What is sales excluding VAT?

Asked by: Dario Johnston  |  Last update: July 12, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (11 votes)

Sales excluding VAT (Value-Added Tax), often called "net" or "ex-tax" price, is the base cost of a product or service before any consumption tax is added. It represents the actual revenue a business receives, as the VAT collected is paid to the government, not kept by the seller. This metric is primarily used for B2B transactions, cost analysis, and tax reporting.

What is meant by excluding VAT?

The price excluding VAT (ex VAT) is the price excluding tax (ex tax). In other words, it is the price at which the company sells its products and VAT has to be added on top (except for trade customers). e.g. €8.55 excluding VAT or ex tax.

Is US sales tax a VAT?

U.S. citizens only pay VAT when in Europe or another country with a value-added tax. The U.S. does not operate a VAT system. Instead, it applies sales tax at the final point of sale, which is collected by the seller and remitted to the appropriate state or local authority.

What does VAT stand for in sales?

VAT stands for “value-added tax,” and it is a type of indirect tax that applies to physical goods or services. It's called value-added tax because it's charged whenever value is added to the product throughout the supply chain, from production to the point of sale.

Do US customers pay VAT?

The United States does not have a Value Added Tax (VAT) at either the federal or the state level. Sales and use taxation in the US is operated independently by each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Sales taxes are administered by every state except Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

Sales Tax Vs. VAT. How they both work!

18 related questions found

Who pays VAT on sales?

VAT is a tax which is ultimately paid by the consumer, and is not a tax on individual businesses. VAT is typically included on business invoices.

Can I claim back VAT?

You can reclaim VAT on items you buy for use in your business if you're VAT registered. Do this in your VAT return. There are different rules if your organisation is not registered for VAT (for example, a local authority, academy, public body or eligible charity).

Is VAT the same as GST?

VAT (Value Added Tax) and GST (Goods and Services Tax) are fundamentally the same type of consumption tax, levied on goods and services at each stage of the supply chain, but the terms are used in different countries and can have structural differences, with GST often being a unified, simpler system replacing multiple taxes (like VAT, sales tax, excise duty) into one, as seen in India and Canada. Both ensure the final consumer pays the tax, while businesses get credits for tax paid on inputs, but specific implementation, rates, and administration vary by country (e.g., EU uses VAT, India uses GST). 

What does VAT mean for dummies?

A tax on imported goods, paid in addition to other duties due. It is called a "value-added" tax because it is applied throughout the supply chain - on everything from the point of raw materials up to manufacturing and retail.

Do I get money back from VAT?

The United States Government does not refund sales tax to foreign visitors. The foreign country in which you paid the Value Added Tax (VAT) is responsible for refunding the tax. Some countries won't refund after the fact, so check with the Foreign Embassies & Consulates office of the country you visited.

How much VAT do you pay?

The standard rate applies to most goods and services. To work out the total price at the standard rate of VAT (20%), multiply the original price by 1.2. To calculate the reduced VAT rate (5%), multiply the original price by 1.05.

Is excluding VAT net or gross?

Net pricing will first show the prices of your products and services without VAT. This is most useful for B2B sales. Gross pricing will show the prices of your products and services with VAT already added. This is standard practice for B2C sales.

How much is excluding VAT?

What is the VAT inclusive and VAT exclusive formula? To add VAT to a VAT exclusive amount, you simply multiply the price by 1.15, for example R100 x 1.15 = R115. To exclude VAT from an amount, you divide the price by 1.15, for example R115 / 1.15 = R100.

How do I get my VAT tax refund?

You must get a VAT refund form and sign this, with the vendor, at item purchase. Usually, the vendor has these forms available and will know what to do. In case there is any doubt, just know that both you and the vendor must sign the same form.

How does VAT work?

Value Added Tax is

a general tax that applies in principle to all commercial activities involving the production and distribution of goods and the provision of services. a consumption tax because it is borne ultimately by the final consumer. It is not a charge on businesses.

Do we get a VAT refund?

Tourists may request a refund within one year from the date of export validating their tax-free transactions. 6. The maximum amount of VAT refund that can be claimed in cash is AED 35,000. There is no limit on the VAT refund that can be claimed using a credit/debit card.

Who is exempt from paying VAT?

Products that shouldn't be taxed are considered to be exempt from VAT. Businesses, charities, and other types of organisations can also be considered to be exempt from VAT. A business is VAT-exempt if they only sell VAT-exempt products, or if they're not involved with taxable 'business activities'.

Why am I charged VAT?

VAT is charged on things like: goods and services (a service is anything other than supplying goods) hiring or loaning goods to someone. selling business assets.

Is VAT basically a sales tax?

A VAT is like a sales tax in that ultimately only the end consumer is taxed. It differs from the sales tax in that, with the latter, the tax is collected and remitted to the government only once, at the point of purchase by the end consumer.

How do you calculate VAT on sales?

VAT Calculation Formula

  1. The basic formula for calculating VAT is:
  2. VAT = Net Price x (VAT Rate / 100)
  3. The net price is the original cost of the goods or services before VAT is added. ...
  4. So for example, if you have a net price of €100 and a VAT rate of 23%, the VAT would be:
  5. VAT = €100 x (23 / 100) = €23.