Route: How it's structured
How tax identification numbers are structured
There is no single EU-wide tax identification number format. Each country defines its own identifier(s), sometimes with different formats for individuals and organisations. This page describes common structure patterns and practical limits.
Country variation is the rule
Some identifiers are numeric only. Others use letters, separators, or fixed-length patterns. Many countries also use different identifiers for different purposes, even within the same administration.
- Individuals and businesses may have different identifiers.
- Length and allowed characters depend on national rules.
- Displayed format may differ from the stored format (for example, with spaces or separators).
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Common structural elements
Even though formats differ, tax identifiers often share practical characteristics:
- Fixed length within a country or identifier type.
- Character constraints (digits only, alphanumeric, or limited letter sets).
- Check logic in some systems (for example, a check digit). This site does not calculate or verify checks.
- Administrative meaning in some cases (not always visible or reliable as an interpretation rule).
Examples (illustrative only)
Examples can help describe structure, but they do not indicate validity or registration.
- Numeric only (example):
123456789 - Grouped format (example):
123 456 789 - Alphanumeric (example):
AB123456C
A number that matches a pattern can still be incorrect, inactive, or unrelated to the person or organisation presented. This site does not confirm identity, status, or registration.