Overview

Managing your VAT registration number correctly within Amazon Seller Central is essential for sellers operating in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Whether you are registering a new VAT ID, updating an associated address, or troubleshooting validation errors, understanding Amazon's VAT management process helps ensure your account remains compliant and your tax invoices display the correct information.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• VAT IDs must include the correct prefix — When entering your VAT or GST registration number, you must include the country-specific prefix (such as "DE" for Germany or "FR" for France). Amazon pre-fills the prefix, so sellers should not delete it when adding their number.
• Address must match the tax authority record — The address you associate with your VAT ID in Seller Central must exactly match the address registered with your country's VAT authority. Mismatches can trigger rejections.
• EU and UK numbers are validated automatically — Amazon checks EU VAT numbers against the VIES database and UK numbers against the HMRC VAT verification service. Validation can take up to 48 hours.
• You cannot edit a VAT ID directly — If your VAT number changes, you must first delete the old one and then add the new number as a separate entry.
• Swiss VAT IDs follow a specific format — The accepted format is CHE followed by nine digits and then MWST, IVA, or TVA (for example, CHE123456789MWST).

How to Add a VAT ID to Your Selling Account

To register a VAT number, navigate to your account settings in Seller Central and locate the Tax Information section under VAT/GST registration. Click the option to add a new VAT/GST registration number, then select your country from the dropdown menu and enter the full VAT number including its prefix. You will also need to choose the address associated with that VAT ID, which must be in the same country as the registration or match your default business address. Once submitted, Amazon will begin validating the number against the relevant tax authority database. If the country you need is not visible in the dropdown, it may be because you already have a citizen ID or company registration number saved for that country — in which case you can add the VAT ID by clicking the edit option next to that existing entry.