration exists.
Orientation only. A live check reports what the authority returned at the observation time. Registration can change, the source can be unavailable, and a valid VAT identifier does not by itself verify the company, its registered address or the VAT treatment of a supply.
VAT.tools saves source-linked evidence for each check, with an API, MCP server and bulk workflows for repeat work.