not_found
You are using a test-mode key and sent a VAT number that is not in the magic number registry.
HTTP 404 · Not Found
Example response
{
"error": {
"code": "not_found",
"message": "VAT number 'DE123456789' not found in test mode registry."
},
"meta": {
"request_id": "a1b2c3d4-...",
"latency_ms": 0
}
}What happened
Test-mode keys (vtv_test_*) do not make real registry calls. Instead, they return deterministic responses for a fixed set of magic VAT numbers. Sending a number that isn't in the magic registry returns not_found.
How to fix
Use one of the documented magic VAT numbers for test mode:
| VAT number | Response |
|---|---|
IE6388047V | valid: true, Google Ireland Limited |
DE811569869 | valid: true, Zalando SE |
FR44732829320 | valid: true, BlaBlaCar SAS |
IE0000000X | valid: false, no company data |
DE999999999 | 502 registry_unavailable |
| Any other well-formed VAT | valid: true, synthesized "Magic Corp (XX)" |
See the full Test mode guide.
Common mistakes
- Using a real customer's VAT number with a test key: test keys don't hit the registry. Switch to a live key for real lookups.
- Expecting test keys to behave like live keys for arbitrary inputs: they don't. Test keys are for CI and integration testing with known inputs.
Related errors
unauthorized: key is missing or invalidinvalid_format: VAT number is malformed