How to get started with VAT Services on Amazon

What is VAT Services on Amazon?

VAT Services on Amazon is a VAT compliance solution that allows you to manage your European VAT registration and filing obligations via a third-party tax service provider in up to seven countries (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic). It enables you to spend more time expanding your business across Europe by handling VAT compliance more easily and time efficiently.

When you join VAT Services on Amazon, you will be charged a one-time registration fee for every country you sign up or add for VAT registration. Once you start filing, you will be charged a monthly fee for VAT services on Amazon - as low as €33.30/month (one country, without fiscal representation).

Start simplifying compliance here:

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VAT registration and filing - supported countries

VAT registration and filing services are offered for the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic. From this list, select the countries that fit your business needs. VAT registration or filings in the country where your company is established is not supported.

I already have VAT obligations in some countries, while for other countries I still need to register for VAT purposes. Can I use VAT Services on Amazon?

Yes, you can transfer to VAT Services on Amazon for on-going VAT filings, and request VAT registration in countries where you do not have a VAT registration yet.

What is included ?

For more information, see All about filing VAT with VAT Services on Amazon.

1. VAT Registration
2. VAT Filings
3. Fiscal Representation
4. Free EORI in UK and / or EU
5. Real time updates via Seller Central
6. Sworn Translation
7. Automated Reporting- Intrastat, EC Sales List, any locally required reporting

What are the fees for VAT Services on Amazon?

When you join VAT Services on Amazon, you will be charged a one-time registration fee for every country you sign up or add for VAT registration. Once you start filing VAT returns, you will be charged monthly for filing services in the countries you subscribed in, for as low as €33.30/month (one country, without tax representation). Details of fees can be found here.

I show as "Eligible" for VAT Services on Amazon in the "Manage your Services" menu of my Seller Central account. What does this mean?

You are eligible to join VAT Services on Amazon. In order to start using the service, navigate to the Manage your VAT (located in Seller Central under Reports) and click Start now. Until you complete this process, you are not considered as enrolled with VAT services on Amazon.

Who is eligible to join VAT Services on Amazon?

All Amazon sellers registered to sell in a European marketplace are eligible to sign up for VAT Services on Amazon without any restrictions.

Sign up here

How to sign up for VAT Services on Amazon?

To sign up for one or more countries to receive VAT Services on Amazon, navigate to the Manage your VAT section (located in Seller Central under Reports) and select the countries of your choice. You will be requested to confirm your company information (company name and type plus your country of establishment). Once done, click Agree and Continue to get enrolled to VAT Services on Amazon in the selected countries. Respective registration (one-time) and monthly filing fees will be charged to your seller account.

Sign up here

Which tax service providers support VAT Services on Amazon?

Tax service providers we partner with are Avalara, TB Accountants, and Taxually, Avask, Deloitte and J&P Accountants.

What are the steps required to complete VAT registration?

1. Set up your VAT Services on Amazon profile.

   Review your account information (business type, business name, and country of establishment) to ensure it is accurate as it will be used in your VAT registration process. Note that this information needs to match the information stated on your business documents that you will provide later in this process. In case any information stated on this page does not match the information stated on your documents, you need to update it.

   For your reference, find below Seller Central entity types and how they match with Company / Sole trader. In case these entity types are not available in your country of establishment, you can select the closest to your type.

   Entity type	Company/Sole trader
   State-owned business	Company
   Publicly-listed business	Company
   Privately-owned business	Company
   Charity	Company
   Sole proprietor	Sole Trader
   I am an individual	Sole Trader
   Craftsman and artisans	Sole Trader
   Natural person company	Sole Trader

   On this page, you can also add all your already existing VAT numbers and select countries for which you would like to be subscribed.

   If your place of establishment is in the EU, you will go through the five online steps stated below. Otherwise, you will be contacted by a tax service provider and complete similar steps directly with them.

2. Provide your business information.

   Open the online form and complete your basic business information. The answers provided in the form will be used by the tax service provider to prepare the necessary application forms on your behalf, for all the countries you selected, allowing you to save time and effort. All questions are mandatory unless marked as 'optional'.

   While providing your business information, if you have not filled in a mandatory field or provided data that does not match the documents that you uploaded, the status of your Business information will turn to In error. Follow the instructions below to troubleshoot this error:
   

   1. Go to Reports and Manage your VAT.
   2. Click Continue near Business information on the Manage your VAT page.
   3. The online form has several sections. You will be directed to the section where you have the first error. Click Review to see all errors in the online form.
   4. On the Review page, you will see all the errors that should be fixed in order to validate the form and allow you to click Submit form.
   5. Check the error description on the Review page to get specific instructions on what needs to be fixed. If the solution is not clear, navigate to the relevant section within the online form and click on the question mark near the field with an error – you will see tips on how this field should be filled in.

3. Collect documents.

   Follow the instructions on the screen to collect the documents that local tax authorities require in support of your VAT registration applications. The required documents differ significantly per country. However, the list that is presented to you in the instructions is tailored to your requirements and contains guidance and samples. You are not asked to collect documents that are not required.

   We only support the following languages: French, Italian, Spanish, English, and German. If your documents are in a different language, you need to provide an English translation; otherwise, the tax service provider will be unable to verify your documents.

4. Upload form and documents for verification.

   Scan each document you have collected (only one document per type) and upload the scans to Seller Central. The tax service provider will then verify that:
   

   1. All necessary documents are present.
   2. All provided documents are sufficiently completed.
   3. The information in the documents matches the information provided by you in the online form.

      This will help you to complete your VAT registration(s) quickly by delivering correct and accurate information to the tax authorities. The results of the checks (verified or error) will be displayed in the product.

5. Print and sign forms.

   Once the form and documents have been verified, you will be able to download a set of pre-filled forms and power of attorney documents for you to check, print, and sign.

6. Post forms to the tax service provider (if applicable)

   Follow the instructions on the screen to post the signed forms and supporting documents to their address. This is necessary since tax authorities require hard copies of documents. From here, your documents undergo a final verification process by the tax service provider and will be forwarded to the tax authorities for processing.

What do I need to do in Seller Central?

1. Complete the online form.
2. Collect documents.
3. Upload documents for verification.
4. Obtain pre-filled forms.

What happens off Seller Central?

1. Verification of documents.
2. Signature of forms.
3. Posting completed documents and forms to the tax service provider.
4. Processing of your documents by the tax authorities.

Why do I need to fill in a form?

In order to proceed with your VAT registration, the local tax authorities require some basic information about your business. The tax service provider will mainly use the answers provided in the form to pre-fill the necessary application forms on your behalf, for all the countries you selected, allowing you to save time and effort.

Why do I need to provide documents?

To avoid attempts at fraud and keep accurate records, the local tax authorities require that VAT registration applications be accompanied by a number of supporting documents.

Required documents can include (but might not be limited to):

1. Certificates confirming your business activities
2. Local VAT registration certificates
3. Official letters from your bank
4. Proof of identity of the legal representative

You will only be asked to collect documents that are required for your VAT registration.

Why do I need to provide multiple copies of documents?

Each VAT registration application is processed by the country-specific tax authorities. For this reason, depending on your selection of countries in which you want to enjoy the VAT services, you might be asked to provide up to six official copies of any given document (one for each tax authority).

What is an Official copy? Can I submit a photocopy instead?

An “Official copy” is a copy of a document issued by a tax authority or relevant government body. Unless otherwise stated, photocopies, web-downloads, and screens printed from web browsers will not be accepted by the tax authorities in place of “Official copies”.

Why am I being asked to notarize and apostille some documents?

To ensure that certain types of documents are official and valid, some tax authorities will only accept notarized official copies.

What is a notary?

A notary is a public officer authorized to perform certain legal formalities, including certifying documents for use in other jurisdictions.

Some documents are difficult to obtain, can I register for VAT without them?

No. All documents requested by VAT Services on Amazon are mandatory, and without them it will not be possible to proceed with your VAT registration requests.

What are the timelines to complete VAT registration?

Timelines for VAT registration can vary greatly, depending on the jurisdiction(s) in which you are registering for VAT. Once you have filled in the form and have successfully gathered all the required documents:

• The tax service provider will take no more than five working days to submit your applications to the tax authorities
• If you are a seller from the EU region, the tax authorities will process most VAT applications within:
  • 2 to 5 weeks in the United Kingdom
  • 6 to 13 weeks in Germany
  • 8 to 9 weeks in France
  • 4 to 5 weeks in Italy
  • 8 to 9 weeks in Spain
  • 3 to 4 weeks in Poland
  • 1 to 2 weeks in Czech Republic
• If you are a seller from outside of the EU region, the tax authorities will process most VAT applications within:
  • 6 to 10 weeks in the United Kingdom
  • 12 to 14 weeks in Germany
  • 12 to 14 weeks in France
  • 1 to 2 weeks in Italy
  • 8 to 12 weeks in Spain
  • 8 to 10 weeks in Poland
  • 2 to 7 weeks in Czech Republic

The process could take longer if the tax authorities:

• have additional questions on your application
• require additional documentation
• are dealing with a large volume of requests

I already have a VAT number. What is the process to start filing via VAT Services on Amazon?

1. Enroll for the VAT calculation service.

   The first step you will need to complete is to Enroll for VAT Calculation Service. Once active, the VAT Calculation Service will calculate VAT and issue an invoice on your behalf on relevant transactions. For more information, see EU VAT Calculation Services methodology

2. Set up your VAT Services on Amazon profile.

   Review your account information (business type, business name and country of establishment) to ensure it is accurate as it will be used in your VAT registration process. This information needs to match the information stated on your business documents that you will provide later in this process. In case any information stated on this page does not match the one stated on your documents, you need to update it.

   For your reference, please find below Seller Central entity types and how they match with Company/Sole trader. In case these entity types are not available in your country of establishment, you can select the closest to your type.

   Entity type	Company/Sole trader
   State-owned business	Company
   Publicly-listed business	Company
   Privately-owned business	Company
   Charity	Company
   Sole proprietor	Sole trader
   I am an individual	Sole trader
   Craftsman and artisans	Sole trader
   Natural person company	Sole trader

   On this page, you can also add all your already existing VAT numbers and select countries for which you would like to be subscribed.

   In case your place of establishment is in the EU, you will go through the 4 online steps stated below. Otherwise, you will be contacted by a tax service provider and you will complete similar steps directly with them.

3. Complete the online form.

   Open the online form and complete your basic business information. The tax service provider and VAT Services on Amazon will use the answers you provide in the form to get to know your business better and to set your account up correctly.

   You can tailor the form to your specific needs by providing information on your country of establishment, the type of your business and the countries in which you wish to file for VAT with VAT Services on Amazon.

4. Collect documents.

   To issue accurate and correct VAT filings, you will be asked to send the tax service provider a number of documents, including:

   • VAT registration certificates.
   • Past VAT, Intrastat, and ESL returns.
   • Any outstanding correspondence with the tax authorities.

   All documents mentioned in the product are mandatory unless otherwise stated.

   We only support the following languages: French, Italian, Spanish, English, and German. If your documents are in a different language, you need to provide an English translation; otherwise, the tax service provider will be unable to verify your documents.

5. Sign and post Powers of Attorney.

   Once the form and documents have been verified, you will be able to download a set of power of attorney documents for you to check, print, sign and return by post to the address shown in the product.

6. Provide additional information on your products.

   As a final step before generating your VAT filings, you will be asked to provide additional information on your products using our product tax file. For more information, see Product tax file.

I already have a VAT number, why do I need to provide documents?

The tax service provider needs the requested documents to prepare accurate and correct VAT filings. Requested documents include:

1. VAT registration certificates
2. Past VAT, Intrastat, and ESL returns

All documents mentioned in the product are mandatory unless otherwise stated.

What happens if I already have a VAT number in some countries and I also need new VAT registrations in other countries?

VAT Services on Amazon will display:

1. A single questionnaire for you to complete
2. A list of documents required for VAT filings
3. A list of documents required for VAT registrations

We suggest that you complete steps 1 and 2 as soon as possible so that you are ready quickly to start filing for VAT with VAT Services on Amazon.

I am experiencing technical difficulties

Contact Selling Partner Support

I have not signed up for VAT Services on Amazon and I have a question

Review the information present both on this page and other help pages.

If you still have questions, contact Selling Partner Support.