VATLayer API
Data Validation · Banking & Fintech
VATLayer API is an EU VAT compliance API operated by APILayer — the same company behind IPstack, Numverify, and scrapestack. It provides EU VAT number validation and current VAT rate data for all 27 European Union member states, enabling developers to build automated tax compliance into billing systems, e-commerce checkouts, and invoicing workflows. For Nigerian businesses selling goods or services to EU customers, VATLayer provides the essential tax data infrastructure needed to comply with EU VAT regulations without manually maintaining VAT rate tables.
Nigerian businesses and developers selling to EU customers who need to validate EU VAT numbers, retrieve current EU VAT rates by country, and automate tax compliance in billing and e-commerce applications.
VATLayer is an APILayer product (same company as IPstack, Numverify) for EU VAT validation. NOT the same as VATComply.com (which is free). VATLayer requires an API key with a free tier of 100 requests/month. Covers EU VAT number validation and rates for all 27 EU member states.
Features Included
Not Supported
Technical Specs
- Pricing:Free: 100 requests/month. Paid: from $9.99/month for 10,000 requests. APILayer product.
- Authentication:API Access Key (query parameter: ?access_key=YOUR_KEY)
- Rate Limit:Free: 100 requests/month. Paid plans for higher volumes.
- Sandbox Mode:✓ Available
Key Highlights
- EU VAT number validation
- Current VAT rates for all 27 EU member states
- Standard and reduced VAT rates
- JSON response format
- APILayer ecosystem — familiar access_key auth
- 100 free requests/month
- From $9.99/month for 10,000 requests
- Supports HTTPS on all plans
Required Access Documents
- APILayer API KeyRequiredRegister at vatlayer.com or apilayer.com to obtain a free API key. Free tier: 100 requests/month, no credit card required.
Use Cases
- Nigerian SaaS EU VAT Compliance:A Nigerian SaaS company selling to EU businesses can use VATLayer to validate EU VAT numbers at checkout and retrieve country-specific VAT rates, ensuring correct invoice amounts for each EU jurisdiction and compliance with EU reverse-charge VAT rules.
- E-Commerce EU Tax Automation:Integrate VATLayer into a Nigerian e-commerce platform's checkout to automatically calculate and display the correct VAT rate for each EU customer based on their country, supporting the EU's One Stop Shop (OSS) VAT collection requirement for digital services.
- Invoice Validation for Nigerian Exporters:Before issuing zero-rated invoices to EU buyers, Nigerian exporters can use VATLayer to verify that each EU buyer's VAT number is valid and active — creating an audit trail that protects against VAT liability in case of an HMRC or EU tax authority inquiry.
- B2B EU Marketplace Tax Engine:Build a tax calculation engine for a B2B marketplace connecting Nigerian suppliers with EU buyers, using VATLayer to determine VAT treatment (B2B reverse charge vs B2C standard rate) based on VAT number validity at transaction time.