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Complete the Tax Section

We need to know whether taxes are included or excluded in your room rates.

If guests must pay a local government tax on arrival (e.g., tourist tax, occupancy tax, US sales tax, or similar regional tax), please set this up directly in Hostelworld Inbox.

Where:
👉 Hostelworld Inbox → Property Set Up → Tax Details

Once completed, please inform your Hostelworld representative about which taxes apply to your property.

💡 Need help? See this article: How to Set Up Taxes

Complete the Business Identifiers Section

We need some extra details about your business to meet local compliance requirements. These identifiers help verify your legal status and ensure correct tax reporting.

Where to update this information:

  • Go to: Hostelworld Inbox → Property Set Up → Business Identifiers

 1. VAT/GST or Local Equivalent

Properties located in the European Union (EU)

  • If your property is in the EU, you must provide your VAT number in the Business Identifiers tab in Inbox
  • This VAT number will appear on your VAT invoice
  • If you need to update your company name or address for VAT invoices, go to: Hostelworld Inbox → Property Set Up → VAT Details

FAQs:

What is VAT called locally and what’s the format?

See the table below for country-specific names and formats:

Country Local Name Abbreviation Prefix Length VAT Structure
Austria Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer UID AT 9-characters ‘U’ + 8 digits ATU99999999
Belgium BTW identificatienummer / Numéro de TVA nº TVA BE 10 digits BE0999999999
Bulgaria Идентификационен номер по ДДС ДДС BG 9–10 digits BG999999999 or BG9999999999
Croatia PDV identifikacijski broj PDV-ID HR 11 digits HR99999999999
Cyprus Αριθμός Εγγραφής Φ.Π.Α. ΦΠΑ CY 9 characters CY99999999L
Czech Republic Daňové identifikační číslo DIČ CZ 8–10 digits CZ99999999 or CZ999999999 or CZ9999999999
Denmark Momsregistreringsnummer MOMS DK 8 digits DK99999999
Estonia Käibemaksukohustuslase number KMKR EE 9 digits EE999999999
Finland Arvonlisäveronumero ALV nro FI 8 digits FI99999999
France Numéro d'identification à la TVA nº TVA FR 11 characters FRXX999999999 (2 letters/alphanumeric + 9 digits)
Germany Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer USt-IdNr. DE 9 digits DE999999999
Greece Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου ΦΠΑ EL 9 digits EL999999999
Hungary Közösségi adószám ANUM HU 8 digits HU99999999
Ireland Value added tax number VAT IE 8–9 characters IE9S99999L or IE9999999WI
Italy Partita IVA P.IVA IT 11 digits IT99999999999
Latvia Pievienotās vērtības nodokļa numurs PVN LV 11 digits LV99999999999
Lithuania PVM mokėtojo kodas PVM LT 9 or 12 digits LT999999999 or LT999999999999
Luxembourg Numéro d'identification à la TVA No. TVA LU 8 digits LU99999999
Malta It-taxxa fuq il-valur mizjud VAT MT 8 digits MT99999999
Poland Numer identyfikacji podatkowej NIP PL 10 digits PL9999999999
Portugal Número de Identificação Fiscal NIF PT 9 digits PT999999999
Romania Codul de identificare fiscală CIF RO 2–10 digits RO99999999
Slovakia Identifikačné číslo pre DPH IČ DPH SK 10 digits SK9999999999
Slovenia Identifikacijska številka za DDV ID za DDV SI 8 digits SI99999999
Spain Número de Identificación Fiscal NIF ES 9 characters ESX9999999X (first & last may be letters)
Sweden VAT-nummer Momsnr. SE 12 digits SE999999999999
Netherlands Btw-nummer Btw-nr. NL 12 characters NL999999999B99 (9 digits + 'B' + 2 digits)

Why might my VAT number show as invalid in Inbox?

  • All VAT numbers inputted for EU properties are validated in the European Commission’s VAT Information Exchange System (VIES). The VIES is a European Commission search engine that can be used to check whether a VAT number is valid for EU transactions.

If invalid:

  • You may be VAT registered locally but not for VIES. Check with your accountant/tax advisor
  • Common errors:
    • Missing country prefix (e.g., “DE” for Germany)
    • Spaces or special characters being included in the number

Properties located outside the European Union (Africa, Americas, Asia, Oceania)

  • If your property is based outside the EU, you must provide your VAT number in the Business Identifiers tab in Inbox
  • Outside the EU, VAT is often called GST, service tax, or consumption tax.

See the table below for local names and formats:

Country Local Name Abbreviation Format
Australia Australian Business Number ABN 11 digits (e.g.,12 345 678 910)
Canada GST/HST Registration Number GST/HST 15 characters: 9-digit Business Number + 'RT' + 4 digits (e.g.,123456789RT0001)
Mexico Registro Federal de Contribuyentes RFC Individual; 13 digits with format: xxxx-yyyyyy-zzz (e.g., ABCD920518XXX)
Companies; 12 digits with format: xxx-yyyyyy-zzz (e.g., ABC920518XXX)
x = letters, y = numbers, z = alphanumeric
New Zealand GST Registration Number (IRD Number) GST/IRD 7-9 digits long
-          Older IRD numbers are 7 digits
-          Newer ones are 8 or 9 digits (e.g., 123-456-789)
Philippines Taxpayer Identification Number TIN 12 digits (e.g., 000-123-456-001)
Sri Lanka VAT Registration Number VAT If VAT registered it is the same number as issued TIN
9 digits (e.g., 123456789)
Tanzania VAT Registration Number VRN 9 characters: 99-999999-A (e.g.,12-345678-A)
United Kingdom VAT Registration Number VAT Great Britain; GB + 9 digits or Northern Ireland; NI + 9 digits (e.g., GB123456789, NI123456789)

Note: This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change. For full details, check with your local accountant/tax advisor or national tax administration.

2. Business Registration Number (BRN)

A Business Registration Number (BRN) is a unique identifier assigned to a business when it is registered with the relevant authority in its jurisdiction.

  • It confirms the legal status of your business and is used for regulatory, tax, and compliance purposes
  • The format and issuing authority vary by country and by business structure (e.g., sole trader, partnership, corporation)
  • If you are unsure of your BRN or where to find it, check your business registration certificate or contact your local registration authority

3. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

A Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) is issued by tax authorities to identify individuals or businesses for tax administration.

  • It is required for reporting and paying taxes in most jurisdictions
  • The name and format of TINs differ by country (e.g., Tax Identification Number, Social Security Number, or similar)
  • For detailed guidance on TIN formats by jurisdiction, refer to the OECD TIN guidelines or consult your local tax authority

4. Are You Missing Any Information?

This is the final section on the Business Identifier tab. If any fields are left blank, please use this box to tell us why. We really appreciate comments that explain the reason, as it helps us avoid unnecessary follow-ups.

Examples of helpful explanations include:

  • No VAT number inputted because not VAT registered
  • No Business Registration Number inputted as not required for your business (depends on your company type and local regulations)
  • Certain information not applicable to your jurisdiction etc.

Providing these details ensures we understand your situation and saves time for both sides.

Platform Reporting

As a Platform Operator, Hostelworld is legally required to collect and report certain information about properties registered on our platform in jurisdictions where these rules apply.

The details you provide in the Business Identifiers section are used to complete these mandatory submissions.

You can find more information below about these reporting obligations, the data collected, and what this means for your property.

  • EU Properties
  • Non-EU Properties

📨 Need Help?

If you have any questions, please contact your usual Hostelworld Account Manager or reach out to partner support.