VIES Error

IP_BLOCKED

Your IP address is blocked from VIES

What does IP_BLOCKED mean?

The IP_BLOCKED error means VIES has blocked your IP address from making validation requests. Your requests are being rejected before they're processed, regardless of which VAT number you're trying to validate.

This is a serious issue that affects all your VIES operations from the blocked IP.

Why would your IP be blocked?

  1. Excessive requests: Making too many requests in a short period, triggering abuse detection
  2. Suspicious patterns: Request patterns that look like data scraping or harvesting
  3. Previous abuse: The IP was previously used for abusive behavior
  4. Shared IP issues: If you're on a shared IP (cloud hosting, VPN), another user may have caused the block
  5. Accidental bulk operations: Running a migration or import that hit VIES too hard

Cloud hosting considerations

If you're hosting on cloud platforms, be aware that: - You may share IP ranges with other customers - Another customer's abuse can affect your access - IP addresses may rotate, inheriting previous users' blocks

This is a hard block

Unlike rate limits that clear after waiting, IP blocks can be permanent until manually reviewed. Retrying won't help. You need to address the underlying issue.

How to resolve IP_BLOCKED

1. Use a managed VAT validation service

VatDB maintains clean IP reputations and distributes requests properly across multiple official EU and national databases. We handle all the rate limiting and API management for you, so you never get blocked. Use webhooks for async validation without worrying about IP issues.

2. Wait and retry

Some blocks are temporary. Wait 24 hours and try again with a single test request.

3. Check your request patterns

Review your logs for issues: - Are you making parallel requests without rate limiting? - Did a bug cause a request loop? - Are you retrying failed requests too aggressively?

4. Use a different IP

If you need immediate access, use a different server or cloud region, or configure a different egress IP.

Never get IP blocked again

VatDB handles all the rate limiting, retry logic, and API management for you. We maintain clean IP reputations, connect to multiple official EU and national databases, and distribute requests properly. Use webhooks to receive results asynchronously.

Try VatDB Free

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my IP unblocked?
First, wait 24 hours as some blocks are temporary. If the block persists, contact VIES support through the EU taxation portal. Explain the situation and what you've done to prevent recurrence.
Can I prevent IP blocks?
Yes. Implement proper rate limiting (no more than 1 to 2 requests per second), avoid bulk operations during peak hours, and handle errors gracefully without aggressive retries.
Why am I blocked if I haven't made many requests?
If you're on shared hosting or cloud infrastructure, your IP may be shared with others whose behavior caused the block. Consider using dedicated IPs or a managed VAT validation service.
How does VatDB avoid IP blocks?
VatDB maintains a pool of dedicated IPs with established reputation, implements sophisticated rate limiting, and distributes requests to stay well within VIES limits. We've never had our production IPs blocked.