VAT Validation API

Finance / API Key Intermediate HTTPS CORS

Varies by plan (check documentation)

87 A

Metadata Score Metadata estimate · not endpoint-tested

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Overview

The VAT Validation API by Abstract API lets you check whether a VAT number is valid and look up current VAT rates for countries in the EU and beyond. It is useful for e-commerce apps that need to handle tax calculations correctly. You send a VAT number or country code, and get back validation status, business details, and applicable rates.

Beginner Tip

Always test with a known valid VAT number (e.g., GB123456789) before going to production to make sure your key and request format are correct.

Available Data

VAT Validation data via REST API

Example Response

JSON Response

{
  "input": "test@example.com",
  "is_valid": true,
  "format_valid": true,
  "details": "Input passes all validation checks"
}

Field Reference

vat_number The VAT number exactly as you submitted it.

is_valid Whether the VAT number passed validation against the VIES database.

company_name Registered business name associated with the VAT number, if available.

company_address Registered business address, if the authority provides it.

country_code Two-letter ISO country code extracted from the VAT number prefix.

Implementation Example

Request

const url = "https://www.abstractapi.com/vat-validation-rates-api";
// Replace headers or query params with the values required by this API.
const response = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
  "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
  }
});
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

401 Unauthorized Missing or invalid API key in the query string.

✓ Add ?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY to your request URL and double-check the key in your Abstract API dashboard.

is_valid: false for a real VAT number The VAT number format may include spaces or dashes that the API does not accept.

✓ Strip all spaces and dashes from the VAT number before sending it (e.g., GB 123 456 789 becomes GB123456789).

429 Too Many Requests You have exceeded the free-tier request limit.

✓ Upgrade your plan or cache results for known-good VAT numbers to reduce API calls.

Metadata Score Breakdown

Estimated from metadata — endpoint not independently tested

This score is estimated from observable metadata — HTTPS support, authentication model, declared CORS, and documentation reachability — because the API requires authentication or exposes no publicly testable endpoint. The five-signal breakdown is only shown for live-tested APIs.

Metadata estimate · endpoint not independently tested

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