# EU VAT Number Validation via VIES

> EU VAT Number Validation via VIES is a paid API for AI agents from agentbit.app, paid per call via x402, $0.02/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-13).

Validates a European VAT number in real-time against the official VIES register, returning the trader's registered name, address, and validity status.

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://agentbit.app/v1/compliance/vat
- Price: $0.02/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-13
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/eu-vat-number-validation-via-vies-dacf06c0
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_RtXy0by2nrGrwINEaheZw

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-validation-via-vies-dacf06c0 -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Can you verify whether VAT number RO14399840 is valid and get me the registered company name and address from the official EU VIES database?

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when you need a live, authoritative verification against the actual EU member state VAT register — not a format check. It is essential for B2B invoicing with VAT reverse charge, supplier onboarding, and any compliance workflow where proof of valid VAT registration is required. Covers all 27 EU member states plus Northern Ireland (XI). Prefer this over regex-based format validators whenever legal or financial accuracy is required.

## Known failure modes

- VAT number not found in member state register — returns valid: false with no trader details
- VIES service temporarily unavailable for a specific member state — upstream outage error
- Invalid country code or malformed VAT number format — returns validation error
- Member state does not publish trader name/address — valid: true but trader_name and trader_address are blank
- Northern Ireland XI prefix not recognized if country code is omitted — must pass XI explicitly

## How this service works

LIVE EU VAT number validation against VIES, the European Commission's official service — not a format check: the number is verified in the member state's actual register, returning the registered trader name and address where published. Covers all 27 member states plus Northern Ireland (XI). Essential before B2B invoicing with reverse charge.

## Output

A JSON object containing: a boolean validity flag, the full VAT number with country prefix, the two-letter country code, the registered trader name and address (where published by the member state), the data source identified as VIES (European Commission), an ISO-8601 timestamp of when the check was performed, and an explanatory note about the registration status.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "country": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "Two-letter member state code if not included in vat_number (EL for Greece, XI for Northern Ireland)"
  },
  "vat_number": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "VAT number, with or without the country prefix, e.g. RO12345678"
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "note": "Number is registered for cross-border EU transactions.",
  "valid": true,
  "source": "VIES (European Commission, official)",
  "country": "RO",
  "checked_at": "2026-09-06T12:00:00Z",
  "vat_number": "14399840",
  "trader_name": "EXAMPLE SRL",
  "trader_address": "STR. EXEMPLU 1, CLUJ-NAPOCA",
  "full_vat_number": "RO14399840"
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/eu-vat-number-validation-via-vies-dacf06c0/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from agentbit.app](https://www.zero.xyz/host/agentbit.app/llms.txt)