How to Verify a Business Partner Is a VAT Payer (VIES and ARES)

The fastest route: enter the VAT ID into the verification tool — Czech VAT IDs are checked against the ARES registry and the payer register, other EU VAT IDs against the European Commission's VIES system. You get the result in under two seconds, including company name and address.

Why verify

VAT deduction — you can only deduct VAT charged by an actual registered payer. An invoice with VAT from a non-payer gives you no deduction.
Exempt intra-EU supplies — you need the customer's valid VAT ID; otherwise the tax authority will challenge the exemption.
Good faith in VAT fraud cases — CJEU case law (the Kittel line) protects customers who took reasonable measures. Systematic partner verification is exactly such a measure.

What each register tells you

ARES — the entity's existence, seat and Czech VAT registration status, including VAT-group membership (group IDs CZ699…)
VIES — validity of the VAT ID for cross-border EU transactions
Czech unreliable-payer register — liability risk for Czech payers; our tool checks it automatically for Czech VAT IDs

Practical tip

Save the verification (date + result). With bulk verification you can check hundreds of VAT IDs at once and export the results to XLSX/PDF — handy before closing or an audit.