EORI Number Validator & Lookup

Validate an EU EORI number

An EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number is the unique ID every business needs to lodge customs declarations in the EU — including non-EU exporters shipping into the bloc. Dutifi checks the number you enter against the official European Commission EOS registry in real time and tells you whether it is registered, along with the trader’s name and address where the operator has consented to public display. Use it to verify a new supplier or customer before you file, or to confirm your own EORI is active. For help registering an EORI in a specific member state, the AI Customs Broker can walk you through the national procedure.

What an EORI check actually confirms

The check queries the European Commission’s EOS registry directly — the same system customs authorities use during clearance. A result tells you three things:

• •Whether the number exists in the EU EORI registry and is currently active.
• •Which country issued it — shown by the two-letter country prefix (e.g. DE for Germany, IT for Italy).
• •The registered trader name and address, where the operator has consented to public display. No name showing does not mean a problem — it means consent was not given, which is common and not a red flag.

Why an EORI number can come back invalid

A failed check does not automatically mean your trading partner is unreliable. The most common causes in practice:

• •A typo or a missing country prefix. Every EORI starts with a two-letter ISO country code — a number submitted without it will not match.
• •A UK number (GB…). GB EORIs are issued and validated by HMRC, not the EU registry, even though they remain valid for UK trade.
• •Registration is not yet active. It typically takes a few business days after applying for a new EORI to appear in the EU registry.
• •The number has been deactivated — after a business closes, merges, or changes legal form.
• •Confusion with a VAT number. In several member states the EORI is built from the VAT number, but the two are separate identifiers and are not interchangeable.

EORI numbers for non-EU companies

A company established outside the EU still needs an EORI number if it acts as importer or exporter of record on an EU customs declaration — there is no exemption for being non-EU. Because EORI is issued at national level, a non-EU business registers with the customs authority of the first EU member state where it lodges a declaration or appoints a customs representative, rather than through a single EU-wide portal. Once issued, the number is valid for customs declarations in every member state. If you are working with a non-EU supplier or customer, checking their EORI above is the fastest way to confirm they are actually registered before you rely on it. Look up the registry directly at the European Commission

Frequently asked questions