What is the format of a Dutch VAT number?

A Netherlands VAT number is NL followed by a 9-digit number, the letter B, and a 2-digit establishment suffix, for example NL123456789B01. The total is 14 characters.

How is the Dutch VAT check digit calculated?

Numbers issued before 2020 use a mod-11 check: each of the first 8 digits is multiplied by weights 9 down to 2, summed, and the remainder mod 11 must equal the 9th digit (and must not be 10). Newer numbers are random and skip this check.

Why does a valid format still fail the check digit?

Since 1 January 2020 the Netherlands issues a new random BTW-id to sole traders, which deliberately does not satisfy the old mod-11 rule. The tool flags this so you know the format is correct even when the legacy checksum does not apply.

Does a valid number mean the company is VAT-registered?

No. A valid format and check digit confirm the number is well-formed, not that it is active. Use the EU VIES service to confirm a number is currently registered for intra-EU trade.

Is my VAT number sent anywhere?

No. All validation runs locally in your browser. The number never leaves your device.

Netherlands VAT Number Validator

A Dutch VAT number (BTW-nummer) is the identifier the Belastingdienst issues to businesses that are registered for value-added tax (omzetbelasting) in the Netherlands. You need a valid counterparty VAT number on every B2B invoice, especially for zero-rated intra-EU supplies. This free validator checks the structure and the classic check digit in your browser.

How it works

A Netherlands VAT number has a fixed shape: the country code NL, a 9-digit number, the literal letter B, and a 2-digit establishment suffix (01 for the first establishment).

For numbers issued before 2020, the 9-digit body carries a mod-11 check:

Take the first 8 digits.
Multiply them by the weights 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
Sum the products and take the remainder modulo 11.
That remainder must equal the 9th digit. A remainder of 10 is invalid (such numbers were never issued).

Since 1 January 2020 the Netherlands also issues a new random BTW-id to sole traders that does not satisfy this rule, so the tool reports format-valid even when the legacy checksum does not match.

Example

Validate NL123456789B01: the prefix NL, body 123456789, suffix B01 are all structurally correct. The mod-11 test weights the first eight digits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 by 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2, giving a sum, and compares the remainder to the 9th digit 9.

Notes

A passing check confirms the number is internally consistent, not that the business is currently active. For live status, query the EU VIES portal. Everything here runs locally, so your data stays on your device.