VAT ID number

As soon as your local tax office has issued you the local tax number for your business you or your tax consultant can speed up the process for receiving the VAT ID number by asking for it at the Federal Central Register for Tax directly. If you do European business the VAT ID number is the most important issue. If you, for example, export something to Austria you are only allowed to invoice without the German VAT if the receiver has a valid Austrian VAT ID number. If you do not check the number and it is not valid you will be reliable for the VAT.