§ COMPLIANCE · 5 MIN READ
EU VAT validation after Brexit
GB, XI, and the new validation routing.
Published 2026-04-16 · Countersure
GB no longer routes through VIES
Since 1 January 2021, VIES no longer validates GB-prefixed VAT numbers. EU buyers verifying UK suppliers must use the HMRC API or its consumer-facing equivalent.
XI-prefixed numbers — Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework — continue to validate via VIES.
What this means for your evidence
A VIES consultation number is no longer evidence of GB VAT verification. You need an alternative artefact.
Countersure stamps every HMRC check with a verification ID, source, and date — the modern equivalent of the VIES reference.