The VAT number on a Saudi invoice
The VAT number is the registration number for value added tax, and it is the field that causes the most invoice errors — because a single wrong digit leaves a code that looks fine to the eye while failing machine reading.
ZATCA Checker
What a correct VAT number looks like, where it appears, the difference between checking its format and checking registration, and the most common data-entry mistakes.
Check your invoice nowThe correct shape
The number is 15 digits long. In the conventional pattern it starts with 3 and ends with 3. It appears in two places: in the invoice text and inside the data encoded in the QR code.
| Example | Status |
|---|---|
| 300123456700003 | Valid format: 15 digits, starts with 3, ends with 3 |
| 30012345670000 | Too short: only 14 digits |
| 3001234567000035 | Too long: 16 digits |
| ٣٠٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٠٠٠٠٣ | The same number in Arabic-Indic digits — accepted |
A valid format is not a valid registration
The tool checks the format of the number, not its existence in the authority registry. A correctly formatted number may belong to an unregistered or deregistered business. Format checking prevents typos; it does not prevent fraud.
Common mistakes
- Mixing Arabic-Indic and Latin digits across systems, so the number is stored with the wrong length.
- Copying the number with spaces or dashes, which then get encoded into the code.
- Using the national unified number instead of the VAT number.
- A mismatch between the number in the invoice text and the one encoded in the QR.
When the number differs between code and invoice
This is precisely what the tool compares: it reads the number from inside the code and looks for the same number in the invoice text. If it finds a different one, it puts both in front of you side by side rather than saying "something is wrong".
Frequently asked questions
Can a VAT number be 15 digits without starting with 3?
The conventional pattern starts and ends with 3, but the tool checks length and the expected pattern and does not reject every number that differs from the ideal pattern.
Where do I find the VAT number on my invoice?
Usually in the invoice header near the business name, often labelled "VAT number".