Germany and UK VAT number inquiry and unblocking guide

How to check German VAT number and its importance

As one of the largest economies in Europe, Germany’s Value Added Tax (VAT) number cannot be ignored. The German VAT number, Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr), is a unique identifier consisting of 11 digits, used to identify and track the value-added tax payment of an enterprise.

How to check German VAT number

1. German Federal Finance Office website (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern)

The German Federal Finance Office provides an online VAT number query service. Users only need to visit its official website and enter the company’s name or registration number on the designated page to obtain VAT number information.

2. European Union VIES System

In addition to checking through local German institutions, companies can also use the EU’s VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) to verify German VAT numbers. This system allows you to enter the company name or registration number and obtain the corresponding VAT number verification results.

3. Contact the German tax authorities

If neither of the above two methods can meet your needs, you can directly contact the local tax authorities in Germany to request assistance with inquiries.

Things to note when making inquiries

• Accuracy Verification: Make sure that the business name or registration number entered is correct.
• Query frequency: Reasonably arrange the number of queries to avoid overuse.
• Identity Verification: In some cases, the tax office may require further proof of identity to ensure legitimacy.
• Additional tax information: During the query process, other tax-related information of the enterprise can also be obtained.

UK VAT inquiry methods and precautions

VAT registration inquiry

• You can check your company’s VAT registration status and certificate details through the British government’s online platform.

VAT invoice inquiry

• Verify the validity and authenticity of the invoice, and view invoice details such as number, seller information, amount, etc.

VAT declaration inquiry

• View filing deadlines and review history for past filings.

VAT tax refund inquiry

• For eligible entities, you can check their tax refund qualifications and application progress.

Compliance and advisory advice

• When conducting any type of VAT inquiry, the information should be accurate and the inquiry results should be properly saved.
• If you have any questions or require further guidance, you should consult a professional tax advisor.

Guide to German VAT Unblocking

Reasons for VAT unblocking

German tax authorities may suspend or block a company’s VAT number for the following reasons:

• Tax Violations
• Incomplete or incorrect information provided
• Under regulatory investigation.

Unblocking process

• Determine the reason for unblocking
• Correction or provide more information
• Submit an application to the tax authorities for unblocking
• Waiting for approval
• Resumption of normal business activities after completion of unblocking.

Recommendations to avoid VAT number blocking

• Comply with tax laws
• Maintain accurate financial records
• Regular self-audits
• Get professional tax consulting services.

To sum up, both German and British companies need to be particularly cautious when dealing with VAT matters, ensure that all operations comply with relevant regulations, and resolve possible problems in a timely manner.

Please note that the generated content is strictly based on the referenced articles given and no personal opinions or conclusions have been added.