Tools
France EORI Number Validator (FR Douane)
Validate French Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) numbers directly against the official customs register. Verify whether a French FR EORI number is valid and active for import, export, DELTA customs declarations, and cross-border European trade.
What is a French EORI number (FR) and who needs it?
A French EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) is an identifier issued by the Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI) to businesses and sole traders participating in customs operations across France and the European Union customs union.
Whether you import commercial goods from non-EU countries into France through Le Havre or Marseille, export goods from Paris or Lyon, or submit electronic customs declarations through the French DELTA (DELTA G, DELTA T, DELTA IE) system, holding an active FR EORI number is a mandatory legal prerequisite under Article 9 of the Union Customs Code (UCC). Without an active EORI number, customs authorities will halt shipments at borders, ports, and airports, resulting in storage demurrage and delivery delays.
French EORI (FR) vs. French VAT Number (Numéro de TVA): Key Differences
Businesses often confuse a French VAT identification number (Numéro de TVA intracommunautaire) with an EORI number, or assume they are interchangeable. While both are essential identifiers for French commercial entities, they serve distinct regulatory purposes:
French VAT Number (TVA / DGFiP)
Administered by the General Directorate of Public Finances (Direction générale des Finances publiques – DGFiP). Used for intra-Community B2B trade within the EU single market, reverse charge mechanisms, and French VAT compliance. Follows the format FR + 2 validation digits/letters + 9-digit SIREN number.
French EORI Number (FR / Douane)
Administered by French Customs (DGDDI / Douane). Used strictly for external trade crossing the EU customs frontier, DELTA export/import declarations, customs transit, and bonded warehousing. Follows the format FR + SIRET (14 digits) or SIREN (9 digits).
Having a valid French VAT number in VIES does not grant customs clearance privileges. If your French company or European trading partner plans to move freight outside the EU, a dedicated EORI registration must be established with French customs.
How to verify French EORI numbers before shipping
Our French EORI validator connects directly to the European Commission Economic Operators System (EOS) and integrates French customs routing. When entering a number, our tool automatically handles inputs with or without the FR prefix. Verifying your carrier, freight broker, or supplier's EORI number prior to cargo dispatch ensures seamless processing through French customs offices and DELTA declarations.
Frequently asked questions about French EORI validation
What is the structure of a French EORI number?
A French EORI number begins with the country prefix FR followed by the enterprise's 9-digit SIREN number (for example FR123456789) or the establishment's 14-digit SIRET number (for example FR12345678901234). For non-EU operators registered in France, it contains FR followed by the operator's home country ISO code and national registration identifier.
Can I enter a French EORI number without the "FR" prefix?
Yes. If you enter pure digits without the country prefix (for example, 12345678901234), our system automatically prepends the official FR country code before querying the official customs validation endpoints.
Where are French EORI numbers registered and managed?
In France, EORI numbers are managed centrally by the Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI) via the customs portal (SOPRANO / douane.gouv.fr).
How can I automate French EORI checks or validate in bulk?
If your logistics team or enterprise ERP processes high shipment volumes through French customs ports or borders, contact us at support@viesac.eu for bulk validation tools and automated REST API access.