Fonoa

Checking an identifier before using it

Fonoa separates validating a customer's tax details from calculating a transaction's tax. Validate returns registration details such as the business name and address, helping a marketplace check the tax information a seller supplies.

Its programming interface, or API, accepts a two-letter country code and tax ID. In supported countries, you can also specify whether the holder is an individual or a business. European Union checks can use VIES, the EU's VAT information service, or a local register.

Following a validation request

1. Complete client onboarding, then obtain an API subscription key through Fonoa's technical support.
2. Submit the country and identifier. A format problem can produce an immediate result; a government-register check may remain pending.
3. Use the returned validation ID to retrieve the result. Read the result fields as well as the status: a completed request does not necessarily mean a valid tax registration.

Fonoa recommends version 2 of its validation API. It distinguishes an identifier found in an official database from a business registered for tax, which prevents those two results being treated as equivalent. If a government service does not respond, supported checks can retry for a selected period of one to 48 hours before finishing with an error.

Access and scope

Validate is one part of the Fonoa platform. Tax calculation, electronic invoicing and return preparation are separate products with their own inputs and coverage. The demo form asks about the business and its requirements; obtain a quote for the products and countries you need.