Schweiz · UID / IDE / IDI
Swiss UID Checker
Check a Swiss Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer (UID) for correct format and confirm the company in the commercial register — with its registered name and address.
What is a Swiss UID?
The UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer; IDE in French, IDI in Italian) is the number the Federal Statistical Office assigns to Swiss businesses and other registered organisations: CHE plus 9 digits, written CHE-123.456.789 — for example CHE-109.030.864 for Die Schweizerische Post AG. A VAT-registered business’s VAT number is its UID followed by MWST, TVA or IVA.
Swiss UID format
CHE, eight random digits and a mod-11 check digit; MWST marks a VAT number.
digits
(mod 11)
(TVA / IVA)
Example: CHE-109.030.864 (Die Schweizerische Post AG). Its VAT number is the VAT group’s CHE-116.302.542 MWST.
- Check digit: Weights 5-4-3-2-7-6-5-4, mod 11, as set out in the eCH-0097 standard. The sample CHE-123.456.789 fails it.
- Suffixes: MWST, TVA or IVA mean VAT-registered; HR or RC mean entered in the commercial register. Neither is part of the UID.
- Commercial register only: The checker confirms companies in the commercial register. It does not check VAT status, and UIDs outside the register — such as VAT groups or some sole traders — will not be found.
- Old numbers: The UID replaced the old MWST number and the commercial-register number; the old CH-ID still appears as a reference number.
How to check a Swiss UID
- 1 Find the UID or MWST number on the company’s invoice or imprint (“UID”, “MWST-Nr.” or “IDE”).
- 2 Enter it above, with or without CHE, dots or MWST. The checker validates the format and confirms the company in the commercial register.
- 3 Compare the returned name and address with the business you are dealing with.
- 4 Need to confirm VAT status? Our Switzerland tax ID guide explains the UID register and VAT groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the UID and the MWST number?
The Swiss VAT number is the UID followed by MWST (TVA in French, IVA in Italian) — for example CHE-116.302.542 MWST. Only VAT-registered businesses have one, and the suffix is not part of the UID itself.
What is the format of a Swiss UID?
CHE followed by 9 digits — eight random digits and a check digit — written CHE-123.456.789 or CHE123456789. The VAT form adds MWST, TVA or IVA; the English “VAT” is not permitted.
How do I check a Swiss UID or VAT number?
Enter it in the checker on this page: it validates the format and confirms the company in the Swiss commercial register, with its name and address. VAT status is shown in the federal UID register (uid.admin.ch) — see our Switzerland tax ID guide.
Why does a real Swiss company’s UID show no VAT?
Either it is not VAT-liable (for example, its worldwide turnover is under CHF 100,000 a year), or it belongs to a VAT group and uses the group’s number. Swiss Post, for example, is CHE-109.030.864, but its VAT number is the group’s CHE-116.302.542 MWST.
Is Switzerland in the EU VIES system?
No. Switzerland is not an EU member, so Swiss VAT numbers cannot be checked in VIES. They are published in the Swiss UID register instead.
How is the UID check digit calculated?
Multiply the eight digits after CHE by 5, 4, 3, 2, 7, 6, 5 and 4, add the results and subtract the remainder after dividing by 11 from 11. A result of 11 gives check digit 0; a result of 10 is never issued. The sample CHE-123.456.789 fails it.
Last reviewed: , against official sources.
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