What products do not charge VAT?

Asked by: Prof. Jerrell Morissette  |  Last update: June 8, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (12 votes)

Products and services that generally do not charge Value Added Tax (VAT) are either "zero-rated" or "exempt," including essential items like basic food, children’s clothing, books, prescription medicines, and water. Other non-VAT items include public transport, charity goods, financial services, education, and healthcare.

What products are exempt from VAT?

Examples of VAT exempt goods and services

  • Insurance, finance and credit services.
  • Some education and training services.
  • Some charitable fundraising events.
  • Subscriptions to membership organisations.
  • Selling, leasing and letting of commercial property.

What products do not include VAT?

Frequently asked questions

  • 19 basic food items, like milk and brown bread.
  • Petrol and diesel.
  • Paraffin.
  • Certain government grants.
  • Sale of a going concern (property or business that is still trading)
  • Export of goods.
  • International transport of goods and passengers.
  • Certain services supplied to non-residents.

What are common VAT-exempt items?

Common Types of VAT Exempted Supplies

  • Education services like schools and private tutoring.
  • Medical and healthcare treatments.
  • Non-profit sports and cultural programs.
  • Charity-run fundraising events.
  • Banking, insurance, and other financial services.

What is not covered by VAT?

Exempt goods and services

There are some goods and services on which VAT is not charged, including: insurance, finance and credit. education and training. fundraising events by charities.

VAT FOR BUSINESS EXPLAINED!

37 related questions found

What are five goods on which no VAT is charged?

1. The current VAT (Value-Added Tax) rate in South Africa is 15% . 2. Five goods on which no VAT is charged (zero-rated or exempt) include: Brown bread Maize meal Dried beans Rice Fresh fruit and vegetables .

What transactions are not subject to VAT?

Agricultural products, tuition fees, lending operations, real estate, books, transportation and other necessities are typically VAT-exempt transactions.

What expenses are no VAT?

Costs that are exempt for VAT don't have VAT on them. Examples include: all services provided by a post office, such as postage and stamps. insurance and other financial services.

What are non-VAT items?

Some examples of VAT-exempt sectors include:

  • Basic and Essential Goods: Sale or importation of agricultural and marine food products in their original state (e.g., fresh fish, vegetables).
  • Educational Services: Services rendered by accredited private educational institutions and government educational institutions.

Does VAT apply to all products?

Value-added Taxes (VAT) / Goods and Services Tax (GST)

The Value Added Tax (VAT) or Goods and Services Tax (GST) are broadly based consumption tax assessed on the value added to goods and services. It applies to all goods and services that are bought and sold for use or consumption in foreign tax jurisdiction.

Do you pay VAT on everything?

Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax that businesses charge on most of the goods and services they sell. In the UK, the standard rate of VAT is 20%, with a reduced rate of 5% for some items (such as children's car seats) and 0% for many essentials (like most food and drink).

Does brown bread have VAT?

Typical zero-rated items include: Basic foodstuffs (e.g., brown bread, milk powder, samp, pilchards)

What is an example of a VAT exempt item?

Common examples of VAT-exempt items or services include: Education: Educational services, such as those provided by schools, universities, and vocational training centers, are often VAT-exempt. Healthcare: Medical services, hospital care, and the supply of certain medical products may also be exempt from VAT.

How to avoid VAT tax?

Shipping your purchases home directly from the retailer is another way to avoid paying VAT, but the added cost may outweigh any savings. You can try to get your VAT refund through the mail but the process takes much longer and can be unreliable. Most people submit their requests at the airport on their way home.

What happens if you don't charge VAT?

If you do, you will incur a penalty charge from HMRC. By the same token, if you are registered and you do not charge VAT when it applies, you will also incur a penalty. When you issue invoices, it does not matter if your customer is not VAT registered. You must still collect the VAT and pay it to HMRC.

What products do you not pay VAT on?

When not to charge VAT

  • financial services, investments and insurance.
  • garages, parking spaces and houseboat moorings.
  • property, land and buildings.
  • education and training (excluding private schools)
  • healthcare and medical treatment.
  • funeral plans, burial or cremation services.
  • charity events.
  • antiques.

What is VAT not charged on?

Goods and services exempted from VAT are: Non-fee related financial services. Educational services provided by an approved educational institution. Residential rental accommodation, and.

What items are 100% deductible?

You might be surprised to learn that simple business expenses like your cellphone bill or your new computer can be deducted from your taxable income. In fact, there are some fully-deductible expenses such as advertising and marketing costs, employee education and training, and certain legal fees.

What items are considered tax-free?

Some items are exempt from sales and use tax, including:

  • Sales of certain food products for human consumption.
  • Sales to the U.S. Government.
  • Sales of prescription medicine and certain medical devices.
  • Sales of items paid for with EBT cards.

Is VAT charged on all transactions?

The consumer only pays Sales Tax when buying the final product, whereas businesses collect VAT at every stage of production – meaning all purchasers pay VAT.

What expenses can you not claim VAT on?

You cannot reclaim VAT for:

  • anything that's only for personal use.
  • goods and services your business uses to make VAT -exempt supplies.
  • the cost of entertaining or providing hospitality to people you do business with (for example theatre or sports tickets)
  • goods sold to you under one of the VAT second-hand margin schemes.

Does everything have VAT tax?

Certain goods and services must be exempt from VAT (for example, postal services, medical care, lending, insurance, betting), and certain other items are exempt from VAT by default, but states may opt to charge VAT on them (such as land and certain financial services).