vatnode

United Kingdom VAT Number Format (GB123456789) & 20% VAT Rate

Value Added Tax (VAT) format, rates & verified examples

Everything you need to know about Value Added Tax (VAT) numbers in the United Kingdom — they follow the pattern GB + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits (e.g. GB123456789), carry the standard rate of 20% (reduced 5%) in GBP, and can be verified against VIES. Building a check into your app? See the United Kingdom VAT API.

European countryVAT — Value Added TaxGBP

VAT Number Format

Structure

GB + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits

Example format

GB123456789

Regex

^GB(\d{9}|\d{12}|GD\d{3}|HA\d{3})$

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

Current VAT Rates

Standard

20%

Reduced

5%

Rates from EU Commission TEDB · Updated 2026-08-13

United Kingdom VAT rates via API

Get United Kingdom VAT rates via API — free, no key

No API key required
Request
curl "https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/rates/GB"
Response200 OK
{
  "countryCode": "GB",
  "countryName": "United Kingdom",
  "vatName": "Value Added Tax",
  "vatAbbr": "VAT",
  "standardRate": 20,
  "reducedRates": [
    5
  ],
  "superReducedRate": null,
  "parkingRate": null,
  "vatNumberFormat": "GB + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits",
  "vatNumberPattern": "^GB(\\d{9}|\\d{12}|GD\\d{3}|HA\\d{3})$",
  "updatedAt": "2026-08-13"
}

View full rates API reference →

Get United Kingdom 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('GB')
console.log(rate.standard) // GB standard VAT rate
getRate() result200 OK
{
  "country": "United Kingdom",
  "currency": "GBP",
  "eu_member": false,
  "vat_name": "Value Added Tax",
  "vat_abbr": "VAT",
  "standard": 20,
  "reduced": [
    5
  ],
  "super_reduced": null,
  "parking": null,
  "format": "GB + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits",
  "pattern": "^GB(\\d{9}|\\d{12}|GD\\d{3}|HA\\d{3})$"
}

View package on GitHub →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VAT number format in the United Kingdom?▾

VAT numbers in the United Kingdom follow the format: GB + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits. Example: GB123456789. VAT numbers are not case-sensitive — lowercase input is automatically normalised.

What is the VAT number regex pattern in the United Kingdom?▾

Use this regular expression to validate VAT numbers in the United Kingdom VAT number format locally:

^GB(\d{9}|\d{12}|GD\d{3}|HA\d{3})$

Test against the uppercase number. Format validation catches typos locally.

What is the standard VAT rate in the United Kingdom?▾

The standard VAT rate in the United Kingdom is 20%. Reduced rates: 5%. Rates are sourced from the EU Commission TEDB, checked daily and updated on any change.

What does VAT stand for in the United Kingdom?▾

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