France Numéro de TVA validator
How the Numéro de TVA format works
- Format
- FR + 2 alphanumeric characters + 9 digits (SIREN)
- Example
- FRAB123456789
Things to watch for
- The two characters after FR can be letters or digits
- This tool checks the format only; the French check key is not yet validated
^FR[0-9A-Z]{2}[0-9]{9}$A French VAT number, the numéro de TVA intracommunautaire, has a structure most EU formats don’t: “FR”, then a 2-character clé that can be letters, digits, or a mix, then the business’s 9-digit SIREN — for example FRAB123456789. That last part is the detail worth knowing: it isn’t an arbitrary tax ID. It’s the exact SIREN number INSEE assigned to the company, independently searchable in France’s public SIRENE business registry.
Because the clé can be alphanumeric rather than strictly numeric or strictly alphabetic, it’s easy to assume a French VAT number containing letters is malformed — it isn’t. The bigger risk is transposing digits within the embedded SIREN, since that changes which company the number actually points to in the national registry, not just whether the VAT number “looks right.”
Format check details
This tool checks for the “FR” prefix, confirms exactly 2 alphanumeric characters follow, and counts a 9-digit SIREN to close it out — entirely in your browser, no signup, nothing transmitted. It’s a structural check: the clé’s own check-key formula (which is derived mathematically from the SIREN) isn’t validated here yet.
Outside this tool’s scope
A pass confirms shape, not that the SIREN is a live, registered company or that the number is an active VAT registration. Confirm both through the EU’s VIES lookup or France’s SIRENE registry.
Scope: format only — not SIREN registry lookup, clé validation, or VAT registration status.
Content last reviewed 2026-07-07.
Numéro de TVA FAQ
What are the two characters right after FR in a French VAT number?
That's the clé, a 2-character key that can be letters, digits, or a mix — for example FRAB123456789. It sits in front of the company's actual SIREN registry number, not inside it.
Is the rest of a French VAT number a real company registry ID?
Yes — the final 9 digits are the business's SIREN number, the same identifier INSEE (France's national statistics institute) assigns at company formation. It's independently listed in the public SIRENE registry, separate from the VAT key in front of it.
Does this tool validate the French clé formula?
No, not yet — it confirms the 'FR' prefix, that 2 alphanumeric characters follow, and that a 9-digit SIREN closes the number. The official calculation for deriving the correct clé from the SIREN isn't run here.