How to check an EORI number in the EU and the United Kingdom: enter an EORI issued by an EU Member State in the European Commission EORI validation service. A GB number falls under HMRC and is not checked through that EU tool. A positive result confirms the identifier exists or is published as valid, not that you may import, your VAT position or your product compliance.
Key takeaways
- An EORI number identifies an economic operator for customs formalities; it does not replace a VAT number or company registration.
- The European Commission validator checks EORI numbers issued in the European Union, subject to the operator’s data-publication settings.
- A GB EORI is issued within the UK system and must be handled with HMRC; the EU EORI validator is not a GB EORI check.
- A validation result does not prove that a customs declaration is correct, duties have been paid or a product may lawfully be sold.
- Check the operator’s identity, the relevant territory and the customs role before giving an EORI number to a carrier or customs representative.
Who should check an EORI number before a shipment?
You should check an EORI number when preparing an import, export, transit movement or customs declaration involving your business, supplier or the operator named in the paperwork. This is especially useful before a first shipment, a change of logistics provider or stock entering a European warehouse.
EORI means Economic Operators Registration and Identification. The Union Customs Code, Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, together with its implementing rules, governs its use in dealings with EU customs authorities. The European Commission explains that EORI identifies operators in their customs dealings with the EU and national authorities on its EORI information page.
In practice, several parties benefit from checking the number:
- the importer, meaning the business bringing goods into the relevant customs territory;
- the exporter sending goods out of that territory;
- the declarant or customs representative preparing the declaration;
- the online seller sending stock to an Amazon FBA warehouse, a fulfilment provider or directly to customers;
- the business buyer seeking to confirm that a supplier has provided an identifier consistent with the shipping documents.
Example: you ship products from Shenzhen to an Amazon warehouse in Germany. Before dispatch, establish who acts as importer, which EORI will appear in the declaration and which Member State issued it. An EORI belonging to the Chinese manufacturer cannot automatically be substituted for that of the EU importer or seller taking responsibility for the import.
If you are planning a first import and do not yet know who should be the importer, an EU Market Entry Compliance Assessment can structure the points to review: EORI, VAT, stock flows, product safety and related obligations.
What does an EORI check actually confirm?
An EORI check only confirms what the EU register makes verifiable for an EU identifier. It does not validate your commercial arrangement, customs declaration or regulatory obligations.
The validator may show that a number is valid and, where the operator has made the information available, display identifying information linked to that operator. The absence of a name or address does not necessarily mean that the EORI is invalid: publication of certain data depends on the applicable settings and permissions for that operator.
Do not confuse the following identifiers:
| Identifier | Main purpose | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| EORI | Identification for customs formalities | VAT or product compliance |
| VAT number | Tax identification for VAT | That an EORI exists |
| Company number | Legal or commercial identification | The right to complete customs formalities |
| Shipment reference | Logistics tracking | The customs status of the goods |
An intra-EU VAT number is checked through the European Commission’s VIES VAT validation system, which is separate from the EORI validator. For online sales, import VAT, OSS and IOSS each follow their own rules; the EU VAT calculator helps you compare domestic, intra-EU and import scenarios using your actual transaction flow.
A common mistake is treating a valid EORI as a blanket permission to sell. It is not. Consumer products must also meet applicable safety rules. For example, Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety places duties on economic operators and sets requirements for information provided in distance sales.
How to check an EORI number in the EU and the United Kingdom step by step
For an EU EORI, use the European Commission’s official validator and then compare the result with your commercial documents and the operator’s actual role. Carry out this check before giving customs-clearance instructions to your carrier.
1. Identify the territory and the operator concerned
First establish who owns the number: the seller, importer, manufacturer, consignee, customs representative or logistics provider. Record the issuing country and the relevant flow: import into the EU, export from the EU, transit, or movement to Great Britain.
Within the EU, detailed registration and identification rules are set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447. In principle, an economic operator uses one EORI across the Union, even when it operates in several Member States. The application must nevertheless be made to the competent authority based on the business’s circumstances and operations.
2. Enter the number in the official validator
Open the European Commission EORI validation service, select the issuing country if the interface asks for it, and enter the number exactly as supplied. Keep a dated record of the result in your shipment file, particularly for a first transaction or a change of importer.
Check the full identifier. Do not infer an EORI from a VAT number, a company-register extract or a country prefix: formats and allocation rules do not support that shortcut.
3. Compare the result with your documents
Match the result against the commercial invoice, purchase order, sales contract and instructions given to the declarant. Check that the legal name, country and role of the business remain consistent.
Imagine a US manufacturer selling DDP to a French customer. The carrier asks for an EORI in the manufacturer’s name, while the invoice names another company as importer. Before shipping, clarify contractually who acts as importer and who supplies the customs data. A validator cannot resolve a mismatch in customs roles.
4. Check the goods data before the declaration
EORI is only one declaration data element. You must also check the commercial description, value, origin, Incoterm, tariff classification and supporting documents. The HS classification assistant can generate candidate subheadings with sources; you must then confirm them in the applicable nomenclature and in TARIC.
EU Seller Kit — If you need to apply for an EORI or are unsure which country should receive the application, use EORI file preparation. The service prepares the application file; the customs authority issues the number itself.
How do you check an EORI number for Great Britain?
For Great Britain, first confirm that the number is a GB EORI and that the shipment falls within the UK customs territory. UK rules are separate from EU rules following the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU.
HMRC sets out the conditions and application process on the official Get an EORI number page. A GB number is used for customs operations involving Great Britain. It should not be presented as an EU EORI, and the European Commission validator is not a GB EORI validation tool.
Before accepting a number supplied by a UK partner, ask for:
- the complete number and the exact legal entity that holds it;
- that entity’s role in the import or export;
- the destination territory: England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland;
- the customs-clearance instructions and contractual allocation of duties, taxes and formalities.
Northern Ireland needs separate analysis. Depending on the movement and the applicable arrangement, an identifier beginning with XI may be relevant to trade connected with EU rules. Do not assume that a GB EORI automatically covers every flow involving Northern Ireland: read the guide to GB and XI EORI numbers for Great Britain and Northern Ireland before dispatch.
If you need an identifier for UK flows, the EORI registration in the United Kingdom page explains the scope of file preparation and the information to gather. For combined EU and GB flows, also see our guide on when you may need two EORI numbers.
Which documents should you match against an EORI number?
An EORI number must be consistent with the complete customs file. Gather the documents before the goods are collected, because a late correction can delay clearance or make it harder to establish the importer.
Checklist before sending an EORI to the declarant
- I have identified the business holding the EORI and checked its legal name.
- I have confirmed the country or territory for the transaction: EU, Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
- I have checked the EU EORI in the official validator where that check applies.
- I have compared the EORI holder with the commercial invoice, purchase order and customs instructions.
- I have defined who is the importer and who bears duties, import VAT and formalities under the Incoterm.
- I have prepared an accurate goods description, quantity, value, origin and tariff code for confirmation.
- I have gathered transport documents and any licences or certificates required for the product.
- I have checked that product information and responsible-operator details are ready before the product is offered for sale.
The commercial invoice is central because it must identify the parties, goods and declared value. Use the guide to commercial invoice requirements for EU imports to avoid sending a document that is too vague to your declarant.
Tariff classification affects duties, trade measures and certain documentary requirements. To structure known import costs, use the customs cost simulator; duties are calculated only where a valid tariff rate is available. You should then check applicable measures in TARIC and, depending on the product and origin, in Access2Markets.
How much effort is involved, and which mistakes should you avoid?
The validation itself is quick, but resolving an inconsistency can require discussion between the seller, supplier, carrier, declarant and competent authority. Build this check into your pre-shipment process, not the point at which the goods have already arrived.
The cost in effort depends on your organisation, the competent country and the complexity of the flow. Authorities issue the number under their own procedures, so do not plan an operation around a commercial promise alone. If you are comparing available support, review EU Seller Kit pricing and plans rather than relying on a price repeated out of context.
Common mistakes and practical consequences
Using another company’s EORI without a clear role. A supplier, warehouse or freight forwarder may appear in the logistics chain without being the importer. That confusion can create an inconsistent declaration and lead to a request for correction.
Confusing EORI with VAT. A VAT number validated in VIES does not establish that an EORI exists. Conversely, an EORI does not settle the VAT treatment. Council Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of VAT governs VAT, while EORI falls under customs rules.
Entering an EU EORI for a UK operation. Crossing the EU–Great Britain border involves formalities specific to each territory. Check the direction of travel and required identifiers before selecting an Incoterm or sending instructions to the carrier.
Waiting until arrival to check. If the declarant finds an incorrect number after arrival, goods may remain on hold while the parties correct the information. This does not automatically mean an infringement, but the delay can affect stock availability and customer deliveries.
Assuming EORI covers product compliance. If you import a toy, radio equipment or another consumer product, safety, traceability and, where applicable, CE-marking requirements remain separate. Decision No 768/2008/EC sets out the common framework for economic-operator roles for many harmonised products.
Before publishing a listing on Amazon, eBay, Etsy or Shopify, the Marketplace Product Compliance Scanner can flag traceability and compliance information to verify in the listing. It does not replace regulatory analysis or the documents required for your product category.
Which special cases require extra checking?
Some flows need closer review because EORI sits within a chain where customs, tax and regulatory roles do not always align. This includes non-EU sellers, multi-country storage, DDP sales and regulated products.
A non-EU seller importing its own stock
A business established outside the EU may need an EORI for its customs operations in the Union. The application country depends on its circumstances and the first operation concerned; read the guide on EORI numbers for non-EU companies before filing an application.
Example: a Canadian brand ships stock to France and then redistributes it to Germany and Italy. The EORI supports customs identification, but it does not remove the need to assess import VAT, possible local registrations, product safety and packaging obligations in the countries where goods are sold.
Amazon FBA stock in several countries
One EU EORI does not mean that a single obligation applies everywhere. Holding stock in several Member States can create VAT consequences and local obligations. To frame the project, see the guide on sending Amazon FBA stock to Europe and EORI requirements.
Consumer products sold from a third country
An EORI does not automatically appoint a GPSR responsible person. For relevant consumer products, Regulation (EU) 2023/988 requires an EU-established economic operator to be identified in certain situations. A GPSR Responsible Person becomes active only after product review, entity assignment, a signed mandate and active payment; a SaaS subscription alone does not appoint a representative.
For CE-marked products, an authorised representative may be necessary or useful depending on the applicable legislation and written mandate. The CE Authorised Representative service never replaces the manufacturer’s conformity assessment, testing, technical documentation or EU declaration of conformity. The European Commission explains CE-marking principles on Your Europe.
Tools and services to take action
- EORI file preparation — Use this when you need to apply for an EORI or are unsure which information to provide; EU Seller Kit prepares the file, while the competent customs authority issues the number.
- EU Market Entry Compliance Assessment — Use this before a first shipment to build a review plan covering EORI, customs, VAT, GPSR, CE, packaging and DPP-data readiness.
- HS classification assistant — Use this before the declaration to generate candidate tariff subheadings and then confirm them in the CN or TARIC.
- EU VAT calculator — Use this when comparing VAT treatment for imports, local sales or OSS/IOSS flows.
- Marketplace Product Compliance Scanner — Use this before publishing a product listing to identify compliance and traceability information that needs checking.
Frequently asked questions
Does a valid EORI number automatically allow me to import?
No. A valid EORI identifies an operator for customs formalities, but the declaration must also contain accurate information about the goods, their value, origin and classification. Duties, VAT, possible restrictions and product obligations must be handled separately.
Can I check an EORI using the company’s VAT number?
No. A VAT number cannot reliably be used to reconstruct an EORI. Check VAT in VIES and EORI in the official EORI validator because the two identifiers have different functions and rules.
Why does the EORI validator not show the company name?
The availability of identifying data can depend on publication rules and the operator’s settings. Check the number’s status, then compare it with the commercial invoice, contract and other partner documents; if doubt remains, ask the holder or competent authority to confirm it.
Does a French EORI work in every EU Member State?
In principle, an economic operator has one EORI for customs dealings across the European Union. This does not mean VAT, warehousing, packaging or product-safety obligations are the same in every Member State.
How do I check a GB EORI number?
A GB EORI falls under HMRC and cannot be checked through the European Commission EORI validator. Ask the holder to confirm the identifier and its role in the flow, then consult HMRC guidance and your customs declarant for the transaction concerned.
Do I need an EORI if I only sell to consumers in the EU?
Not necessarily for the sale itself. However, you may need one if your business is involved in an import, export or another customs formality. The logistics model, Incoterm and identity of the importer determine the answer.
Official sources
- European Commission — Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) — explains EORI’s role in EU customs formalities.
- European Commission — EORI number validation — allows you to check an EORI issued in the European Union.
- Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 — Union Customs Code — provides the EU customs framework.
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 — contains implementing provisions on customs registration and identification.
- GOV.UK — Get an EORI number — explains the EORI process applicable in the United Kingdom through HMRC.
- European Commission — VIES VAT number validation — distinguishes VAT-number checks from EORI checks.
- Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — General Product Safety Regulation — sets out product-safety obligations for economic operators.
- Your Europe — CE marking — explains CE-marking principles for relevant products.
This content is general information and does not constitute legal, tax or customs advice for your particular circumstances.