VAT Validation API

Finance / API Key Intermediate HTTPS CORS
Varies by plan (check documentation)

Overview

The VAT Validation API by Abstract API lets you check whether a VAT number is valid and look up current VAT rates for countries in the EU and beyond. It is useful for e-commerce apps that need to handle tax calculations correctly. You send a VAT number or country code, and get back validation status, business details, and applicable rates.

💡

Beginner Tip

Always test with a known valid VAT number (e.g., GB123456789) before going to production to make sure your key and request format are correct.

Available Data

VAT Validation data via REST API
JSON-formatted response data
Requires API key authentication

Example Response

JSON Response
{
  "input": "[email protected]",
  "is_valid": true,
  "format_valid": true,
  "details": "Input passes all validation checks"
}

Field Reference

vat_number The VAT number exactly as you submitted it.
is_valid Whether the VAT number passed validation against the VIES database.
company_name Registered business name associated with the VAT number, if available.
company_address Registered business address, if the authority provides it.
country_code Two-letter ISO country code extracted from the VAT number prefix.

Implementation Example

const url = "https://www.abstractapi.com/vat-validation-rates-api";
// Replace headers or query params with the values required by this API.
const response = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
  "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
  }
});
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

401 Unauthorized Missing or invalid API key in the query string.
Add ?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY to your request URL and double-check the key in your Abstract API dashboard.
is_valid: false for a real VAT number The VAT number format may include spaces or dashes that the API does not accept.
Strip all spaces and dashes from the VAT number before sending it (e.g., GB 123 456 789 becomes GB123456789).
429 Too Many Requests You have exceeded the free-tier request limit.
Upgrade your plan or cache results for known-good VAT numbers to reduce API calls.

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 15/20
🔒 Security 15/15
🛠 Developer XP 17/20
✓ Reliability 10/15

Partially tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth API Key
HTTPS REQUIRED
CORS YES
Category Finance
Difficulty Intermediate
Verified: 2026-04-07

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