Guides / Checking an EORI number · Updated 19 October 2026

How to check an EORI number: GB, XI and EU validation explained

To check an EORI number, look at the first two letters. GB numbers go through HMRC's Check an EORI number service on GOV.UK; XI and EU numbers go through the European Commission's EORI validation tool. A valid result confirms the number is active, but it only shows a name and address if the holder agreed to publish them.

This guide is also available in Polish.

An EORI number that is mistyped, cancelled or simply the wrong type for the declaration is one of the easier ways to get a customs entry queried. Checking takes a minute and costs nothing. This guide covers which official checker to use for each prefix, how to read the result, and what a "valid" answer does not tell you. If you are still working out whether you need an EORI at all, or which one, start with our guide on when you need a GB, XI or EU EORI number.

Which checker to use

Number starts with	Official checker	What you can see
GB	HMRC's Check an EORI number service (GOV.UK)	Whether the number is valid; the registered name and address only if the business agreed to share them
XI	European Commission EORI validation tool	Whether the number is valid; contact details only if publication was authorised
Any EU country code (PL, DE, FR and so on)	European Commission EORI validation tool	Whether the number is valid; contact details only if publication was authorised

The GOV.UK service is explicit that it only checks numbers beginning with GB. For XI numbers and numbers with any other prefix, GOV.UK points you to the Commission's online validation tool instead.

How to check an EORI GB number on GOV.UK

For a check EORI GB request, open the Check an EORI number service on GOV.UK and enter the number when asked. The service itself describes what it expects: a number starting with "GB" followed by 12 or 15 numbers, with GB123456789000 given as an example. Enter the full number including the GB prefix, without spaces.

The result tells you whether the number is valid. If the business agreed to share the information, the service also shows the name and address the number is registered to. If no name appears, that is not in itself a warning sign: it may simply mean the holder did not give consent.

A GB check tells you nothing about an XI or EU number held by the same business. A company trading through Northern Ireland or the EU may hold more than one EORI, and each one has to be checked in the right place.

XI and EU numbers: the European Commission EORI number check

The Commission's validation service is a simple form: you enter the EORI number and select "Validate". It covers numbers issued by EU customs authorities, and GOV.UK sends XI numbers there too. HMRC's own forms confirm the link: the change of circumstance form for an XI EORI lets holders update their "EU EORI validation checker details".

The Commission's FAQ answers the most common question about this eori number check, which is why some results say the number is valid but show nothing else. It explains three points:

the Commission does not issue EORI numbers; national customs administrations do,
a company's name and address are not published on the europa.eu website unless the company explicitly authorised publication when it requested the number, for data protection reasons,
a holder who wants to change this must contact its national administration, and the change then flows through, because the databases are synchronised daily.

Under EU rules as summarised by the Commission, an EU EORI starts with the two-letter code of the issuing country followed by an identifier of up to 15 alphanumeric characters, and a person can hold only one valid EU EORI at any point in time. Two different valid EU numbers for the same business should therefore prompt a question.

What a valid result proves, and what it does not

A "valid" answer confirms that the number exists in the issuing authority's register and has not been invalidated. That is useful, but it is narrower than many people assume.

It does not prove identity. Where no name is published, you only know the number is live, not that it belongs to the company in front of you. Ask for written confirmation or a document showing the number.
It is not a VAT check. The checker confirms the EORI only; if you need to confirm a VAT number, check it separately.
It does not confirm the right number for the job. A valid GB number cannot replace an EU EORI on an EU declaration, and the reverse is also true.
It says nothing about authorisations such as deferment accounts or simplified procedures linked to that number.

The declaration also has to show the right party. Under direct representation the importer remains liable, so it is the importer's number that matters; under indirect representation the agent is jointly liable as well.

Why a number can show as invalid

Before assuming the worst, rule out the simple causes:

Typing errors or a missing prefix. The prefix is part of the number.
The wrong checker. An XI or PL number will not validate in the GB service.
Cancellation. GOV.UK states that if a business cancels its VAT registration, HMRC cancels its EORI at the same time, and the business must reapply if it still needs one. Cancelling a GB EORI also cancels the linked XI EORI.
Invalidation in the EU. The Commission notes that EU EORI numbers have no expiry date but can be invalidated on request or when the trader's business activities cease.

If your own number fails, contact the authority that issued it rather than re-applying straight away. On the EU side, holding a second valid EU number at the same time is not allowed.

A valid GB result says nothing about whether the goods need a GB, XI or EU number for a particular movement. Check the movement first, then check the number.

Consent to publish your name: worth reviewing for your own number

Customers, carriers and agents can run these checks themselves. If your name and address do not appear, they may come back with questions. For a GB number, HMRC's service only shows them where you agreed to share the information. For an EU number, the Commission says details are hidden unless publication was authorised, and the fix is to update your contact details with the national administration that issued the number. For an XI number, HMRC's XI change of circumstance form covers your EU EORI validation checker details.

Polish businesses have one more option: PUESC's search for registered companies lets a logged-in user check whether a company is registered and has an EORI number, and if that search is unavailable, PUESC itself points users to the Commission's validation site.

A quick routine before you file

Match the prefix to the declaration: GB for Great Britain, XI where Northern Ireland rules apply, an EU number for EU declarations.
Run the number through the correct official checker on the day you prepare the entry.
If no name is shown, confirm the number with the holder in writing.
Check your own numbers too, especially after a VAT change or a company restructure.
Keep a note of the check with your shipment records.

Checking is one part of the process; registering, applying the number correctly on import and export declarations and knowing when each type is needed is the other. For a fuller walk-through on getting and using an EORI number, see getting and using an EORI number. The glossary entry for EORI gives the short definition.

Related guides

Not sure which EORI your shipment needs?

Easy Clearance is a UK–EU customs clearance agency handling import and export declarations, T1/T2 transit and UK–Poland removals. Its English guide explains how to obtain an EORI number and when to use each type.

Read the EORI guide

Sources

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements on gov.uk or with a registered agent before you ship.