Invalid VAT number on Checker

I applied for my VAT number in December 2022 and the VAT number was issued by HMRC on 6th February 2023. I tried adding this to my Online Seller account where it got rejected stating that the VAT number is invalid. I tried reaching out to HMRC to check what the issue is. I was informed that due to some technical error, the VAT number is not updated in HMRC systems which is why the web checker shows it as invalid. The HMRC agent passed my query to the respective department and I was informed that this should get resolved in the next 5-7 business days and it is more than the time informed now. I've stored inventory in an FBA warehouse which would get disposed off in the next 3-5 days. I'm not getting any proper assistance from the HMRC VAT registrations team and general VAT helpine.

 

Hello, If this issue has still not been resolved you will need to contact the helpline on 0300 200 3700 . Thank you.

We tried contacting 03002003700 & 03003227870. I'm not getting any assistance from any helpline.

 

Hello, I do apologise we cannot deal with specific cases on this forum if you request they escalate the problem for you.  You can show your VAT certificate as evidence that you are VAT registered and HMRC can validate your VAT number to any of your customers if they contact us  . Thank you.

Hello, I have applied for VAT online from 3rd of February as I am trading as VAT customer with registration date from 22nd of May 2022 since my LTD is active, VAT department asked me invoices, bank statements to proof that I am trading as VAT customer, I was sending all the evidence required, last evidence I have send on the 4th of APRIL with special delivery ( tracking Reference: DS133705615GB), and VAT department should have receive all my documents by now. Now, My questions is, why is it showing on VAT checker that I have an invalid VAT registration? if On my VAT account is showing that I have a valid certificate and it doesn't shows as cancelled VAT with a date on it... I was asked by several contractors for my VAT, I keep give them my VAT and I cannot trade with them because of this issue, or technical problems which you seems to have on your system. Can you please advise ASAP? I have called 03002003700 & 03003227870 and I'm not getting any assistance on the helpline. I keep losing money and is very inconvenient because of this situation and is very, very frustrating that no one is answering on the helpline to give me an advice I am looking forward hearing from you soon. Best regards, Laurentiu

Hi,
I'm sorry you are having this issue.
HMRC are aware of this problem and we are working to resolve this as quickly as possible.
Please contact our Helpline again on 03002003700 and we can refer your VAT number on to the Team who are looking in to this problem.
Thank you.

I am also experiencing this situation, and client is unable to be onboarded with their online marketplace. VAT Nr issued 18/03/2023. Do you have ETA for resolution? Will this affect all new VAT registered businesses? Thanks

Hi,

We are sorry to hear you are having this issue.

Please contact our VAT team so that we can refer your case over to the team who are looking in to this.

VAT: general enquiries

It has not affected all new VAT registered businesses.

Thank you.

I also have the exact same issue where a VAT certificate has been issued to me with a VAT number however the VAT checker shows this number as invalid. Nobody responds on the given helpline number. This is resulting in serious detrimental affects on my business as people I deal with can not verify my VAT number. How can the issue be resolved? I was assigned a VAT number on 13/05/2023

Hi Zain,
Hi,
We apologise that you are having this issue.
This is an ongoing problem that HMRC are urgently trying to resolve, however please contact our number on 03002003700 so that we can refer your VAT number over to the Team who are dealing with this.
Thank you.

I have been trying to reach your team over the helpline number you provided but I can not connect to anybody no matter how much I wait.

same problem, no one is answering!

I am having the same issue 7 months on as a newly registered VAT business the details summarised by the UK VAT Checker online service do not match the official details on my VAT certificate. This discrepancy cannot be rectified with the available online options and there seems to be no one available to support on this major issue. The discrepancy has resulted in the loss of trade on 3rd party sales platforms until such a time that we can have this rectified.

Agree, this is becoming both a major issue/hinderance to businesses. The whole foundation of VAT is based on the ability to check that a supplier is VAT registered and not trying to commit fraud. The right to reclaim input tax is on the basis the invoices are correctly issued. Such checks and confidence cannot be achieved when nobody can rely upon the answers supplied by the online VAT checker. How does this work for those who want to import goods into the UK if the freight agents can't verify VAT numbers, online marketplaces will not allow you trade unless you have a VAT number and they will use the VAT checker to verify your status (OMP's rarely accept just a VAT certificate alone as that just means you were VAT registered in the past, not necessarily today) The UK economy shrank by 0.3% last quarter (in the news today), what proportion of that is down to traders waiting for VAT numbers or having valid VAT number that others can check? After nearly a year the problem should have been fixed by now (it used to work until the switch to the new platform, it's a platform issue). Sorry to moan HMRC Admin, not your fault I know, but this really is hurting traders, if they can't sell, they can't pay VAT or other taxes and HMRC's only purpose is to collect/protect the revenue, and this issue is doing neither.

Hi,

We are sorry you are having this issue.

Please contact our VAT team so we can investigate.

VAT: general enquiries

Thank you.

Thank you HMRC admin 2, there are no support structures or processes in place via the general enquiries site or telephone helpline. We have tried and explore all options thoroughly. Please provide a detailed (number/listed) step guide on how we can rectify or address this ongoing longstanding issue utilising the available and suggested 'VAT: general enquiries' OR telephone support line. Also: please can you confirm that the 'Check a UK VAT number' team/department is a separate enterprise to the Gov Gateway online service team? If so can you provide appropriate contact options to this team in a bid to highlight the issue of syncing VAT account details with the VAT checker details database (currently it is obvious these systems are not synced and that a manual update to the VAT checker database is required (but easy to identify how to address)). Thank you for your time.

HMRC Vat department are a joke New Vat number issuedin June and still not updated on VAT Checker,only response you get from VAT line is they know there are issues with website they do not know how what the issue is or when it will be resolved!!!!,this has been ongoing since June,when you try to explain to them that the company you are contracting for will not pay you cause number is invalid you just get refer to availability on vat checker which does not explain issue and was last updated on 06/10/2023 no recent updates, or they say to call them which is a 40 minute wait which busy companies are not going to do,i asked if they could send an email or something to say my VAT number is valid even though i have certificate, they basically say no its tough, so basically I’ve not been paid since September and will probably loose my contact as it looks like I’m being dodge when its cause HMRC are a joke !

Hi Michael Chilton,
There is a separate Team who are looking into this issue but they are not contactable unfortunately.
However they are contactable by the Helpline internally and the Helpline advisors are aware of this issue and should be passing your details over to them to resolve.
Please call our Helpline again on 03002003700 and if you find that the advisor is not helpling, please ask them to refer over to a technician to contact the Team internally.
Thank you. 

Hi Antonio Jamasb,
I'm sorry to hear you are having such issues.
This is a National problem and we are urgently looking in to it.
Please contact us on 03002003700 so that we can report your VAT number over to the Team who are looking in to resolving this.
Thank you.

I am in exact same situation and my VAT has been appearing as invalid for past 5-6 weeks. I have lost thousands of pounds of work with Amazon, and now they are on the brink of closign my business account with them. Each time I call HMRC, I get a deadline, which is never adhered to. Did anyone manage to get this resolved?