EORI number format
- Two letters for the country that issued the number (FR, DE, BE, NL…), followed by up to 15 letters or digits
- France: FR followed, in general, by the 14-digit SIRET of the establishment
- United Kingdom: GB followed, in general, by 12 digits; Northern Ireland: XI followed by 12 digits
- Greece: the EORI prefix is GR, whereas Greek VAT numbers use EL
- No spaces, dots or dashes in a declaration: the tool removes them automatically
What the tool checks, and what it does not
The tool checks the structure of the number. It cannot tell whether the number has actually been issued, whether it is still active or which company it belongs to: only official services have access to the registers.
For EU numbers, use the European Commission's EORI validation service. For GB and XI numbers, use HMRC's checker. The links appear below the result.
Why check an EORI number before using it
A wrong EORI number blocks the customs declaration: the goods are held, with storage charges, until it is corrected. Check your customers' and suppliers' numbers as soon as you receive them, then check your whole file with the import / export check.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool confirm that an EORI number is valid?
It confirms that the format is correct. To find out whether the number is issued and active, use the official European Commission service (EU numbers) or HMRC (GB and XI numbers).
Why is the EL prefix rejected?
EL is the prefix of Greek VAT numbers. Greek EORI numbers start with GR, the ISO country code for Greece.
Does a French EORI number always have 14 digits?
In the vast majority of cases, yes: it reuses the SIRET of the establishment. The tool shows a warning, not an error, when it does not.
Is the number I enter stored?
No. The check runs in your browser and no data is sent.
Is your file ready?
Check it for free in a few minutes, before you prepare your declaration.
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