VAT number and Tax Code fields in the Shopify checkout
Goal
Configure whether and when to request the VAT number and Tax Code from customers at checkout, distinguishing between EU and non-EU customers.
This section applies to Shopify Plus stores only: on non-Plus stores, fiscal fields are added to the cart via an embed script, with a separate configuration (see shopify-non-plus-billing-fields).
Prerequisites
- A store on Shopify Plus (the Settings > Checkout section isn’t visible on non-Plus plans, since it controls a Checkout UI Extension only available on Plus).
Steps
In the Checkout section:
- VAT number and tax code for EU customers — choose whether to make the fields required (useful for B2B or when full fiscal data is needed) or not required (simpler checkout).
- VAT number and tax code for non-EU customers — choose whether to show the fields (for fiscal needs or manual checks) or not show them (if not relevant for VAT purposes).
These two toggles control only the Shopify Plus Checkout UI Extension. On non-Plus stores, required/ optional fields are configured separately in the embed script (see shopify-non-plus-billing-fields).
Verify
- From a test store, start a checkout with an EU billing address and verify that the VAT/tax code field is required or optional according to the setting.
- Repeat with a non-EU address and verify that the fields appear or not according to the setting.
Common errors
- Italian customers still see Shopify’s native Tax Code/PEC fields — these are fields natively applied by Shopify for Italy and cannot be removed or modified by POP; they are optional regardless. Disabling them requires a specific request to Shopify support.
- The fields don’t appear at all at checkout — check that the Checkout Extension is active. On non-Plus stores, this settings section isn’t even visible: use the cart embed script instead (see shopify-non-plus-billing-fields).
Related configuration
For how this data is then read and prioritized by POP during invoicing, see shopify-fiscal-data-management.