About this API
VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) is a European Commission service that checks in real time whether a given EU VAT number is registered in a member state's tax registers. It's the standard way to verify a foreign counterparty before an intra-EU transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an API key?
No, the service is fully public and free — no registration, no key.
What data does this API return?
Whether the given EU VAT number is valid, and if so, the name and address of the business registered under that number.
Can this API be called directly from a browser?
No — VIES doesn't return CORS headers, so a direct call from frontend code will be blocked by the browser. It needs your own backend as a proxy — exactly what skanfirmy.pl/vies does on its end.
Who runs this API?
The European Commission (Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union). Full documentation is available at ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies.