VAT Number Checker (United Kingdom)
Check that a VAT Number is correctly formed and that its check digit computes, before you put it on an invoice. Nothing is sent anywhere.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Nothing uploaded
- Updated for 2026
- Last reviewed October 2026
- Reviewed by the Owoode team
- £ GBP
- VAT 20%
- VAT number
- A4
- English
Enter a number above.
Example: GB 980 7806 84
How the number is built and checked
The Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) is a 10-digit number. It may appear on HMRC letters simply as tax reference. Sole traders and partners receive one on registering for Self Assessment, and limited companies receive one on incorporation.
Anyone can check a UK VAT registration number with the free Check a UK VAT number service on GOV.UK. It confirms whether the number is valid and returns the name and address of the business it is registered to.
The service cannot search by business name, so the VAT number must be known in advance, and it cannot be used for a business that has applied for registration and is still waiting to hear back from HMRC. UK VAT-registered businesses can also use it to prove when they checked a number, by entering their own VAT number.
What this does and does not tell you
This page checks arithmetic, not registration. Every VAT Number carries a check digit calculated from the digits before it, which is what catches a typo. Confirming that a business is genuinely registered means asking HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), because only they hold the register.