PHP - VIES VAT number validation (European VAT-ID)

First of all, you can check the number manually at this address:

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/

However, it would be perfect, if the system could validate the VAT-ID every time, a new customer creates an account on your website, automatically, for example. Well this can be done.

Just create a new PHP-File and paste the following code. Replace the first variable with the full VAT-ID you would like to check and run the script.

<?php
$vatid = 'ATU12345678'; // replace for the VAT-ID you would like to check

$vatid = str_replace(array(' ', '.', '-', ',', ', '), '', trim($vatid));
$cc = substr($vatid, 0, 2);
$vn = substr($vatid, 2);
$client = new SoapClient("http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/checkVatService.wsdl");

if($client){
    $params = array('countryCode' => $cc, 'vatNumber' => $vn);
    try{
        $r = $client->checkVat($params);
        if($r->valid == true){
            // VAT-ID is valid
        } else {
            // VAT-ID is NOT valid
        }

		// This foreach shows every single line of the returned information
        foreach($r as $k=>$prop){
            echo $k . ': ' . $prop;
        }

    } catch(SoapFault $e) {
        echo 'Error, see message: '.$e->faultstring;
    }
} else {
    // Connection to host not possible, europe.eu down?
}
?>

For more information and debugging, please read the comments in the code. Enjoy.
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