Automatic EU VAT Checker

Automatic EU VAT Checker — Documentation

Validates business customers' VAT numbers in real time against the official EU VIES database the moment they register or enter details at checkout — then automatically moves verified customers into your tax-exempt group, applying zero-rated prices immediately with no manual intervention. Periodic re-validation (configurable from daily to monthly) protects you from continuing to supply zero-rated goods to businesses whose VAT registration has since lapsed, and every validation result is timestamped and logged to give you a complete audit trail for tax authority inspections. Covers all 27 EU member states and includes a manual override for the admin team to handle VIES outages without blocking customers.

Automatic EU VAT Checker

Stop manually verifying business customers one by one. This module connects directly to the official EU VIES database and validates VAT numbers in real time as B2B customers register or enter their details at checkout. A verified VAT number triggers automatic tax exemption for that customer — no manual group changes, no support tickets, no delays. Your business customers get the zero-rated prices they expect, and you maintain a complete audit trail of every validation for compliance purposes.

How It Works

When a customer enters a VAT number on the registration form or in their account settings, the module sends a live query to the VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) maintained by the European Commission. If the number is valid and active, the module records the result with a timestamp, assigns the customer to your tax-exempt customer group, and updates their prices immediately. Invalid or unverifiable numbers are flagged clearly so you can follow up, and all results — valid, invalid, or service unavailable — are logged for your records.

Installation

  1. In your Back Office, go to Modules → Module Manager
  2. Click Upload a module and select the ZIP file
  3. Once installed, click Configure

Configuration

Tax-Exempt Customer Group — Select which PrestaShop customer group a customer is moved into upon successful VAT validation. This group should have zero tax rate applied in your tax settings.

Your VAT Number — Enter your own company VAT number. This is required by the VIES API for certain validation requests and is also printed on invoices and confirmation emails.

Re-Validation Frequency — Set how often the module re-checks previously validated VAT numbers (e.g. every 30 days). Business VAT registrations can change, so periodic re-checks protect you from supplying zero-rated goods to companies whose VAT status has lapsed.

Manual Override — Allow Back Office administrators to manually mark a VAT number as valid or invalid, overriding the VIES result. Useful when the VIES service is temporarily unavailable for a specific country.

VIES Unavailable Behaviour — Choose what happens when the VIES service cannot be reached: either hold the customer in a pending state for manual review, or temporarily grant exemption with a flag to re-validate later.

Validation Display — Show a real-time validation indicator on the registration and account forms so customers can see immediately whether their VAT number was accepted.

Email Notifications — Send the customer an email confirming their VAT validation and tax-exempt status, and optionally notify your admin team of each new validated business account.

Tips

  • Always set up a dedicated tax-exempt customer group with zero VAT rate in PrestaShop's tax settings before configuring this module, so the assignment has an immediate effect on prices.
  • Enable re-validation every 30 to 60 days — a customer's VAT registration can be revoked without notice, and continuing to supply them zero-rated after that creates a compliance liability for you.
  • Use the VIES Unavailable Behaviour setting carefully: granting temporary exemption keeps conversions flowing during VIES outages but creates a short re-validation backlog you should clear promptly.
  • Pair this module with your trade account approval workflow so VAT validation is one step in a broader B2B onboarding process rather than the only gate.
  • Keep the complete validation log accessible — tax authorities in some EU countries require you to demonstrate you verified VAT numbers at the point of sale during any audit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which EU countries are supported? All 27 EU member states are supported via the VIES API. The module formats VAT numbers according to each country's standard format before querying.

What happens if a customer enters a VAT number from outside the EU? Non-EU VAT numbers cannot be validated via VIES. The module will flag the number as outside scope, and you can decide through your manual override whether to grant exemption based on your own verification.

Can a customer lose their tax-exempt status? Yes — if a periodic re-validation finds that their VAT number is no longer active, the module moves them back to your standard customer group and sends a notification so they can update their details.

Is the VAT validation instant? In most cases yes — the VIES API typically responds within a few seconds. However, some country-specific VIES nodes can be slow or temporarily offline, in which case the module follows the behaviour you configured for unavailable responses.

Does the module store VAT numbers securely? Yes — VAT numbers are stored in your PrestaShop database alongside the customer account, with the same security as all other customer data. Validation results and timestamps are stored in a separate log table.

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