België / Belgique · BTW / TVA
Belgian VAT Number Checker
Check a Belgian btw-nummer / numéro de TVA — the enterprise number with BE in front — for correct format and check digits, and confirm the registered company.
What is a Belgian VAT number?
A Belgian VAT number is BE followed by the company’s 10-digit enterprise number from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE) — for example BE0417497106, officially written 0417.497.106. The first digit is 0 or 1 and the last two digits are mod-97 check digits.
Belgian VAT and enterprise number format
BE, then ten digits: a first digit of 0 or 1, seven more digits and two check digits.
(0 or 1)
(mod 97)
Example: BE0417497106 (Anheuser-Busch InBev; its website prints 0417.497.106). Dots and spaces are optional.
- 10 digits: Always ten digits — a number printed without its leading 0 (417497106) is incomplete and will be rejected.
- Check digits: The last two digits equal 97 minus the first eight digits mod 97. The royal decree does not state the formula, but every valid number satisfies it.
- 0 and 1 series: The law allows numbers starting with 0 or 1; the 1-series has been issued since September 2023.
- Not a VAT number: A vestigingseenheidsnummer (establishment unit number, starting 2–8) identifies a location, not the company.
How to check a Belgian VAT number
- 1 Find the number on the company’s invoice or website — it is the enterprise number with BE in front.
- 2 Enter all 10 digits above, with or without BE and dots. The checker validates the format and check digits, then confirms the number against the official register.
- 3 Compare the returned company name with the business you are dealing with.
- 4 Want to run the official checks yourself? Our Belgian VAT verification guide walks through them step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Belgian VAT number the same as the enterprise number?
Yes. The VAT number is BE followed by the same 10 digits as the enterprise number (ondernemingsnummer / numéro d’entreprise) in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE). It works as a VAT number only while the company is registered as subject to VAT.
How do I check a Belgian VAT number? (Btw-nummer controleren)
Enter it in the checker on this page, with or without BE and dots: it validates the format and mod-97 check digits, then confirms the number against the official register and shows the company name. For the official routes, see our Belgian VAT verification guide.
Can a Belgian enterprise number start with 1?
Yes. Since 2003 the law has allowed a first digit of 0 or 1, and numbers starting with 1 have been issued since September 2023. Both are valid; always enter all 10 digits, including a leading 0.
How do the check digits work?
The last two digits are check digits: 97 minus the remainder of the first eight digits divided by 97. For 0417497106, 4174971 mod 97 = 91 and 97 − 91 = 06. The often-used sample BE0123456789 fails this check.
What is a vestigingseenheidsnummer (establishment unit number)?
It is a separate 10-digit number, starting with 2 to 8, given to each physical location of a company. It is not a VAT number: use the enterprise number with BE for VAT, and VIES rejects establishment unit numbers.
Why does the VAT check show a different address than the company register?
VIES may show the address registered for VAT, which can differ from the registered seat in the company register — for example AB InBev’s VAT address is in Leuven while its registered seat is in Brussels. A different address alone is not a warning sign.
Last reviewed: , against official sources.
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