VAT calculator: add or remove VAT
Enter an amount, pick the UK or an EU country and the rate: the calculator adds VAT to a net price or removes it from a gross price.
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VAT calculator
How to calculate VAT: formulas
| What you need | Formula | At 20% |
|---|---|---|
| VAT to add | net × rate ÷ 100 | net × 0.2 |
| Gross amount | net × (1 + rate ÷ 100) | net × 1.2 |
| VAT inside a gross amount | gross × rate ÷ (100 + rate) | gross ÷ 6 |
| Net amount (reverse VAT) | gross ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100) | gross ÷ 1.2 |
VAT formulas in Excel
| Amount in A1 | 20% | 19% | 5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| VAT to add | =A1*0.2 | =A1*0.19 | =A1*0.05 |
| Gross amount | =A1*1.2 | =A1*1.19 | =A1*1.05 |
| VAT inside gross | =A1/6 | =A1*19/119 | =A1*5/105 |
| Net amount | =A1/1.2 | =A1/1.19 | =A1/1.05 |
The calculator shows the same formula for the rate you choose.
Find the net price when you only know the VAT
Net = VAT ÷ rate × 100. If the 20% VAT on an invoice is £50, the net price is 50 ÷ 20 × 100 = £250 and the gross price is £300.
Example: add and remove 20% VAT
- £100 netprice before VAT
- + £20 VAT100 × 0.2
- = £120 grossprice for the customer
- £120 grossprice on the receipt
- £20 VAT120 ÷ 6
- £100 net120 ÷ 1.2
UK VAT rates
| Rate | What it applies to |
|---|---|
| 20% | standard rate: most goods and services |
| 5% | reduced rate: for example, home energy and children’s car seats |
| 0% | zero rate: for example, most food and children’s clothes |
Source: GOV.UK, “VAT rates”, checked 30 October 2026.
VAT rates in the EU
| Country | Standard rate | Reduced rates |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 20% | 10%, 13% |
| Belgium | 21% | 6%, 12% |
| Bulgaria | 20% | 9% |
| Croatia | 25% | 5%, 13% |
| Cyprus | 19% | 5%, 9%; super-reduced 3% |
| Czechia | 21% | 12% |
| Denmark | 25% | — |
| Estonia | 24% | 9% |
| Finland | 25.5% | 10%, 13.5% |
| France | 20% | 5.5%, 10%; super-reduced 2.1% |
| Germany | 19% | 7% |
| Greece | 24% | 6%, 13%, 17%; super-reduced 4% |
| Hungary | 27% | 5%, 18% |
| Ireland | 23% | 9%, 13.5% |
| Italy | 22% | 5%, 10%; super-reduced 4% |
| Latvia | 21% | 5%, 12% |
| Lithuania | 21% | 5%, 12% |
| Luxembourg | 17% | 8%; super-reduced 3%; parking 14% |
| Malta | 18% | 5%, 7%; parking 12% |
| Netherlands | 21% | 9% |
| Poland | 23% | 5%, 8% |
| Portugal | 23% | 6%, 13% |
| Romania | 21% | 11% |
| Slovakia | 23% | 5%, 19% |
| Slovenia | 22% | 5%, 9.5% |
| Spain | 21% | 10%; super-reduced 4% |
| Sweden | 25% | 6%, 12% |
Source: Your Europe (European Commission), “VAT rules and rates”, checked 30 October 2026 (page last checked by the Commission 13 July 2026). Regional rates (for example, the Azores or the Canary Islands) are not included. A rate that is not in the list — type it in “Custom rate”.
VAT per line or on the total
Rounding VAT on every invoice line can give a total a few cents or pence different from VAT calculated on the invoice total. Pick one method and use it on every document. The calculator works from a single amount; for invoices with dozens of lines it is easier when the software calculates VAT per line for you.
Common VAT mistakes
- Subtracting 20% from a gross price: £120 − 20% = £96, while the correct net price is £100. Divide by 1.2 instead.
- Adding VAT to a supplier price that already includes it: check whether the price list is net or gross.
- Using the home country’s rate for a buyer in another EU country without checking the rules for that sale.
- Rounding VAT on each line and on the total separately, and getting a mismatch.
Did you know?
EU law sets only a floor for the standard VAT rate: at least 15%, with no maximum.
Source: European Commission, “VAT rates”, checked 30 October 2026Hungary has the highest standard VAT rate in the EU at 27%; Luxembourg has the lowest at 17%.
Source: Your Europe (European Commission), “VAT rules and rates”, checked 30 October 2026Finland’s standard rate is 25.5% — one of the few EU rates that is not a whole number.
Source: Your Europe (European Commission), “VAT rules and rates”, checked 30 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate VAT?
Multiply the net amount by the rate and divide by 100. At the UK rate of 20%, VAT on £100 is £20 and the gross amount is £120 (net × 1.2).
How do I remove VAT from a price (reverse VAT)?
Divide the gross price by 1 + rate ÷ 100. At 20%: £120 ÷ 1.2 = £100 net, and the VAT is £20. Do not subtract 20% from the gross price: £120 − 20% = £96, which is wrong.
Why do you divide by 6 to find 20% VAT?
A price with 20% VAT is 120% of the net price, and the VAT is 20 of those 120 parts, which is one sixth. So the VAT inside £120 is £120 ÷ 6 = £20.
What is the VAT rate in the UK?
The standard rate is 20%. There is a reduced rate of 5% (for example, home energy) and a zero rate of 0% (for example, most food and children’s clothes). Source: GOV.UK, “VAT rates”.
What are the VAT rates in the EU?
Each country sets its own rates. Standard rates run from 17% in Luxembourg to 27% in Hungary; Germany has 19%, France 20%, Poland and Ireland 23%. The full table is on this page, and the calculator has every rate built in.
Is there VAT in the US?
No. The US has no VAT; states and cities charge sales tax with their own rates. If you sell to customers in the UK or the EU, VAT rules of the buyer’s country may apply — check them with your tax adviser.
How do I calculate VAT in Excel?
With the net amount in A1 and a 20% rate: VAT =A1*0.2, gross =A1*1.2. With the gross amount in A1: VAT =A1/6, net =A1/1.2. The calculator shows the formula for the rate you pick.