public function validate($vatNumber)
{
if (strlen($vatNumber) != 9) {
return false;
}
if (intval(substr($vatNumber, 0, 2) == 12)) {
return false;
}
if (!in_array($vatNumber[0], $this->allowedC1)) {
return false;
}
if (!ctype_alpha($vatNumber[8])) {
return false;
}
return true;
}