# EU VAT Number Check (VIES)

> EU VAT Number Check (VIES) is a paid API for AI agents from bess-x402.onrender.com, paid per call via x402, $0.002/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-28).

Validates an EU VAT number live against the official EU VIES service and returns validity status plus registered company name and address

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://bess-x402.onrender.com/v1/finance/vat?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.002/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-28
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/eu-vat-number-check-vies-a7c9eee5
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_uF67sOx-fb-4qhJDl6pXa

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability eu-vat-number-check-vies-a7c9eee5
```

Example prompt: Can you check if the VAT number DE811569869 is valid and tell me the registered company name and address on file with the EU?

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when you need real-time, authoritative validation of EU VAT numbers directly from the official VIES system — not cached or third-party data. Ideal for B2B invoicing workflows, reverse charge VAT compliance, and KYC checks on European business customers. Prefer this over generic company lookup endpoints when the specific requirement is VAT registration status across EU member states. Note that unavailable member states are not charged.

## Known failure modes

- Member state VIES service unavailable — returns an error, no charge applied
- Invalid VAT number format — returns invalid status
- Country prefix not recognized as EU member state — returns error
- Member state does not share company name/address — returns valid status but empty name/address fields
- Network timeout to VIES — returns error response

## How this service works

Validate an EU VAT number live against the official EU VIES service, returning valid/invalid and the registered company name and address where the member state shares them. Use for B2B invoicing, reverse charge checks and KYC. Unavailable member states return an error and are not charged.

## Output

Returns a valid/invalid boolean status for the VAT number. When valid, includes the registered company name and address as reported by the member state's tax authority. If the queried member state's VIES service is temporarily unavailable, returns an error without charging the call.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
 "required": [
  "input"
 ],
 "properties": {
  "input": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type",
    "method"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string",
     "const": "http"
    },
    "method": {
     "enum": [
      "GET",
      "HEAD",
      "DELETE"
     ],
     "type": "string"
    },
    "queryParams": {
     "type": "object",
     "required": [
      "vat_number"
     ],
     "properties": {
      "vat_number": {
       "type": "string",
       "description": "VAT number with country prefix, e.g. DE811569869"
      }
     }
    }
   },
   "additionalProperties": false
  },
  "output": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string"
    },
    "example": {
     "type": "object"
    }
   }
  }
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/eu-vat-number-check-vies-a7c9eee5/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from bess-x402.onrender.com](https://www.zero.xyz/host/bess-x402.onrender.com/llms.txt)