Greek VAT number check
Check a Greek 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 | EL |
|---|---|
| After the prefix | 9 digits |
| Structure | One block of 9 digits. The prefix is EL, not GR. |
| Example | EL123456789 |
You can paste the number with spaces, dots or dashes; the checker removes them.
What it's called
Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου (ΑΦΜ / AFM), the tax registration number, used as the VAT number.
The Greek VAT number is the business's ΑΦΜ with EL in front.
Registered, but invalid in VIES?
The Greek tax authority tells businesses whose number shows invalid to check that intra-Community transactions haven't been discontinued in their registry details.
What trips people up
- Use EL. VIES doesn't know GR, though our checker turns GR into EL for you.
- An invalid result for an active Greek business usually means its intra-Community status has lapsed in the registry, not that the ΑΦΜ is wrong.
Other ways to check
AADE business registry search: Needs TAXISnet access codes. 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 Greek VAT numbers
What is the format of a Greek VAT number?
EL followed by 9 digits. One block of 9 digits. The prefix is EL, not GR. Example: EL123456789.
What is a Greek VAT number called?
Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου (ΑΦΜ / AFM), the tax registration number, used as the VAT number. The Greek VAT number is the business's ΑΦΜ with EL in front.
Why would a correct Greek VAT number show as invalid in VIES?
The Greek tax authority tells businesses whose number shows invalid to check that intra-Community transactions haven't been discontinued in their registry details.