EORI number format by country
The common structure of EORI numbers and the formats published for specific countries, with examples marked as illustrative.
3 min to read / Rules to be read again by 2027-01-28
What the EORI guide does: 8 tools
- EORI number checker type a GB, XI or EU number and see at once whether its prefix, length and characters fit the published rules.
- Check a list of EORI numbers paste up to 500 numbers from a spreadsheet and get a reason, a suggested fix and the right official service for every row.
- Compare an EORI with a UK VAT number see whether the first nine digits of a GB or XI number match the holder's VAT number, as HMRC says they should.
- Which EORI number do I need? say where you are based and what you will move, and learn whether you need a GB, an XI or an EU number.
- EORI number formats by country type how many characters your number has and see which of the 29 prefixes allow that length.
- Do I need an EORI number? answer four questions about who you are and how often you make customs declarations to see whether you must register.
- Where to apply for an EORI number pick your situation and see which customs authority issues the number, with a link to the official list of authorities.
- How long an EORI number lasts enter the date a number stopped being valid and see the earliest date its record can be deleted, ten years on.
Common structure
- Prefix: two letters, the code of the issuing country.
- Number: an identifier that is unique in that country, up to 15 alphanumeric characters (European Commission).
United Kingdom (GB) and Northern Ireland (XI)
A GB number is the prefix GB followed by 12 digits, for example GB123456789000, and an XI number uses the same digits as the holder's GB number; if the business is VAT-registered, the first 9 digits match its VAT number (HMRC). HMRC's design pattern says GB and XI numbers are 14 characters long, but its hint text also mentions 15 digits, so the checker marks a 15-digit number as possible but unusual and asks you to confirm it. HMRC's service accepts them with or without spaces and in uppercase or lowercase (HMRC pattern). Example shape (illustrative): GB123456123456. For where each prefix applies, see GB, XI and EU numbers.
EU countries: what the Commission document says
The table shows what the Commission's national implementation document of 28 June 2022 states. It does not cover every country, and national rules may have changed since: confirm with the national customs authority (source).
| Country | Format as stated |
|---|---|
| Belgium (BE) | BE + 10-digit Crossroads Bank for Enterprises number for Belgian operators; BE + the operator's ISO country code + 6 digits for operators from outside the EU; BE + 12 digits for other persons |
| Croatia (HR) | HR + OIB (the 11-digit personal identification number) |
| Denmark (DK) | DK + CVR number, for example DK11223344 |
| France (FR) | FR + SIRET (14 digits) for operators in the French SIREN register; FR + the operator's ISO country code + a customs number (or the SIREN number if registered in France) for non-EU operators |
| Netherlands (NL) | NL + 9 digits, based on the fiscal number and padded with leading zeros if shorter |
| Portugal (PT) | PT + NIF (tax identification number) for domestic operators; PT + the operator's ISO country code + a 7-digit sequential number ending in a check digit for non-EU operators |
| Romania (RO) | RO + up to 15 alphanumeric characters; other formats for non-EU operators and TIR carnet holders |
So a number such as FRUS… or BECN… is not an error: France or Belgium issued it to a business based in the United States or China. The checker reads the embedded country code and says so.
For the other EU countries the document does not state a structure (Greece's section does not even settle whether the prefix is GR or EL). In that case rely on the general rule above (two-letter code plus up to 15 alphanumeric characters) and confirm in the official service.
Worked example: reading a number
Take the made-up number GB 123 456 789 000.
- Remove spaces: GB123456789000, 14 characters.
- Prefix GB: issued by HMRC, so it is checked on GOV.UK, not the Commission's service.
- After GB: 12 digits, the length HMRC describes.
- If the holder is VAT-registered in the UK, its VAT number should be GB 123 456 789: the first 9 digits (HMRC).
- If the same business has a Northern Ireland number, it is XI123456789000, and that one is checked on the Commission's service.
The front-page checker runs these steps for you and has an optional field to compare the first 9 digits with a VAT number.
Check a number
Run the number through the format checker, then confirm registration with the official service.
Spotted an outdated EORI rule? Report an outdated rule