If you are a business based in the European Union (outside the Czech Republic) and have a valid VAT ID, you can pay for your Zenamu subscription without VAT under the reverse charge mechanism.
How it works
Zenamu is operated by a Czech company and, as a VAT payer in the Czech Republic, charges Czech VAT by default. However, for B2B customers from other EU member states, the reverse charge rule applies — the tax is paid by the recipient of the service in their own country.
To purchase without VAT, you must meet one condition: your VAT ID must be valid and verifiable in the European VIES system.
What is VIES
VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) is the official European Commission system for verifying VAT ID validity within the EU. When you enter your VAT ID, Zenamu automatically verifies it through VIES.
You can verify your VAT ID yourself at: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/
How to enter your VAT ID in Zenamu
Go to Manage Subscription.
Open Billing Information.
Check I'm a VAT payer.
Enter your European VAT identification number including the country code (e.g.,
DE123456789,FR12345678901,HU12345678).Save your changes.
The system will automatically verify your VAT ID through VIES. If it's valid, your next subscription invoice will be issued without VAT with a reverse charge note.
Common issues
"The VAT ID entered is invalid"
This error means the VIES system didn't recognize your VAT ID as valid. Possible causes:
Incorrectly entered number — check that the number starts with your two-letter country code (DE, FR, HU, IT, ES, PL...) and that the remaining digits are correct.
VAT ID not registered in VIES — not every tax number is automatically registered in VIES. In some countries, you need to separately request VIES registration from your local tax authority (see below).
Recently issued VAT ID — newly registered numbers may take a few days to appear in VIES.
"The VAT validation system is temporarily unavailable"
VIES is operated by the tax authorities of individual member states and may occasionally be temporarily unavailable. Wait a few minutes and try again.
"I'm a VAT payer, but VIES can't find my number"
This is a relatively common situation. The reasons vary by country:
Hungary (HU): The Hungarian adószám (tax number) may not be automatically registered for intra-Community trade (VIES). Contact the Hungarian tax authority (NAV) to request EU trade registration.
France (FR): The intra-Community VAT number (numéro de TVA intracommunautaire) differs from the SIRET/SIREN number. Make sure you're entering the correct number starting with FR.
Germany (DE): There's a difference between the Steuernummer (tax number) and the Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr.). Enter the USt-IdNr. starting with DE in VIES.
Spain (ES): The NIF-IVA must be registered for intra-Community operations via form 036.
Italy (IT): The Partita IVA must be registered in the VIES system through the Agenzia delle Entrate.
Poland (PL): The NIP must be registered for EU trade purposes at the relevant tax office.
Important: Being a VAT payer in your country does not automatically mean you are registered in VIES. In many countries, VIES registration is a separate step that must be completed at your local tax authority.
What if my VAT ID is not in VIES?
If your VAT ID is not in VIES and you can't register it, your Zenamu subscription will be charged with the VAT rate applicable in your country. In some cases, you may be able to reclaim this tax through the VAT refund mechanism — consult your accountant.
VAT ID formats by country
Each EU country has a specific VAT ID format. The number always starts with a two-letter country code:
Country | Code | Example format |
Germany | DE | DE123456789 |
France | FR | FR12345678901 |
Hungary | HU | HU12345678 |
Italy | IT | IT12345678901 |
Spain | ES | ESX1234567X |
Poland | PL | PL1234567890 |
Austria | AT | ATU12345678 |
Slovakia | SK | SK1234567890 |
Belgium | BE | BE0123456789 |
Romania | RO | RO1234567890 |
Finland | FI | FI12345678 |
Sweden | SE | SE123456789012 |
Portugal | PT | PT123456789 |
For a complete overview of formats, visit the VIES website.