Business, tax and funding
VAT identification number
In short and in plain language
A VAT identification number is a tax number of its own.
You need it for trade in the European Union. In Germany, a tax office of the state gives it out.
If a firm has one, it is mostly shown in the legal notice. The normal tax number is not put there.
Definition
A separate tax number for business within the European Union, issued in Germany by the Federal Central Tax Office. If a business has one, it is usually stated in the legal notice, whereas the ordinary tax number is not.