Greece VAT Number Format (EL123456789)

Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας (ΦΠΑ) number structure, regex & verified examples

Everything you need to know about Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας (ΦΠΑ) numbers in Greece — they follow the pattern EL + 9 digits (e.g. EL123456789), and can be verified against VIES. For the rates themselves, see Greece VAT rates and their history. Building a check into your app? See the Greece VAT API.

EU Member StateΦΠΑΦόρος Προστιθέμενης ΑξίαςEUR

VAT Number Format

Structure

EL + 9 digits

Example format

EL123456789

Regex

^EL\d{9}$
Note: Greek VAT numbers always use the prefix EL (e.g. EL123456789). The ISO 3166 code GR is used only for VAT-rate lookups — it is not a valid VAT prefix, and the validation API rejects a GR-prefixed number.

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

What we return for Greece

  • 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 →

Check a Greece VAT Number

Enter a ΦΠΑ number starting with EL to verify it against the official VIES database.

Format: EL + 9 digits

Example:

Validate a Greece EL VAT number via API

Get Greece VAT rates via API — free, no key

No API key required
Request
curl "https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/rates/EL"
Response200 OK
{
  "countryCode": "EL",
  "countryName": "Greece",
  "vatName": "Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας",
  "vatAbbr": "ΦΠΑ",
  "standardRate": 24,
  "reducedRates": [
    17,
    13,
    6
  ],
  "superReducedRate": 4,
  "parkingRate": 13,
  "vatNumberFormat": "EL + 9 digits",
  "vatNumberPattern": "^EL\\d{9}$",
  "updatedAt": "2026-08-13"
}

View full rates API reference

Get Greece 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('EL')
console.log(rate.standard) // EL standard VAT rate
getRate() result200 OK
{
  "country": "Greece",
  "currency": "EUR",
  "eu_member": true,
  "vat_name": "Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας",
  "vat_abbr": "ΦΠΑ",
  "standard": 24,
  "reduced": [
    6,
    13,
    17
  ],
  "super_reduced": 4,
  "parking": 13,
  "format": "EL + 9 digits",
  "pattern": "^EL\\d{9}$"
}

View package on GitHub

Validate Greece EL VAT numbers

Requires API key
Request
curl "https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/vat/EL094019245" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
Response200 OK
{
  "valid": true,
  "vatId": "EL094019245",
  "countryCode": "EL",
  "companyName": "OTE S.A. (Hellenic Telecom)",
  "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": "Greece",
  "countryVat": {
    "vatName": "Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας",
    "vatAbbr": "ΦΠΑ",
    "currency": "EUR",
    "standardRate": 24,
    "reducedRates": [
      17,
      13,
      6
    ],
    "superReducedRate": 4,
    "parkingRate": 13,
    "vatNumberFormat": "EL + 9 digits",
    "vatNumberPattern": "^EL\\d{9}$",
    "countryVatUpdatedAt": "2026-08-13"
  },
  "consultationNumber": null
}

View full API response schema

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VAT number format in Greece?

VAT numbers in Greece follow the format: EL + 9 digits. Example: EL123456789. VAT numbers are not case-sensitive — lowercase input is automatically normalised.

What is the VAT number regex pattern in Greece?

Use this regular expression to validate VAT numbers in Greece ΦΠΑ number format locally:

^EL\d{9}$

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

How do I validate a VAT number in Greece 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 ΦΠΑ rates. Free plan available — 100 requests/month, no credit card required.

What does ΦΠΑ stand for in Greece?

ΦΠΑ stands for Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας — the Greek name for Value Added Tax (VAT). It appears on Greek invoices and tax documents.

Validate Greece VAT numbers in your app

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