Home ΑΦΜ (VAT number) Greece
Greece ΑΦΜ (VAT number) validator
How the ΑΦΜ (VAT number) format works
- Format
- EL + 9 digits
- Example
- EL094259216
Things to watch for
- Greek VAT numbers use the EL prefix, not GR, even though the ISO country code is GR
- The check digit comes from doubling a running total digit by digit, then a mod-11/mod-10 reduction
^EL[0-9]{9}$Greece is the one EU country where the VAT prefix doesn’t match the ISO country code, and it trips up more people than any other quirk in this list. A Greek VAT number is “EL” plus 9 digits — EL123456789 — even though Greece’s ISO 3166 code is “GR”. The underlying number is the ΑΦΜ (Arithmos Forologikou Mitroou), Greece’s general tax registry number, issued to individuals and businesses alike.
Because address forms, spreadsheets, and even some invoicing software auto-fill “GR” for any Greek entry, a perfectly valid ΑΦΜ often gets typed with the wrong prefix — not because the digits are wrong, but because the country-code assumption is. This is worth checking first if a Greek VAT number fails validation unexpectedly.
How this check works
This tool checks specifically for the “EL” prefix — not “GR” — followed by exactly 9 digits, and then runs Greece’s own check-digit formula: a running total doubled digit by digit over the first 8 digits, reduced mod 11 then mod 10, compared against the 9th digit. It runs entirely client-side with nothing sent to a server and no signup needed.
What a pass doesn’t mean
A correctly prefixed, checksum-valid number isn’t proof of an active VAT registration. Confirm current status through the EU’s VIES lookup or Greece’s AADE (Independent Authority for Public Revenue) before treating it as verified.
Scope: EL-prefixed format and ΑΦΜ check-digit validation only — not registration status or filing obligations.
Content last reviewed 2026-07-07.
ΑΦΜ (VAT number) FAQ
Why does a Greek VAT number start with EL instead of GR?
It's a genuine EU exception: every other country's VAT prefix matches its ISO country code, but Greece's VAT numbers use 'EL' (from Elláda) while its ISO code is 'GR'. Both refer to Greece — they're just different codes for different purposes.
I typed GR and the check failed — is my number wrong?
Probably not the number itself — just the prefix. Swap 'GR' for 'EL' and keep the same 9 digits; that's the format Greece's tax authority and VIES actually expect on a VAT number.
What does ΑΦΜ stand for?
Arithmos Forologikou Mitroou — Greece's tax registry number, used domestically and, with the 'EL' prefix added, as the country's VAT number for EU trade.