vatnode

Germany VAT Numbers

Format, rates & examples

Everything you need to know about Mehrwertsteuer (MwSt) numbers in Germany — format rules, current rates, and real company examples you can verify against VIES.

EU Member StateMwSt — MehrwertsteuerEUR

VAT Number Format

Structure

DE + 9 digits

Example format

DE123456789

Regex

^DE\d{9}$

VAT numbers are not case-sensitive — lowercase input is automatically normalised.

Current VAT Rates

Standard

19%

Reduced

7%

Rates from EU Commission TEDB · Updated 2026-05-12

What we return for Germany

  • VIES validation (valid / not valid)
  • Company name & address
  • National registry ID
  • Founded date
  • Legal form
  • Industry
  • Works if VIES is down

See the full coverage table for all 27 EU member states + Northern Ireland →

Famous Germany VAT Numbers

SAP SE

DE143454214

Enterprise software giant

Verify →

Siemens AG

DE129274202

Global industrial and technology conglomerate

Verify →

Zalando SE

DE260543043

Europe's largest online fashion platform

Verify →

BMW AG

DE129273398

German luxury automobile manufacturer

Verify →

Volkswagen AG

DE115235681

World's second-largest automaker

Verify →

Deutsche Telekom AG

DE123475223

Europe's largest telecom operator

Verify →

Check a Germany VAT Number

Enter a MwSt number starting with DE to verify it against the official VIES database.

Format: DE + 9 digits

Example:

Germany DE VAT — rates & validation via API

Get Germany VAT rates via API — free, no key

No API key required
Request
curl "https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/rates/DE"
Response200 OK
{
  "countryCode": "DE",
  "countryName": "Germany",
  "vatName": "Mehrwertsteuer",
  "vatAbbr": "MwSt",
  "standardRate": 19,
  "reducedRates": [
    7
  ],
  "superReducedRate": null,
  "parkingRate": null,
  "vatNumberFormat": "DE + 9 digits",
  "vatNumberPattern": "^DE\\d{9}$",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-12"
}

View full rates API reference →

Get Germany VAT rates via package — offline, no HTTP

eu-vat-rates-data
Request
# npm install eu-vat-rates-data
import { getRate } from 'eu-vat-rates-data'

const rate = getRate('DE')
console.log(rate.standard) // DE standard VAT rate
getRate() result200 OK
{
  "country": "Germany",
  "currency": "EUR",
  "eu_member": true,
  "vat_name": "Mehrwertsteuer",
  "vat_abbr": "MwSt",
  "standard": 19,
  "reduced": [
    7
  ],
  "super_reduced": null,
  "parking": null,
  "format": "DE + 9 digits",
  "pattern": "^DE\\d{9}$"
}

View package on GitHub →

Validate Germany DE VAT numbers

Requires API key
Request
curl "https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/vat/DE143454214" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
Response200 OK
{
  "valid": true,
  "vatId": "DE143454214",
  "countryCode": "DE",
  "companyName": "SAP SE",
  "companyAddress": null,
  "companyRegistrationDate": null,
  "companyForm": null,
  "industryDescription": null,
  "registryCode": null,
  "registryCodeName": null,
  "verifiedAt": "2026-04-25T12:00:00.000Z",
  "checkId": "019dc41e-d64d-7255-8ed7-cf5443103cd8",
  "countryName": "Germany",
  "countryVat": {
    "vatName": "Mehrwertsteuer",
    "vatAbbr": "MwSt",
    "currency": "EUR",
    "standardRate": 19,
    "reducedRates": [
      7
    ],
    "superReducedRate": null,
    "parkingRate": null,
    "vatNumberFormat": "DE + 9 digits",
    "vatNumberPattern": "^DE\\d{9}$",
    "countryVatUpdatedAt": "2026-05-12"
  },
  "consultationNumber": null
}

View full API response schema →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VAT number format in Germany?▾

VAT numbers in Germany follow the format: DE + 9 digits. Example: DE123456789. VAT numbers are not case-sensitive — lowercase input is automatically normalised.

What is the VAT number regex pattern in Germany?▾

Use this regular expression to validate VAT numbers in Germany MwSt number format locally:

^DE\d{9}$

Test against the uppercase number. Format validation catches typos locally — always follow with a VIES check to confirm the number is active.

What is the standard MwSt rate in Germany?▾

The standard MwSt rate in Germany is 19%. Reduced rates: 7%. Rates are sourced from the EU Commission TEDB and updated daily.

How do I validate a VAT number in Germany programmatically?▾

Send a GET request to https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/vat/{vatId} with your Authorization: Bearer header. The API checks the number against the official EU VIES database and returns a JSON response with a valid field, company name, address, and current MwSt rates. Free plan available — 100 requests/month, no credit card required.

What does MwSt stand for in Germany?▾

MwSt stands for Mehrwertsteuer — the Germany name for Value Added Tax (VAT). It appears on Germany invoices and tax documents.

Validate Germany VAT numbers in your app

Use the vatnode API to automate MwSt validation in your invoicing or checkout flow. Free plan available, no credit card required.

Get API KeyView Quickstart