Which identifier should I enter?
Use the EU VAT number with its member-state prefix. The selected jurisdiction and the prefix must agree before the request is routed.
European Union VAT validation
EU VAT checks through European Commission VIES
Validate supported EU VAT numbers and see exactly which identity fields VIES returned for the response.
VIES validates VAT-registration status for cross-border EU trade. Some member-state responses include a legal name or address; others do not. SENTINEL makes that distinction explicit.
- EU VAT-number validation
- Cross-border supplier intake
- VIES evidence review
Verification workflow
A controlled route from identifier to evidence.
- 01
Choose an EU jurisdiction
Enter the country and VAT number in the format accepted for that jurisdiction.
- 02
Validate through VIES
SENTINEL records the returned validity and any identity data provided in that response.
- 03
Interpret the boundary
A valid VAT number is not, by itself, a full legal-entity registry confirmation.
Evidence guide
What this check means in practice.
What does VALID mean?
VIES confirmed the number as valid for VAT purposes in the returned response. It does not establish solvency, ownership or complete legal-entity status.
Why can the name be missing?
Identity fields depend on the member state. A response can validly confirm the VAT number without returning a legal name or address.
What if VIES or a member state is unavailable?
SENTINEL separates timeout, service-unavailable and malformed-response states. A technical failure is not displayed as an invalid VAT number.
Open the workspace
Start with the company details you have.
SENTINEL will show which official routes apply and preserve each provider’s response state.