Northern Ireland VAT Number Format (XI123456789)

Value Added Tax (VAT) number structure, regex & verified examples

Everything you need to know about Value Added Tax (VAT) numbers in Northern Ireland โ€” they follow the pattern XI + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits (e.g. XI123456789), and can be verified against VIES. For the rates themselves, see Northern Ireland VAT rates.

European countryVAT โ€” Value Added TaxGBP

VAT Number Format

Structure

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

Example format

XI123456789

Regex

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

VAT numbers are not case-sensitive โ€” lowercase input is automatically normalised.

What we return for Northern Ireland

  • 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 โ†’

Check a Northern Ireland VAT Number

Enter a VAT number starting with XI to verify it against the official VIES database.

Format: XI + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits

Example:

Validate a Northern Ireland XI VAT number via API

Get Northern Ireland VAT rates via API โ€” free, no key

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

View full rates API reference โ†’

Get Northern Ireland VAT rates via package โ€” offline, no HTTP

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

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

View package on GitHub โ†’

Validate Northern Ireland XI VAT numbers

Requires API key
Request
curl "https://api.vatnode.dev/v1/vat/XI197211009" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
Response200 OK
{
  "valid": true,
  "vatId": "XI197211009",
  "countryCode": "XI",
  "companyName": "Project Plug Limited (Click Energy)",
  "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": "Northern Ireland",
  "countryVat": {
    "vatName": "Value Added Tax",
    "vatAbbr": "VAT",
    "currency": "GBP",
    "standardRate": 20,
    "reducedRates": [
      5
    ],
    "superReducedRate": null,
    "parkingRate": null,
    "vatNumberFormat": "XI + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits",
    "vatNumberPattern": "^XI(\\d{9}|\\d{12}|(GD|HA)\\d{3})$",
    "countryVatUpdatedAt": "2026-08-13"
  },
  "consultationNumber": null
}

View full API response schema โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VAT number format in Northern Ireland?โ–พ

VAT numbers in Northern Ireland follow the format: XI + 9 digits, 12 digits, or GD/HA + 3 digits. Example: XI123456789. VAT numbers are not case-sensitive โ€” lowercase input is automatically normalised.

What is the VAT number regex pattern in Northern Ireland?โ–พ

Use this regular expression to validate VAT numbers in Northern Ireland VAT number format locally:

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

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

How do I validate a VAT number in Northern Ireland programmatically?โ–พ

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 VAT rates. Free plan available โ€” 100 requests/month, no credit card required.

What does VAT stand for in Northern Ireland?โ–พ

VAT stands for Value Added Tax โ€” the Northern Irish name for Value Added Tax (VAT). It appears on Northern Irish invoices and tax documents.

Validate Northern Ireland VAT numbers in your app

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