VAT (USt) Calculator Germany (19%)

Questions people ask

How do I add VAT (USt) to a price?

Multiply the net price by 1.19. A €100 sale at 19% carries €19 of VAT (USt) and totals €119.

How do I remove VAT (USt) from a total?

Divide the gross amount by 1.19 to get the net, then subtract to find the tax. Dividing, not multiplying by a percentage, is the step people get wrong.

Is the rate current?

The page shows its last review date and the rate field is editable if yours differs.

Which rate applies to what I sell?

The standard rate covers most supplies, but many countries also run reduced rates, a zero rate and exemptions. Zero-rated and exempt are not the same: with a zero rate you still reclaim the VAT (USt) on your own purchases, with an exemption you do not. Check your category with Bundeszentralamt für Steuern.

Do I charge VAT (USt) to a customer in another country?

Often not, but it depends on what you sell and to whom. Exported goods are commonly zero-rated, and services to a business abroad are frequently outside the scope or shifted to the buyer. The rule is specific to Germany; confirm it with Bundeszentralamt für Steuern before you leave the tax off.

I used the wrong rate on an invoice I already sent. What now?

Do not reissue the same number. Raise a credit note against it and issue a fresh invoice at the right rate. If the return for that period has already gone in, tell Bundeszentralamt für Steuern how you are correcting it rather than waiting to be asked.

Does this round the way my accountant does?

It works to two decimal places and does not round line by line, which is the common convention. Some authorities specify rounding per line and others per invoice, so a difference of a unit or two on a long document is normal rather than an error.