Checking VAT invoices online is an important need for businesses in the digital age. As of April 21, 2024, the number of electronic invoices received and processed by tax authorities is estimated to reach 7.48 billion invoicesIn fact, there have been many cases where fake, canceled or non-existent invoices were discovered on the system, causing legal and financial risks. Therefore, understanding how to check VAT invoices online not only helps businesses control transactions and protect their rights, but also ensures transparency, compliance with tax regulations and enhances business reputation.
See more articles at: VAT Overview – MAN
Overview of online (electronic) VAT invoices
In the context of strong digital transformation, the use of online (electronic) VAT invoices has become an inevitable trend in business activities in Vietnam. This is not only a tool to replace traditional paper invoices but also brings many benefits such as cost savings, shortening storage time and increasing transparency in transactions. To understand better, it is necessary to first grasp the basic concepts of VAT invoices and electronic invoices, along with the important differences between these two types.
What is a VAT invoice?
A value added tax (VAT) invoice is a document issued by a seller when selling goods or providing services, clearly showing the payment amount, tax rate and VAT amount. This concept is regulated in Article 3, Decree 123/2020/ND-CP.
In addition, VAT invoices are also the most common type of invoice in the Vietnamese economy, playing an important role in the management and transparency of business activities. This is the legal basis for determining the tax obligations of enterprises, proving legal commercial transactions, and at the same time being the basis for enterprises to deduct and refund taxes according to regulations, contributing to optimizing costs and ensuring rights.
See more articles at: VAT invoice
What is an electronic (online) invoice?
An electronic invoice is a document created in the form of electronic data, with or without a tax authority code, created by an organization or individual selling goods or providing services. The invoice fully reflects transaction information according to accounting and tax laws. In addition, an electronic invoice also includes an invoice created from a cash register connected and transmitting data directly to the tax authority, as stipulated in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 3. Decree 123/2020/ND-CP.
In case of having a tax authority code, the invoice will be given an authentication code from the system before the seller sends it to the buyer. This authentication code includes a unique transaction number and an encrypted character string based on the seller's data. The code issuance mechanism not only ensures transparency for the transaction but also helps the management agency easily monitor the invoice issuance process.
For the type without a code, the business or organization issues it directly to the buyer without the tax authority issuing an authentication code. Although the management code is not attached, this invoice is still legally valid if used in accordance with regulations. Applying this form creates more favorable conditions for businesses in transactions, while still ensuring compliance with accounting and tax regulations.
| CRITERIA | PAPER INVOICE (PRE 2022) | ONLINE/ ELECTRONIC INVOICE (2025) |
| Form | Print, sign/stamp | Create and sign on the system |
| Management agency | Self-issuing enterprises | Tax Authority issues authentication code |
| Testability | Manual testing, prone to errors | Check VAT invoices online on the Tax portal |
| Expense | Printing, shipping, storage | Saving, electronic storage |
| Transparency & Security | Easy to counterfeit, difficult to control | Code authentication, absolute transparency |
What is an online VAT invoice?
Online VAT invoice is the common name for electronic value added invoice that is looked up, issued and managed online via the Internet system. This is the type of invoice created by the seller when providing goods and services, showing full information on the value of goods, tax rate, VAT amount and is digitally signed in accordance with the law.
The role of VAT invoices
Value Added Tax (VAT) invoice is a type of document used by organizations to declare and calculate VAT using the deduction method. This is the most common type of invoice today, frequently used in many business activities.
First of all, VAT invoices are issued when businesses sell goods or provide services domestically. This is a basic form of transaction and accounts for a large proportion of economic activities.
In addition, this type of invoice is also used in the field of international transportation. The use of VAT invoices helps to record and make transparent the revenue from the activities of transporting goods and passengers across borders.
VAT invoices are also applied when businesses export goods to duty-free zones or in cases where the law stipulates they are considered exports. This ensures transparency and compliance with regulations in specific transactions.
Finally, for activities of exporting goods and providing services abroad, businesses are required to use VAT invoices. This is both a legal document and a basis for deducting or refunding tax according to regulations.
| STT | APPLICABLE CASES | DETAILED CONTENT |
| 1 | Selling goods and providing services domestically | Enterprises issue VAT invoices when selling goods or providing services within the territory of Vietnam. |
| 2 | International transport activities | Applicable to cross-border freight and passenger transportation activities, VAT invoices are required for revenue transparency. |
| 3 | Export to duty-free zones or cases considered as export | Enterprises issue VAT invoices when exporting goods to duty-free zones or special transactions are considered exports. |
| 4 | Exporting goods and services abroad | VAT invoices are used for export transactions and are also the basis for tax deduction or refund as prescribed. |
Detailed step-by-step instructions for checking VAT invoices online 2025
The online VAT invoice checking process in 2025 is designed based on the new technology infrastructure of the General Department of Taxation, helping accountants and businesses easily check the validity of documents. According to Article 90 Tax Administration Law No. 38/2019/QH14, all legal electronic invoices must have data stored in the Tax authority system. Therefore, looking up VAT invoices online is the only way to ensure that VAT invoices are legally recognized.
Prepare before checking VAT invoices online
Before looking up VAT invoices online, businesses need to prepare some basic information from the invoice. Including: seller's tax code, invoice number, symbol, date of issue and payment value. These are mandatory data fields in the system. If one of these information is missing, looking up VAT invoices online may give incorrect results or be rejected.
In addition, businesses need to ensure that the access device has a stable internet connection. The General Department of Taxation's system usually works best with popular browsers such as Chrome or Edge. To increase security, users should log in with the assigned tax management account or use the business's digital signature. Careful preparation helps the online VAT invoice lookup process run smoothly and minimizes errors.
Ways to check VAT invoices online 2025
In the context of businesses switching to electronic invoices, online VAT invoice lookup has become an essential need to check the legality and validity. This activity helps accountants manage documents transparently, accurately and avoid tax risks when using incorrect or non-existent invoices. There are currently 3 popular ways to look up electronic invoices, each with different operations but all ensuring that VAT invoices are used legally and confirmed by the Tax authority.
Method 1: Look up VAT invoices online on the General Department of Taxation website
Step 1: Go to the invoice information lookup page General Department of Taxation.
Step 2: Fill in all required information including:
- Seller tax identification number
- Invoice number
- Invoice symbol
- Invoice number
- Captcha
Step 3: Press the Search button.
Result: The system displays information such as business name, tax code, address, invoice status, tax authority. If no data is found, it means that the invoice does not exist or is invalid.
Method 2: Look up VAT invoices online on the electronic invoice system of the Tax authority
Step 1: Access to the electronic invoice system.
Step 2: Log in with the account issued to the business by the Tax authority.
Step 3: Select Lookup → Lookup bill.
Step 4: Select the type of invoice to check (sales or purchase invoice), then enter the relevant information:
- Seller tax identification number
- Invoice type
- Invoice symbol
- Invoice number
Step 5: Click Search.
Result: The system returns detailed information such as invoice date, value of goods/services, tax amount, total payment… This helps buyers easily confirm whether the invoice is valid or not.
Method 3: Look up VAT invoices online via meInvoice tool
Step 1: Go to meInvoice invoice lookup page.
Step 2: Select the function to download the invoice file in .xml format (this is the original file when issuing electronic invoices).
Step 3: Press the check validity button.
Result: The system will display full invoice information including:
- Seller, buyer, address, tax code
- Is the electronic signature valid?
- Seller's operating status (inactive, tax evader)
- Has the invoice been notified for issuance by the Tax Authority?
- Are you on the tax risk list?
See more articles at: Instructions on how to look up VAT invoices without logging into an account, latest in 2025?
Benefits and applications of looking up VAT invoices online
In the context of increasingly strict tax management, checking VAT invoices online is not only a compliance requirement but also brings many practical values to businesses. The first and most important benefit is to ensure the legality of accounting documents. Invoices are confirmed to be valid through checking VAT invoices online, helping businesses declare, deduct and refund taxes in accordance with regulations, avoiding the risk of having expenses rejected or deductions denied by tax authorities.
In addition, the online VAT invoice lookup process also helps businesses improve transparency in financial activities. Storing lookup results along with payment documents not only serves internal accounting but also becomes evidence when auditing or inspecting. Thanks to that, businesses strengthen their reputation in relationships with partners, customers and credit institutions.
Another benefit is cost and time savings. Previously, businesses had to manually check or contact the tax authorities directly to verify the legality of invoices. Now, with just a few steps to check VAT invoices online, information is displayed immediately, especially useful for businesses with a large number of invoices.
The application of online VAT invoice lookup is not only limited to accounting but also integrated into management software to automatically check invoices when entering data. For multi-branch corporations, online VAT invoice lookup helps synchronize data, reduce risks and improve internal control.
| ASPECT | BENEFITS OF CHECKING VAT INVOICES ONLINE | PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS |
| Legality | Identify valid invoices, eligible for deductions and refunds | Avoid cost rejections, reduce legal risks |
| Transparency | Store search results with accounting documents | Increase credibility when auditing and inspecting |
| Operating efficiency | Shorten time, save cost compared to manual testing | Suitable for businesses with a large number of invoices |
| Application of technology | Integrate with management software for automated testing | Synchronize data within the group, centralized management |
It can be seen that the benefits of checking VAT invoices online in 2025 do not stop at meeting legal requirements, but also become an essential management tool in business operations. Enterprises that exploit this mechanism well will both protect tax rights, optimize accounting and financial processes, and strengthen their competitive position in the market.
Some frequently asked questions when looking up VAT invoices online
Many businesses wonder if there is a fee for looking up VAT invoices online. According to Circular 78/2021/TT-BTC, looking up on the General Department of Taxation's information portal is completely free, only requiring an internet-connected device. If using invoice management software with automatic lookup function, the cost is only the software service fee, not related to the official lookup system. Thus, looking up VAT invoices online is both convenient and fast, and does not create a cost burden for businesses.
It is completely possible to look up VAT invoices online on smartphones or tablets thanks to the General Department of Taxation's system that has optimized the mobile interface. Users only need a stable network and enter correct information such as tax code, invoice number, symbol, and issue date. Many accounting software today also integrates a direct lookup feature, helping employees look up invoices immediately when entering data, reducing manual operations and improving control efficiency.
The online VAT invoice lookup system has a big advantage in speed, usually displaying results within seconds. During peak times such as the end of the month or settlement period, the results may be a little slower, but still fast. Thanks to this mechanism, businesses can easily account for and check invoices continuously, ensuring work efficiency.
There are two forms of online VAT invoice lookup: public and with an account. The public form allows any organization or individual to look up without logging in. The account form helps businesses look up more details, including invoice issuance history. Therefore, registering an account is not mandatory but will expand the range of data displayed.
The ability to detect fake invoices is an important value of online VAT invoice lookup. Legitimate invoices display full information such as tax code, seller name, invoice number, issue date and “valid” status. Invalid invoices will not return results or report “do not exist”. Saving the lookup results with documents helps prove legality, reduce legal risks and ensure businesses feel secure when using confirmed invoices.
For businesses with many branches, invoice management can be complicated, but the online VAT invoice lookup system still supports. Each branch issues its own invoice, and data is synchronized with the Tax Department. Businesses should assign a central accountant to periodically review to avoid omissions. Many invoice management software integrates centralized lookup, helping branches to check online invoices in a unified manner, ensuring legality, transparency and increasing internal control efficiency. Is there a fee for checking VAT invoices online?
Can I check VAT invoices online by phone?
How long does it take to get results from looking up VAT invoices online?
Do I need to register an account to check my bill?
How to distinguish real and fake VAT invoices through search results?
What should be noted when looking up VAT invoices for multiple branches?
Conclude
Checking VAT invoices online in 2025 not only helps businesses comply with legal regulations but is also a useful tool to check the legality of invoices. Thanks to that, businesses can minimize risks when tax authorities remove expenses, refuse to deduct taxes or impose penalties for using incorrect invoices.
In addition, looking up VAT invoices online in 2025 helps save time and costs for accountants. Businesses can easily perform operations on computers or phones without having to contact the tax authorities directly, thereby improving management efficiency, reducing errors and increasing transparency in financial activities.
In addition to the above benefits, the application of modern tools helps businesses look up VAT invoices online quickly and accurately, and store the search results as legal evidence. This not only helps control costs and reduce risks, but also supports accounting staff to perform their work more effectively when looking up VAT invoices online regularly and synchronously throughout the entire system, while managing the electronic VAT invoice search well in accordance with regulations.
More importantly, checking VAT invoices online also helps businesses strengthen their reputation with partners, customers and management agencies. This is an important step to affirm professionalism, transparency and sustainability in business. If you are looking for a solution to manage invoices in a synchronized way, please contact us. MAN – Master Accountant Network for comprehensive support.
Contact information:
MAN – Master Accountant Network
- Address: No. 19A, Street 43, Tan Thuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Hotline: 0903 963 163 – 0903 428 622
- E-mail: man@man.net.vn
MAN Editorial Board – Master Accountant Network
