How do you find a company VAT number in the UK

19 Jul How do you find a company VAT number in the UK

What is VAT Number

A Value Added a Tax-registered number is a unique number issued to businesses that are registered to pay VAT.

Value Added Tax (VAT) is a percentage(20%) added to goods and services charged to consumers and businesses that other businesses registered for VAT can reclaim from HMRC.

VAT numbers in the EU consist of 15 alphanumeric characters with the first two indicating the country of the registered business.

Post registration for VAT, the business is provided with a unique VAT number that other businesses need to reclaim the tax paid.

Businesses can find their VAT registered number on the VAT registration certificate issued by HMRC(HM Revenue & Customs).

Registering Your Company For VAT

Most businesses can be registered online.

By doing so you will be registering for VAT and creating a VAT online account ( ‘Government Gateway account’). You will need this to submit your VAT Returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

You could also use an agent to submit your VAT returns.

You should then get a VAT registration certificate within 30 working days.

It is sent either:

1. to your VAT online account.
2. by post (if an agent registers you or if under any circumstance you cannot register online.)

How to Verify the Value Added Tax number

Following steps should be undertaken to identify whether the VAT number is correct or not –

1. List the VAT number vertically excluding the first two letters (that is, excluding the country code).
2. Then multiply each value of VAT registered number starting with 8 and ending with 2.
3. Add up all the values obtained after multiplying each value of the VAT number.
4. Then, deduct 97 from the total sum until the answer becomes negative.

The negative value obtained must match the last 2 digits of the VAT number.

If the negative value does not match with the last 2 digits, the VAT number is considered invalid.

How to Find a Company’s VAT Number in the UK

It is vital to know that the UK VAT numbers are nine digits long, and often have the letters ‘GB’ at the start.

You have two options when it comes to performing a VAT registration check in the UK.  One could:

1.  Call the HMRC VAT Helpline which is open between 8 am and 8 pm during the week.
2.  You could use the VIES website, an online VAT checker for businesses in the EU. This website uses real-time data feeds from individual member states’ VAT systems.

If the website shows a VAT number as invalid, you should double check with the company to make sure you have the correct number. You might also wish to inform them that the VIES site is displaying the number as invalid so they can contact HMRC to correct any problems with this.

Why is it important to check a VAT number

If you don’t verify a VAT number and end up entering an invalid number on your tax return, then you could invalidate your invoice and the HMRC could disallow your tax input claim. This could result in leaving you figuring the cost and handling a big paperwork trail.

In most cases, errors with VAT numbers come from innocent mistakes but there are instances in which some people try to fraudulently use someone else’s VAT number.