Find an EORI by company name or VAT number
Can you find a company's EORI number by its name or VAT number? What the UK and EU checkers allow, what they do not, and how to get a supplier's number.
3 min to read / Rules to be read again by 2027-01-24
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.
Can you search by name?
No official service lets you search for an EORI number by company name. Both official checkers work the other way round: you enter a number and they tell you whether it is valid. If the holder agreed, they also show the name and address (GOV.UK, GOV.UK guidance).
| You have | You can | You cannot |
|---|---|---|
| A GB number | Check it on the GB checker and, if the business consented, see its name and address | – |
| An XI or EU number | Check it on the EU validation service; name and address only with consent | – |
| Only a company name | – | Search either database by name |
| A UK VAT number | Work out the probable GB EORI and check it | Be sure until the checker confirms it |
Why there is no name search
The EU database is built for checking numbers, not for finding businesses. The Commission's guidance says the public interface checks whether a number is active, and shows the name and address only if the holder gave written consent to publication. That consent can be withdrawn (Commission guidance). A name search would expose numbers whose holders never agreed to that. The UK checker follows the same consent rule. More: what the EORI database holds.
If a third-party website shows a company's EORI number, treat it as unconfirmed until the official checker agrees.
From a UK VAT number to a GB EORI
HMRC says that for a VAT-registered business, the first nine digits of the GB EORI are the VAT number (HMRC). Its example, GB123456789000, ends in 000. So for VAT number 123456789 the first guess is GB123456789000. Check it on the GB checker:
- Valid, with the right name: you have it.
- Valid, but no name shown: the business has not consented to disclosure. Ask the business to confirm it.
- Not found: the business may not have an EORI, may have registered differently, or the guess is wrong. Ask.
This shortcut is for UK VAT numbers only. An EU VAT number does not turn into an EORI by a rule we could confirm for every country. Some Member States base the EORI on a national number, such as the SIRET in France or the fiscal number in the Netherlands, but not always the same one as the VAT number (Commission, national implementation).
The reliable way: ask
For a supplier, customer or carrier, the dependable route is to ask the business in writing for its EORI number, then check it yourself on the right official service. It may already be on their commercial invoice or shipping paperwork.
When you get the number:
- Paste it into the format checker, which works with a whole list.
- Confirm it on the GB or EU service, depending on the prefix.
- Keep a record of the date you checked. The official result can change if the number is later invalidated.
When a check does not match
If the name shown differs from the business you deal with, or the number "did not match any registered business", see when an EORI check goes wrong. Do not put an unconfirmed number on a declaration. The number identifies who is responsible to customs.
Spotted an outdated EORI rule? Report an outdated rule