EU VAT Number Validator

A simple and clean PHP class that validates EU VAT numbers against the central ec.europa.eu database (using the official europa API).

The Problem

Validate VAT numbers might be difficult and if you use a validation pattern to check if the format is valid, you are never sure if the VAT registration number is still valid.

The Solution

This PHP VAT validator library uses real-time data feeds from individual EU member states’ VAT systems so you are sure of the validity of the number and avoid fraud with expired or wrong VAT numbers.

For example, this kind of validation can be very useful on online payment forms.

Composer Installation

• Be sure PHP v7.1 or higher is installed.

• Install Composer (https://getcomposer.org).

• Then, include it in your project like belowe,

composer require ph-7/eu-vat-validator

• Then, include Composer’s autoload (if not already done in your project)

require_once 'vendor/autoload.php';

Manual Installation (the old-fashioned way)

If you don’t use Composer, you can install it without Composer by including the following

require 'src/autoloader.php';

How to Use

Example

use PH7\Eu\Vat\Validator;
use PH7\Eu\Vat\Provider\Europa;

$oVatValidator = new Validator(new Europa, '0472429986', 'BE');

if ($oVatValidator->check()) {
    $sRequestDate = $oVatValidator->getRequestDate();
    // Optional, format the date
    $sFormattedRequestDate = (new DateTime)->format('d-m-Y');

    echo 'Business Name: ' . $oVatValidator->getName() . '<br />';
    echo 'Address: ' . $oVatValidator->getAddress() . '<br />';
    echo 'Request Date: ' . $sFormattedRequestDate . '<br />';
    echo 'Member State: ' . $oVatValidator->getCountryCode() . '<br />';
    echo 'VAT Number: ' . $oVatValidator->getVatNumber() . '<br />';
} else {
    echo 'Invalid VAT number';
}

Optimization (Suggestion)

Depending of the use of this library, it could be handy to cache the result specifically for each specified VAT number.

Requirements

• PHP 7.1 or higher
• Composer
• SOAPClient PHP Extension enabled

About Me

I’m Pierre-Henry Soria, a passionate Software Engineer and the creator of pH7CMS.

Where to Contact Me?

You can by email at pierrehenrysoria+github [[AT]] gmail [[D0T]] com

Wordpress Plugin

VIES Validator WP plugin uses also this EU VAT Validation library for WooCommerce checkout, when you need to make sure that the VAT number is valid (that plugin was deleloped by WpZen, not me 😃).

References

VAT Information Exchange System (VIES)

License

Under General Public License 3 or later.