EIN vs partita IVA: how to vet an Italian supplier
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In short: a US tax ID such as an EIN has no counterpart in an Italian check. To vet an Italian supplier, ask for its Italian VAT number (partita IVA), check it, then verify the company in Registro Imprese, the official Italian business register. Veryfy does this from Italian official sources, from €19, in Italian, and adds a free anti-scam check on the email, website and IBAN you were given.
Part of the guide Vetting an Italian company or counterparty: a guide for US businesses.
What an EIN is, and why it does not help here
The IRS describes an EIN as a federal tax ID number for businesses, tax-exempt organizations and other entities, available free directly from the IRS (IRS: Employer identification number). It identifies an entity to US tax authorities. An Italian company never appears in that system on the strength of an EIN, so a US supplier checklist that starts with the W-9 and the EIN has to be replaced with Italian identifiers.
What to ask the Italian company for
- Its legal name and Italian VAT number (partita IVA) on the invoice or contract.
- A recent visura camerale (company extract) from Registro Imprese, the register of the Italian Chambers of Commerce operated by InfoCamere (Registro Imprese, the Italian business register portal (InfoCamere)).
- Bank details on company letterhead, which you then check through a second channel (see BEC and wire fraud with an Italian counterparty).
The US side of the same question
A US customer's own bank may ask who owns a legal entity. Under 31 CFR 1010.230, covered financial institutions must identify and verify the beneficial owners of legal entity customers (LII: 31 CFR § 1010.230). That obligation sits with the bank; your supplier check is separate and you should do it yourself.
Run the check
Verifica (€19) gives a full company check, the beneficial owner, shareholders and directors, protests and insolvency signals. Prices are one-off and in euros.
Every company product comes with a free Check anti-truffa (anti-scam check): it looks at the VAT number in the EU VIES register, free webmail or disposable email, domain age, domains flagged for malware or phishing, SPF and DMARC protection, the VAT number shown on the website, data breaches affecting the site, and whether the IBAN is correctly written and from a country consistent with the company.
The service and the report are in Italian, built from Italian official sources: company names, offices and procedures keep their original Italian wording. Veryfy does not offer a translated report.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Italian company have an EIN?
No. An EIN is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. An Italian company is identified in Italy by its own registration and tax numbers, which you check in Italian sources such as Registro Imprese.
How do I confirm a US counterparty's EIN, and the Italian equivalent?
For a US entity the IRS lists three ways to confirm an EIN: an entity transcript, a digital CP575 notice from a Business Tax Account, or a call to the business and specialty tax line. For an Italian company, ask for a recent company extract (visura) from Registro Imprese.
How much does it cost to check an Italian supplier?
Veryfy's Verifica costs €19 and includes the free anti-scam check. The report is in Italian.
More in this cluster
Hub: Vetting an Italian company or counterparty: a guide for US businesses. Related guides:
- BEC and wire fraud with an Italian counterparty
- Beneficial ownership of an Italian S.r.l. for US KYC
- US judgments in Italy and serving documents there
- Chapter 15 vs Italian insolvency proceedings
- Acquiring an Italian SME: due diligence and golden power
- Italian property and heirs: checks for US owners
- Italian company report glossary for US readers
- Italian company credit report: what a US buyer gets
- Italian VAT number lookup: how to check a partita IVA
- Collecting an unpaid invoice from an Italian customer
- Paying an Italian supplier: name-to-IBAN checks before you wire
- OFAC screening of an Italian company's owners
- Monitoring an Italian customer: ongoing due diligence
- Buying property in Italy from the US: check the seller and title
- Inheriting property in Italy: succession filing for US heirs
All guides: Guides.
Sources
Official sources opened and read on October 24, 2026 (2026-10-24).
- IRS: Employer identification number
- LII: 31 CFR § 1010.230, customer due diligence
- Registro Imprese, the Italian business register portal (InfoCamere)
General information, not legal advice. Sources verified on 2026-10-24.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Italian company have an EIN?
No. An EIN is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. An Italian company is identified in Italy by its own registration and tax numbers, which you check in Italian sources such as Registro Imprese.
How do I confirm a US counterparty's EIN, and the Italian equivalent?
For a US entity the IRS lists three ways to confirm an EIN: an entity transcript, a digital CP575 notice from a Business Tax Account, or a call to the business and specialty tax line. For an Italian company, ask for a recent company extract (visura) from Registro Imprese.
How much does it cost to check an Italian supplier?
Veryfy's Verifica costs €19 and includes the free anti-scam check. The report is in Italian.
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