Portugal VAT number check


curl "https://api.prometiam.com/functions/v1/risk-api/vat/VAT_NUMBER" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

A Portuguese VAT number is the prefix PT and nine digits, the NIF. Type it below and the page asks VIES, the European Commission’s VAT Information Exchange System, whether it is registered right now.

Updated 6 November 2026

What a Portuguese VAT number looks like

The VAT number (NIF) is written with the prefix PT followed by 9 digits, for example PT123456789 (an invented number, only to show the shape). The page checks that shape in your browser before anything is sent. The shape does not verify national check digits, so a number can have the right shape and still not be registered: only VIES says that. Format rules as applied by this checker, as at 6 Nov 2026.

What VIES confirms, and what it does not

VIES is not a database: each query is relayed to the VAT register of the member state that issued the number, here Portugal, which answers valid or not valid and, where the member state discloses them, the trader’s name and address.

  • Valid: the number is registered for VAT in its member state at the moment of the check, so it can be used for intra-EU supplies. It is not a solvency check and it does not say who is behind the number.
  • Not valid: a typo, a number never registered, a cancelled registration, or a number not activated for intra-EU trade. It is not proof that the company does not exist.
  • No answer: when VIES or the national register is offline the API answers 503 and the number was not checked. That is different from an invalid number.
  • No history: VIES answers for the moment of the query, so keep the date of the check.

What Prometiam serves for Portugal

Portugal is served as a LEI layer: the entities that hold a Legal Entity Identifier, not the Portuguese company register. Records are found by name or by LEI, company_number is the LEI, and no VAT number is held on them. Sole proprietors, associations, foundations, funds and branches are not served. Portugal is not one of the sixteen insolvency markets.

The VAT number is therefore not read from a Portuguese record: to confirm one, use GET /vat/{vatNumber}, which asks VIES. To find the company, search by name or LEI.

curl 'https://api.prometiam.com/functions/v1/risk-api/vat/PT123456789' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer rk_live_...'

curl 'https://api.prometiam.com/functions/v1/risk-api/companies/search?country=PT&name=...' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer rk_live_...'

A VIES check costs 1 credit and a failed call costs nothing. Starter is EUR 9.99/month (1,000 credits), Professional EUR 29.99 (10,000 credits), Scale EUR 99.99 (50,000 credits) and Enterprise is priced to order. The free trial lasts 14 days and includes 500 credits; a card is required and nothing is charged during the trial.

Contains LEI data from the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), available under CC0 1.0. LEI-registered entities only; not an extract of the Portuguese company register. The number is checked in VIES, the European Commission’s service; this page is not that service, it asks the same system through the Prometiam API. If you need proof of a check, run it on the VIES website and keep the result. Not legal or tax advice. Last checked 6 Nov 2026.

Related pages

Sign up · API documentation

The free trial lasts 14 days and includes 500 credits. A card is required and nothing is charged during the trial; it then continues as Starter (EUR 9.99/month) unless you cancel.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Portuguese VAT number?
Type it with the PT prefix in the box above: the page checks the shape, then asks VIES whether the number is registered.
What is the VAT number prefix for Portugal?
PT, followed by 9 digits.
Does the check tell me the company is solvent?
No. VIES says only whether the number is registered for VAT at the moment of the check.
Why does a valid number show no name?
Some member states confirm a number without disclosing the trader’s name and address. A valid number with no name is a normal result there.
Can the API return a Portuguese company’s VAT number?
No. Portugal is a LEI layer and its records hold no VAT number. Check a number you already have with the VAT endpoint.