Free tool
Check a VAT number
This form checks a VAT number for free through VIES, the European Commission's lookup service. You see straight away whether the number is valid and, where the country discloses it, the name and address it belongs to. Austrian numbers start with ATU, followed by eight digits.
As of October 2026
What is the UID number?
UID stands for Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer, the Austrian VAT identification number. The tax office issues it on application to businesses that need it for trade with other EU countries.
In Austria it is always ATU followed by eight digits, for example ATU12345678. The last digit is a check digit, so a typo usually shows up as soon as you enter it.
Where do I find the number?
Another business's number is on its invoices and usually in the legal notice (Impressum) on its website.
What VIES confirms and what it does not
VIES tells you whether the number is valid on the day you check. It shows a name and address only where the country releases them. Germany, for example, does not.
VIES does not tell you whether the business is still trading, who is behind it, or whether the name and address on your invoice are right. You compare those yourself.
Confirmation through FinanzOnline
For your records, the Austrian tax office offers its own VAT number check in FinanzOnline. Level 1 (Stufe 1) confirms only whether the number is valid. Level 2 (Stufe 2) also confirms the name and address.
Which check you need, for example for a tax-free supply to another EU country, is a question for your tax adviser.
Frequently asked
Is the check free?
Yes. No sign-up is needed. The number goes straight to VIES and we do not store it.
Why is there no name or address?
Some countries do not release a name or address through VIES, Germany among them. The number can still be valid.
What does “cannot be reached” mean?
For every check, VIES asks the database of the country concerned. If that is down for maintenance or busy, no answer comes back. That says nothing about the number. Try again later.
Can I check a Swiss VAT number?
Not through VIES. Switzerland is not in the EU, so its CHE numbers are not in it. Swiss numbers can be checked in the federal UID register at uid.admin.ch.
Is this check enough as proof?
It shows the position on the day of the check. For your records there is the check in FinanzOnline, which at level 2 includes name and address. What you need in a given case is a question for your tax adviser.