Ελλάδα · ΑΦΜ
Greek AFM & VAT Number Checker
Check a Greek Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου (ΑΦΜ) for correct format and check digit, and confirm it in real time — with the registered name.
What is a Greek AFM?
The AFM (Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου) is Greece’s 9-digit tax registration number, issued by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) to individuals and businesses. For a VAT-registered business it is also the VAT number, written with the prefix EL — not GR — for example EL090000045 for Public Power Corporation.
Greek AFM and VAT number format
EL for intra-EU use, then nine digits ending in a check digit.
(not GR)
Example: EL090000045 (ΔΗΜΟΣΙΑ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΙΣΜΟΥ Α.Ε. — Public Power Corporation).
- 9 digits: Always 9 digits. Domestically written without prefix; in intra-EU trade with EL in front.
- EL, not GR: VIES rejects GR. Our checker accepts either and sends the number in the right form.
- Check digit: The last digit is a check digit. No official publication of the formula is available; EL123456789 fails it.
- Not an AFM: A GEMI business-register number is a different identifier — PPC’s GEMI 786301000, for example, fails the AFM check digit.
How to check a Greek AFM
- 1 Find the AFM on the company’s invoice or letterhead — a full Greek invoice must show the AFM of both seller and customer (simplified invoices and retail receipts need not show the customer’s).
- 2 Enter it above, with or without EL. The checker validates the format and check digit, then confirms the number.
- 3 Compare the returned name with your supplier or customer.
- 4 Want to run the official checks yourself? Our EU VAT verification guide walks through them step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check a Greek AFM? (Πώς ελέγχω αν ένας ΑΦΜ είναι έγκυρος;)
Enter the 9-digit AFM in the checker on this page, with or without EL: it validates the format and check digit, then confirms the number and shows the registered name. For the official route, see our EU VAT verification guide.
What is the Greek VAT number format?
EL followed by the 9-digit AFM — for example EL090000045 (Public Power Corporation, ΔΕΗ). In Greece itself the same 9 digits are used without a prefix.
Why does Greece use EL and not GR?
Greek VAT law requires the prefix EL on the AFM in intra-EU transactions, and the EU VIES system accepts only EL — a GR prefix returns an input error. GR is Greece’s ISO country code, used for example in IBANs, but not its VAT prefix.
Is the AFM the same as the Greek VAT number?
Yes — for a VAT-registered business the VAT number is its AFM. But not every AFM is a VAT number: private individuals and businesses outside VAT also have an AFM, and they show as invalid in VIES.
What is the difference between the AFM and the GEMI number?
The AFM is the 9-digit tax number from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), held by every taxable person. The GEMI number is the business-register number, held only by registered businesses. Public Power Corporation prints both: GEMI 786301000 and AFM 090000045.
Does a Greek AFM have a check digit?
Yes, the 9th digit is a check digit, and the EU’s TIN service rejects numbers that fail it. AADE has not published the algorithm; the commonly used one (powers-of-two weights, mod 11, then mod 10) agrees with the EU check. The often-used sample EL123456789 fails it.
Last reviewed: , against official sources.
Validate EU VAT numbers at scale
Check Greek AFMs and EU VAT numbers in one API call — with registered name and address where the country provides it.