This version is in beta - expect some breaking changes.

Check a UK VAT number API

Version and status
Available in Sandbox	Yes
Sandbox base URL	https://test-api.service.hmrc.gov.uk
Available in Production	Yes
Production base URL	https://api.service.hmrc.gov.uk

Overview

This API enables your application to:

• check if a UK VAT number is registered
• view the name and address of the business that the UK VAT number is registered to
• get a reference number that you can use to prove you checked a UK VAT number

The Check a UK VAT Number API works in two modes:

1. Simple unverified check, which does not provide a reference number
2. Verified check, which provides a reference number

Versioning

When an API changes in a way that is backwards-incompatible, we increase the version number of the API. See our reference guide for more on versioning.

Errors

We use standard HTTP status codes to show whether an API request succeeded or not. They are usually in the range:

• 200 to 299 if it succeeded, including code 202 if it was accepted by an API that needs to wait for further action
• 400 to 499 if it failed because of a client error by your application
• 500 to 599 if it failed because of an error on our server

Errors specific to each API are shown in the Endpoints section, under Response. See our reference guide for more on errors.

Testing

You can use the sandbox environment to test this API.

Access a set of mock VAT registration numbers to use when testing in the sandbox environment.

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Endpoints

/organisations/vat/check-vat-number/lookup/{targetVrn}

Get a VAT registration

GET

Allows retrieval of name and address of a VAT registered company

Authorisation

This endpoint is open access and requires no Authorization header.

Path parameters

Name	Description
targetVrn string required	UK VAT registration number you wish to check. A 9-digit or 12-digit number. For example: 123456789

Request headers

Name	Description
Accept required	Specifies the version of the API that you want to call. See versioning. For example:

See also fraud prevention.

Responses

HTTP status 200 (OK)

{
    "target": {
        "name":"Credite Sberger Donal Inc.",
        "vatNumber":"553557881",
        "address":{
            "line1":"131B Barton Hamlet",
            "postcode":"SW97 5CK",
            "countryCode":"GB"
            }
    },
    "processingDate":"2019-01-31T12:43:17+00:00"
}

HTTP status 400 (Bad Request)

{
  "code": "INVALID_REQUEST",
  "message": "Invalid targetVrn - Vrn parameters should be 9 or 12 digits"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

HTTP status 404 (Not Found)

{
  "code": "NOT_FOUND",
  "message": "targetVrn does not match a registered company"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

HTTP status 500 (Internal Server Error)

{
  "code": "INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR",
  "message": "Unknown error"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

Error scenarios

Scenario	HTTP status	Code
Invalid request	400 (Bad Request)	INVALID_REQUEST
Not found	404 (Not Found)	NOT_FOUND
Internal server error	500 (Internal Server Error)	INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR

For error scenarios that are common across all APIs, and for error formats, see our reference guide.

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/organisations/vat/check-vat-number/lookup/{targetVrn}/{requesterVrn}

Get a VAT registration with a reference number

GET

Retrieves the name and address of a UK VAT-registered business, if the business exists.

Authorisation

This endpoint is open access and requires no Authorization header.

Path parameters

Name	Description
targetVrn string required	UK VAT registration number you want to check. A 9-digit or 12-digit number. For example: 123456789
requesterVrn string required	Your VAT registration number. A 9-digit or 12-digit number. For example: 123456789

Request headers

Name	Description
Accept required	Specifies the version of the API that you want to call. See versioning. For example:

See also fraud prevention.

Responses

HTTP status 200 (OK)

{
    "target":{
        "name":"Credite Sberger Donal Inc.",
        "vatNumber":"553557881",
        "address":{
            "line1":"131B Barton Hamlet",
            "postcode":"SW97 5CK",
            "countryCode":"GB"
        }
    },
    "requester":"146295999727",
    "consultationNumber":"ypAeKRPlW",
    "processingDate":"2019-01-31T12:53:05+00:00"
}

HTTP status 400 (Bad Request)

{
  "code": "INVALID_REQUEST",
  "message": "Invalid requesterVrn - Vrn parameters should be 9 or 12 digits"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

HTTP status 403 (Forbidden)

{
  "code": "INVALID_REQUEST",
  "message": "requesterVrn does not match a registered company"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

HTTP status 404 (Not Found)

{
  "code": "NOT_FOUND",
  "message": "targetVrn does not match a registered company"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

HTTP status 500 (Internal Server Error)

{
  "code": "INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR",
  "message": "Unknown error"
}

Name	Description
message string required
code string required

Error scenarios

Scenario	HTTP status	Code
Invalid request	400 (Bad Request)	INVALID_REQUEST
Invalid request	403 (Forbidden)	INVALID_REQUEST
Not found	404 (Not Found)	NOT_FOUND
Internal server error	500 (Internal Server Error)	INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR

For error scenarios that are common across all APIs, and for error formats, see our reference guide.

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