Overview
Before an invoice is issued, the client's tax ID is checked against the official format for their country. If the number is incomplete or the wrong length, or its control character does not match, the invoice is not issued and you see an error message instead.
This article explains how to fix the client's tax ID and issue the invoice again. It also lists the format each country expects.
Step by step
Read the error message. It tells you which number was refused, for example the client's VAT number or tax code.
Compare the number with the format for the client's country in the table below. Count the characters.
If it does not match, ask your client for their full tax ID. Don't guess a missing character: the last character is a control character worked out from the other ones.
Go to
Clientsand open the client.Click
Edit Client, correct the number inTax Document numberand save.Go back to the reservation and click
Issue invoiceagain.
Tax ID formats by country
Country | Number | Format |
Spain | NIF, NIE or CIF | 9 characters. A company CIF is a letter, then 7 digits, then a control character (a digit or a letter). |
Portugal | NIF | 9 digits. |
France | SIREN or SIRET | SIREN: 9 digits. SIRET: 14 digits. |
France | VAT number | FR, then 2 digits, then the 9-digit SIREN. For example FR40303265045. |
Italy | Partita IVA | 11 digits. |
Italy | Codice fiscale | 16 characters for a person. 11 digits for a company. |
Other EU countries | VAT number | The two-letter country code, then the national number. |
📌 Note
Spaces and hyphens don't matter. A number with the right length can still be refused if its control character is wrong, usually because of a typo.
FAQs
The same tax ID worked on an earlier invoice. Why is it refused now?
The same tax ID worked on an earlier invoice. Why is it refused now?
An earlier invoice may have been issued before this check was in place, so it does not prove the number is correct. Compare the number with the format table above and confirm it with your client.
I've checked the number with my client and it is still refused. What should I do?
I've checked the number with my client and it is still refused. What should I do?
Contact our team through the chat. Include the full tax ID your client confirmed and a screenshot of the error message, so we can check it straight away.
My guest is a private person without a company. Do I need a tax ID?
My guest is a private person without a company. Do I need a tax ID?
It depends on your country's invoicing rules. If your client does not need a full invoice with their details, you can issue a simplified invoice instead. See How to issue a simplified invoice.
The error mentions my company's tax code, not the client's. Where do I fix it?
The error mentions my company's tax code, not the client's. Where do I fix it?
Your own company details are in your invoicing settings, not on the client. Correct them there, then issue the invoice again.