We're sorry for this issue!
We use third-party payment services (Stripe and PayPal) to process purchases, and occasionally we hear from customers that their valid VAT number isn't recognized when they try to make a purchase.
Unfortunately we don't have any control over this when it happens, but typically it's an intermittent issue with Stripe or PayPal's own internal VAT validation process, and it will work if you try again later.
Also, if you try choosing a different payment method on the checkout page in your Leanpub shopping cart, that may work. For example, if you clicked ""Checkout with Credit Card"", you may want to try ""Checkout with PayPal"" instead. You don't need a PayPal account to pay this way, and you can still use a credit card.
Our apologies for not having a better answer for you here!
Further Guidance If Your VAT Number is Not Being Validated
If this happens, please ensure that you have included the two-character country code at the beginning of your VAT number. For example, if your VAT number was FR1231231231, you would type FR1231231231, not 1231231231.
If you have done this, and you are still getting the invalid VAT number message, please verify your VAT number here:
Payment services typically use other external services for VAT number validation, and the uptime, response time, and correct functioning of those services is something that we can not control directly.
If your VAT number is valid, the issue may may be that a third-party service is down for the moment, and it might work if you try making a purchase again, later in the day.
If your number is valid and you try again later, and it still doesn't work, please email hello@leanpub.com and let us know about the issue.
In the absolute worst case, if you have a valid VAT number and the service is rejecting it, and you have made sure you typed in the country code, then the best thing to do is to just not provide a VAT number, and buy the book or course, and just paying the VAT, if your company permits you to do that.
If you have any feedback or questions about this article, please email the Leanpub team about it at hello@leanpub.com!
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