Checkout

VAT Number Verification

If your local tax regulations require VAT number verification (like in the EU), you can implement this functionality in your checkout process. Here's how to do it:

1. Add a VAT number field to your checkout form
2. Implement validation using the VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) API
3. Store the verified VAT number with the order

I had to do quite some research how this can be done in the EU. There seem to be many services that charge money for a service that is actually provided for free by the EU but is just badly documented.

All you need to do is to send a SOAP request to their service - here using a code snippet that you can use in the Tracy Console:

// check the vat number of google ireland: IE6388047V
$client = new \SoapClient('http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/checkVatService.wsdl');
d($client->checkVat(['countryCode' => 'IE', 'vatNumber' => '6388047V']));

// RESULT:
// stdClass
//   countryCode: 'IE'
//   vatNumber: '6388047V'
//   requestDate: '2025-05-30+02:00'
//   valid: true
//   name: 'GOOGLE IRELAND LIMITED'
//   address: '3RD FLOOR, GORDON HOUSE, BARROW STREET, DUBLIN 4'