Overview
VATlayer is a REST API for validating EU VAT numbers in real time against official EU VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) data, returning company name, address, and registration status. It also provides VAT rate tables by country and category, useful for e-commerce tax compliance across the European Union. A free plan allows 100 requests per month.
Beginner Tip
Get a free API key at vatlayer.com. VAT numbers must include the country code prefix (e.g., `GB123456789`, `DE123456789`). The validate endpoint is `http://apilayer.net/api/validate?access_key=YOUR_KEY&vat_number=GB123456789`. Note that the free plan uses HTTP only — HTTPS requires a paid plan.
Available Data
Example Response
{
"input": "[email protected]",
"is_valid": true,
"format_valid": true,
"details": "Input passes all validation checks"
} Field Reference
valid Whether the VAT number is currently registered and active in the EU VIES system. vat_number The VAT number that was checked, without the country prefix. country_code ISO 2-letter country code of the VAT registration (e.g., `GB`, `DE`). company_name Registered company name returned by VIES (may be null if VIES does not expose it). company_address Registered company address from VIES (may be null depending on member state disclosure rules). Implementation Example
const url = "https://vatlayer.com/";
// 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
Matrix Score Breakdown
Partially tested on Apr 5, 2026
Technical Specifications
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