Switzerland VAT number format
By Jose PollmanPublished Updated
This site does not check Switzerland VAT numbers. It is documented here because Switzerland suppliers turn up on invoices, and knowing where to verify one is more use than silence.
The shape
A number written in full begins CHE, then:
- 9 digits
Format examples
Both show the shape only. Neither is a real registration, and neither will resolve to a company.
CHE-123.456.789 MWSTCHE-987.654.321 MWST
The pattern
This is the regular expression this site applies, after the prefix has been stripped. It is the same expression the checker runs, not a description of it.
^CHE-\d{3}\.\d{3}\.\d{3}( (MWST|TVA|IVA))?$Where to verify it
This site does not check UID-Register. Look the number up there directly; it is free and public.
What people get wrong
- This country is not in the EU VAT system, so VIES will never find the number however correct it is.
- The country code goes at the beginning, never the end, and it is part of the number: CHE first, then the digits. Invoices print it both ways and some systems store it without the prefix, so if a check fails, try it with and without.
Run a vendor check →Registry, IBAN, EU sanctions and sending domain, in one pass. Free, no signup.
Invoice Checker →Drop in a supplier’s invoice, or paste its text, and the VAT numbers, bank accounts and email domains on it are read out in your browser — the file itself is never uploaded. Correct anything misread, then run every check at once.