Italian VAT number check
Check an Italian 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 | IT |
|---|---|
| After the prefix | 11 digits |
| Structure | One block of 11 digits. |
| Example | IT12345678901 |
You can paste the number with spaces, dots or dashes; the checker removes them.
What it's called
Partita IVA (P.IVA). IVA is the Italian name for VAT.
For companies, the partita IVA normally matches the company's codice fiscale. For sole traders and professionals the codice fiscale is the owner's 16-character personal code, which is not the VAT number.
Registered, but invalid in VIES?
An Italian number has to be entered in the VIES archive before it is valid for EU trade. The business opts in when it opens the partita IVA or later online; the option takes effect immediately.
What trips people up
- Active in Italy but invalid in VIES usually means the business never opted into the VIES archive.
- Only the 11-digit partita IVA goes after IT. A 16-character code like RSSMRA80A01H501U is a personal codice fiscale.
Other ways to check
Agenzia delle Entrate, verifica partita IVA: Shows whether a partita IVA is active domestically. 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 Italian VAT numbers
What is the format of an Italian VAT number?
IT followed by 11 digits. Example: IT12345678901.
What is an Italian VAT number called?
Partita IVA (P.IVA). IVA is the Italian name for VAT. For companies, the partita IVA normally matches the company's codice fiscale. For sole traders and professionals the codice fiscale is the owner's 16-character personal code, which is not the VAT number.
Why would a correct Italian VAT number show as invalid in VIES?
An Italian number has to be entered in the VIES archive before it is valid for EU trade. The business opts in when it opens the partita IVA or later online; the option takes effect immediately.