Guides › EORI number vs VAT number: the difference
EORI number vs VAT number: the difference
Updated: 1 November 2026 · Klik&Shop
Both start with a country code and they sometimes look alike. Still, they are two different numbers that you should not mix up.
The difference in one table
| EORI number | VAT identification number | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Customs: imports, exports, customs authorisations | VAT: invoices, intra-EU reverse charge |
| Issuer (NL) | Dutch Customs (or composed from the RSIN) | Dutch Tax Administration |
| Format (NL) | NL + 9 digits, e.g. NL123456789 | NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits, e.g. NL123456789B01 |
| Check in | EU EORI database (EOS) | EU VIES |
| Greece | GR | EL |
| Needed if you only sell within the EU? | Usually not | Yes, for B2B supplies under the reverse charge |
Why they sometimes look alike
For many Dutch BVs, the 9 digits of the EORI number (the RSIN) match the first 9 digits of the VAT number. That is not always the case; since 2020, for example, Dutch sole traders have a VAT ID unrelated to their citizen service number. Never assume you can derive one from the other, and check each number in the right database.
Which number when?
- Invoice to an EU business under the reverse charge: your customer's VAT number, checked in VIES. See EU reverse charge for B2B.
- Shipment to the United Kingdom or Switzerland: your EORI number on the export declaration, and often the UK recipient's EORI number.
- Supplier outside the EU: your EORI number on the import declaration.
Our API checks both with the same API key and the same credit: VAT number check and EORI number check.
FAQ
Can I use my VAT number as my EORI number?
No. They are different numbers. In the Netherlands, the EORI number is NL plus your RSIN, without the B and two digits.
Is an EORI number in VIES?
No. VIES only validates VAT numbers. EORI numbers are in the European Commission's EORI database (EOS).
Do I need a separate number for the UK?
For the EU side you use your EU EORI number. If you also act as importer in the UK, for example when shipping DDP, you also need a GB EORI number.
Check an EORI number now
5 one-time free checks in the EU database (EOS) and with HMRC, or automate with the API (5 free checks a month).