If you don’t currently have a tax ID number, that’s usually not a problem—depending on the country or organization, there may be cases where a tax ID number isn’t available (yet). In those cases, please contact us so we can guide you through the next step.
What does “tax ID number” actually mean?
In Germany, taxpayers and organizations are assigned a tax number by the tax office. Individuals are also assigned a tax identification number (Tax ID).
Important: These terms are often used interchangeably in everyday language, but they are not the same (tax number ≠ tax ID ≠ VAT ID).
Organization: Can I enter a VAT ID number instead of a tax ID number?
If your organization has a VAT ID, this is often the “internationally recognized” identifier used for cross-border business transactions.
- Germany: VAT ID numbers typically begin with DE (e.g.,
DE123456789). - Austria: VAT numbers typically begin with ATU (e.g.,
ATU12345678). - …
If you are carrying out your project with an organization, you can provide a VAT ID number instead of a tax ID number.
Why does this vary from country to country?
There is no uniform "tax ID number" system in Europe. Depending on the country, there are, for example:
- separate account numbers for income tax/corporate income tax vs. sales tax,
- different formats (numeric only vs. with country prefix),
- Numbers assigned exclusively to businesses/organizations (e.g., VAT/UID),
- Numbers that are automatically assigned to each person (e.g., personal tax ID in some countries).
That’s why you might not have a “tax ID number” as defined in Germany, but you may very well have another tax identification number (e.g., VAT/UID).
What should I do if I really don't have a tax ID number?
This rarely happens, but it can occur, for example, with Austrian clubs or municipalities.
In that case, please contact us so we can review the specific situation and let you know what information to include there.