Maltese VAT number check
Check a Maltese 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 | MT |
|---|---|
| After the prefix | 8 digits |
| Structure | One block of 8 digits. |
| Example | MT12345678 |
You can paste the number with spaces, dots or dashes; the checker removes them.
What it's called
VAT number. The formal Maltese term is numru ta' l-identifikazzjoni tat-taxxa fuq il-valur miżjud.
Article 10 (standard) registrations carry the MT prefix. Article 11 registrations, for small undertakings under the exemption, get a number without MT, which is not valid for trade with other EU countries.
Registered, but invalid in VIES?
Only Article 10 numbers validate in VIES. An Article 11 business that buys goods or services from other EU countries may also need an Article 12 registration.
What trips people up
- A Maltese VAT number without MT in front is an Article 11 registration. Don't zero-rate a cross-border supply on it.
- The Commissioner for Revenue was renamed the Commissioner for Tax and Customs in 2023. Older certificates carry the old name.
Other ways to check
VIES is the check to rely on for cross-border trade. The number is issued by Malta Tax and Customs Administration (MTCA); if a correct number keeps showing invalid, the business has to take it up with them.
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 Maltese VAT numbers
What is the format of a Maltese VAT number?
MT followed by 8 digits. Example: MT12345678.
What is a Maltese VAT number called?
VAT number. The formal Maltese term is numru ta' l-identifikazzjoni tat-taxxa fuq il-valur miżjud. Article 10 (standard) registrations carry the MT prefix. Article 11 registrations, for small undertakings under the exemption, get a number without MT, which is not valid for trade with other EU countries.
Why would a correct Maltese VAT number show as invalid in VIES?
Only Article 10 numbers validate in VIES. An Article 11 business that buys goods or services from other EU countries may also need an Article 12 registration.