📌 In short: Belgium does not issue a separate tax ID number for individuals. Your personal TIN (Tax Identification Number) is your National Register Number, the 11-digit number on the back of your eID card. As a self-employed person you also have an enterprise number and a VAT number, which are different numbers used for different purposes.
💡 What is the TIN exactly?
A TIN (Tax Identification Number) is the generic European term used to identify taxpayers. Each country uses its own number for this purpose.
In Belgium, there is no separate tax number for private individuals. Instead:
For individuals (including self-employed sole proprietors): your TIN is your National Register Number.
For companies and legal entities: the TIN is the enterprise number.
📋 The three numbers you need to know as a self-employed person
Number | Format | What it identifies | Where to find it |
National Register Number (your TIN) | YY.MM.DD-XXX.XX (11 digits) | You as a person and taxpayer | Back of your eID card |
Enterprise number | 0XXX.XXX.XXX (10 digits) | Your business in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO) | Registration confirmation, kbopub.economie.fgov.be |
VAT number | BE + enterprise number (e.g. BE0123.456.789) | Your business for VAT purposes | VAT activation confirmation from FPS Finance |
💡 Your VAT number is simply "BE" + your 10-digit enterprise number. You do not need to look them up separately. |
🪪 Where to find your National Register Number (your TIN)
Your National Register Number is an 11-digit number in the format YY.MM.DD-XXX.XX. The first 6 digits are your date of birth.
You can find it on:
The back of your Belgian eID card, the most common place.
Your tax return and your tax assessment notice from FPS Finance.
MyMinfin (Tax-on-web), visible once you log in with itsme or your eID.
Your social security card or other official government documents.
🏢 Where to find your enterprise number and VAT number
On your registration confirmation from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO), received when you registered via your business counter (Liantis, Xerius, Acerta, Partena, etc.).
On the public enterprise register at kbopub.economie.fgov.be, searchable for free by name.
On your own invoices, your VAT and enterprise number is legally required to appear on every invoice you send.
📌 When do you use which number?
A foreign bank, payment platform or form asks for your TIN as an individual: give your National Register Number from the back of your eID card.
A client or supplier asks for your business tax number: give your VAT number (BE + enterprise number). This must also appear on every invoice.
Filing your personal income tax return on MyMinfin: you are identified by your National Register Number via itsme or eID login.
Filing VAT returns on Intervat: use your VAT number.
📱 What to enter in Accountable
When setting up your business profile in Accountable, enter your VAT number (BE + 10 digits). Accountable uses this to detect your VAT regime, prepare your VAT returns and submit them via Intervat.
When you log in to MyMinfin to file your personal income tax return, you authenticate with itsme or your eID, which is linked to your National Register Number.
⚠️ B2B e-invoicing (Peppol) is mandatory from 1 January 2026 for transactions between Belgian VAT-registered businesses. Your VAT number must be correctly formatted as BE + 10 digits on all structured electronic invoices. Accountable handles this automatically. |
Still not sure which number to use in your situation? Our tax coaches are happy to help. 😊