Norway VAT number: format and validation

By Remco from Avatcado

Format

NO followed by 9 digits with an MVA suffix. The local term is organisasjonsnummer + MVA (merverdiavgift) (MVA-nummer, Norwegian).

Pattern: /^\d{9}$/

  • The 9 digits are the organization number from the Enhetsregisteret; the MVA suffix signals registration in the VAT Register
  • Every Norwegian organization has an org number, but MVA registration is separate and required only above NOK 50,000 taxable turnover

Example of a registered number: NO 982 463 718 MVA

Check digit

Norway VAT numbers carry a check digit (MOD 11): The 9th digit is a check digit: the weighted sum of digits 1-8 (weights 3,2,7,6,5,4,3,2) mod 11 determines it; a remainder of 1 is invalid.

Check a Norway VAT number

Checks route through Bronnoysund Register Centre. Caching is enabled by default. Read the source, original result time and freshness label alongside validity; a cached or stale result does not freshly confirm current registration.

Enter a VAT number to see its registration result, source and freshness

Validate via API

The same validation as an API call, with the example number above:

curl "https://api.avatcado.com/v1/validate?vat_number=NO982463718MVA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer avat_live_your_api_key"
import Avatcado from "@avatcado/node";

const avatcado = new Avatcado("avat_live_your_api_key");
const { data, error } = await avatcado.vat.validate({
  vatNumber: "NO982463718MVA",
});

if (data?.data.valid) {
  console.log(`Registered: ${data.data.company?.name}`);
}

Free tier includes 500 validations per month. Get an API key or read the API documentation.

How Avatcado validates Norway numbers

  • Primary source: Bronnoysund Register Centre.
  • Company name and address: yes.
  • When Bronnoysund Register Centre is down: the most recent cached result, then a refunded 503.

See the full coverage table.

Frequently asked questions

Is every Norwegian organization number a VAT number?

No: the org number identifies the entity, and only businesses registered in the Merverdiavgiftsregisteret (mandatory above NOK 50,000 turnover) may add the MVA suffix and charge VAT.

How do I check a Norwegian VAT number for free?

The Bronnoysund open API returns any org number's details, including the registrertIMvaregisteret flag, with no authentication. This checker uses the same register.

How does Avatcado validate Norway numbers and what happens when Bronnoysund Register Centre is down?

Avatcado does not validate Norway numbers through VIES: uncached checks use Bronnoysund Register Centre. Caching is enabled by default without a requester VAT number, so a result may reflect an earlier lookup. Read its source, original result time and freshness label alongside validity. A confirmed answer includes the registered company name and address, and there is no separate national fallback register behind Bronnoysund Register Centre for Avatcado to consult if it is unavailable. When Bronnoysund Register Centre cannot answer because of an outage or timeout, an eligible stored result can be served with meta.cached: true and meta.source_status: "unavailable", plus meta.stale: true when it is past the cache window. Requester checks disable stored responses by default; cache=true opts back in. If no eligible stored result can answer, the request returns a refunded 503. Retain the original result time and resolve unavailable checks separately from invalid registrations.

Related guides

VAT rate in Norway

The standard VAT rate in Norway is 25%. Reduced rates: 15%, 12%, 0%. See all Norway VAT rates.

Sources