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VAT Rates by Country: A Quick Reference Guide

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İf you invoice clients across borders, one thing becomes clear fast: VAT isn't one number. Every country sets its own standard rate, and many run separate reduced rates for specific goods and services on top of that. Here's a quick reference to keep you oriented — and a reminder to always confirm the current rate before you invoice.

Important: VAT rates change year to year — sometimes mid-year. The figures below are accurate as of August 2026, but always verify against your client's country's official tax authority before finalizing an invoice.

EU Standard VAT Rates: Highest to Lowest

Across the 27 EU member states, standard VAT rates currently range from 17% to 27%, with an EU-wide average sitting around 21.9%. EU rules require every member state's standard rate to be at least 15%.

  • Highest: Hungary — 27%
  • Also high (25%–25.5%): Finland, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden
  • EU average: approximately 21.9%
  • Also low (18%–19%): Malta, Cyprus, Germany
  • Lowest: Luxembourg — 17%

Major Non-EU Rates to Know

  • United Kingdom: 20% standard rate
  • Switzerland: 8.1% — notably below the EU's own 15% minimum, since Switzerland isn't an EU member

Globally, VAT and GST systems run in roughly 175 countries, with standard rates spanning a wide range depending on the region — always check the specific country rather than assuming a "typical" global rate.

Once you know the rate, skip the manual math entirely.

CALCULATE VAT →

Why Reduced Rates Exist

Most countries with a standard rate also apply one or more reduced rates — typically for essentials like food, books, medicine, and public transport. In the EU, reduced rates can't legally drop below 5%, though a small number of countries retain legacy "super-reduced" rates below that for very narrow categories, such as certain medications.

What Rate Applies When You Invoice Across Borders?

This is where it gets genuinely complex, and where a quick reference stops being enough on its own:

  • For B2B services within the EU, the "reverse charge" mechanism often shifts VAT reporting to the client, not you
  • For B2C sales, the rate of the customer's country often applies once you cross a sales threshold there
  • Digital goods and services frequently follow different rules than physical products

If you invoice internationally on a regular basis, this is exactly the kind of detail worth confirming with an accountant familiar with cross-border VAT — the cost of getting it wrong outweighs the cost of asking.

Bookmark, don't memorize: Rates shift most often at the start of a new tax year, but mid-year changes happen too. Treat any VAT rate list — including this one — as a starting point, and confirm before invoicing anything significant.

Not sure if VAT applies to your business at all yet? Start with our guide on who needs to charge VAT.

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