Who keeps this guide, and how to write to us
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.
eorilookup.com is an independent reference for people who move goods between the UK and the EU and need to know what an EORI number is, how it is written and where to confirm it.
Who writes it
An AI model drafts every text on eorilookup.com, working only from the official customs pages that each article links to. The checker is separate from that drafting: it applies the fixed tests described on the rules page, and nobody asks a model to guess a result.
Not an authority
HMRC, the European Commission and the national customs offices are separate bodies, and no broker, carrier or software seller named on a page has any tie to us. We cannot apply for a number for you, look up a trader's status or speak for you to customs.
How it is paid for
Nobody pays for coverage. There are no adverts, subscriptions or affiliate links today. If that changes, this page says so before it happens.
Writing to us
Email is the only channel: contact@eorilookup.com. Replies usually come within a few working days. Useful messages name the page, say what looks wrong and, if possible, give the official page that shows the right answer.
Please keep out passports, VAT certificates, Government Gateway details and bank data. Your address is used for the reply and nothing else. No web form exists.
Page last revised: 2026-10-26
Spotted an outdated EORI rule? Report an outdated rule
Edited