Finnish VAT number check
Check a Finnish 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 | FI |
|---|---|
| After the prefix | 8 digits |
| Structure | One block of 8 digits. |
| Example | FI12345678 |
You can paste the number with spaces, dots or dashes; the checker removes them.
What it's called
Arvonlisäverotunniste or ALV-numero in Finnish, momsregistreringsnummer in Swedish.
The VAT number is FI followed by the Business ID (Y-tunnus) without the hyphen: 1234567-8 becomes FI12345678.
Registered, but invalid in VIES?
Only businesses entered in the VAT Register have a valid number. A Business ID on its own doesn't mean the company is registered for VAT.
What trips people up
- Drop the hyphen. FI1234567-8 is the Business ID with a prefix, not a VAT number.
Other ways to check
YTJ business information system: Shows whether a company is in the VAT Register. 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 Finnish VAT numbers
What is the format of a Finnish VAT number?
FI followed by 8 digits. Example: FI12345678.
What is a Finnish VAT number called?
Arvonlisäverotunniste or ALV-numero in Finnish, momsregistreringsnummer in Swedish. The VAT number is FI followed by the Business ID (Y-tunnus) without the hyphen: 1234567-8 becomes FI12345678.
Why would a correct Finnish VAT number show as invalid in VIES?
Only businesses entered in the VAT Register have a valid number. A Business ID on its own doesn't mean the company is registered for VAT.