Belgian VAT number check
Check a Belgian supplier's or customer's number against VIES, the European Commission's register. Below: the format, what it's called locally, and the mistakes that make a correct number fail.
Paste the number with or without the country prefix. Nothing you enter is stored.
The format
| Prefix | BE |
|---|---|
| After the prefix | 10 digits, starting with 0 or 1 |
| Structure | One block of 10 digits. VIES accepts numbers beginning with 0 or 1. |
| Examples | BE0123456789 or BE1234567890 |
You can paste the number with spaces, dots or dashes; the checker removes them.
What it's called
BTW-identificatienummer in Dutch, numéro d'identification à la TVA in French.
The VAT number is the company's 10-digit enterprise number (ondernemingsnummer / numéro d'entreprise) from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, with BE in front.
What trips people up
- Enterprise numbers starting with 1 have been issued since September 2023, when the 0 series ran out. A form that only accepts BE0 rejects valid numbers.
- Belgian invoices often print the number with dots (0123.456.789). Enter it as BE0123456789; the checker removes the dots for you.
- For self-employed people, VIES shows their private address unless they have asked FPS Finance to show a business address.
Other ways to check
KBO / BCE Public Search: The public enterprise register, run by FPS Economy. For cross-border trade, the VIES result above is the one to keep with your VAT records.
Sources
Formats from the European Commission's VIES FAQ, checked 16 October 2026. Rules can change; the tax authority's own guidance wins.
Questions about Belgian VAT numbers
What is the format of a Belgian VAT number?
BE followed by 10 digits, starting with 0 or 1. One block of 10 digits. VIES accepts numbers beginning with 0 or 1. Example: BE0123456789 or BE1234567890.
What is a Belgian VAT number called?
BTW-identificatienummer in Dutch, numéro d'identification à la TVA in French. The VAT number is the company's 10-digit enterprise number (ondernemingsnummer / numéro d'entreprise) from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, with BE in front.