Sales Tax & VAT Calculator
The common mistake is removing VAT by subtracting the percentage. Taking 20% off a VAT-inclusive price does not give you the net price.
Adding and removing tax
Adding tax is intuitive. Removing it is where people go wrong.
To strip 20 % VAT from a £150 gross price you divide by 1.20, giving £125 net and £25 of VAT. If you instead subtract 20 % of £150 you get £120, which is wrong by £5 — because the 20 % was charged on the net figure, not the gross one.
A useful shortcut for 20 % VAT: the VAT element of a gross price is the gross divided by six. For
a rate of r, the tax fraction of the gross price is r ÷ (1 + r) — so
20 % VAT is 16.67 % of the total you pay.
Standard rates around the world
| Country | Standard rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 20 % | 5 % and 0 % reduced rates |
| Ireland | 23 % | 13.5 % and 9 % reduced |
| Germany | 19 % | 7 % reduced |
| France | 20 % | 10 %, 5.5 %, 2.1 % reduced |
| Spain | 21 % | 10 % and 4 % reduced |
| Italy | 22 % | 10 %, 5 %, 4 % reduced |
| Netherlands | 21 % | 9 % reduced |
| Australia (GST) | 10 % | Many food items exempt |
| Canada (GST) | 5 % | Plus provincial tax, 0–10 % |
| United States | 0–11 % | State and local; no federal sales tax |
The structural difference worth knowing: European VAT is included in advertised consumer prices by law, while US sales tax is added at the till. That is why a US price tag and the amount you actually pay never match.
Net, gross and why businesses care
For a VAT-registered business, VAT is collected rather than earned. You charge output VAT on sales, reclaim input VAT on purchases, and pay the difference to the tax authority. This is why businesses quote prices excluding VAT to each other and including VAT to consumers — and why an invoice to a registered business should always show the net, the VAT and the gross separately.
Registration thresholds vary and change: in the UK it is £90,000 of taxable turnover, in Ireland €75,000 for goods. Below the threshold registration is usually voluntary, and whether it is worth doing depends on whether your customers can reclaim the VAT you charge them.
Frequently asked questions
Why divide by 1.20 rather than subtract 20%?
Because the VAT was calculated on the net price, not the gross. £125 + 20 % = £150, so reversing it means dividing £150 by 1.20. Subtracting 20 % of the gross removes 20 % of a larger number and overshoots.
What percentage of a gross price is VAT?
Less than the rate. At 20 % VAT the tax is one sixth of the gross, or 16.67 %. The general formula is rate ÷ (1 + rate), so 21 % VAT is 17.36 % of the total price.
Do reduced rates apply to my purchase?
It depends on the item and the country. Most European systems apply reduced or zero rates to food, children's clothing, books, medicines and domestic energy, but the categories differ considerably between countries. Check your national tax authority for the specific item.