Selling goods outside of the UK

Goods sent to an EU country to a VAT registered customer

• This type of sale is known as a dispatch
• Zero rates VAT
• State on the invoice the customer’s VAT number
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6 and 8
• Include in an EC Sales List

Goods sent to an EU country to a non-VAT registered customer:

• Treat as UK sale with VAT as normal
• Do not include in an EC Sales List

Goods sent to a country outside of the EU (all types of the customer)

• This type of sale is known as an export
• Zero rates VAT
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6

Buying goods from a business outside of the UK

Goods received from an EU country (non-UK):
• This type of purchase is known as an acquisition or arrival
• Provide your supplier with your VAT number
• Your supplier should not charge their country’s VAT.
• Your supplier will record this sale on their EC sales list including your VAT number
• VAT return: include VAT in box 2 and 4
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6, 7 and 9

Goods received from outside EU

• This type of sale is known as an import
• There will be no VAT on the purchase invoice
• UK VAT will be charged at the point of importation
• VAT return: include the VAT paid amount in box 4 if appropriate
• VAT return: include the net value in box 7

Selling services outside of the UK

Services in EU (non-UK)

• State on invoice “Reverse charge VAT applies to this transaction”
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6 (not box 8)
• May need to consider registering for VAT in the country which is the place of supply
• If the customer is VAT registered they have to account for reverse charge VAT in their country
• If the customer is VAT registered include sale on an EC Sales List.
Services outside EU:
• Outside the scope of UK VAT.
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6

Buying services from a business outside of the UK

Services in EU (non-UK):

• Provide your supplier with your VAT number
• Your supplier should not charge their country’s VAT.
• Your supplier will report the transaction on an EC Sales List including your VAT number
• You must account for reverse charge VAT in the UK
• VAT return: include VAT in box 1 and 4
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6 and 7

Services outside the EU

• There will be no VAT on the sales invoice
• You must account for reverse charge VAT in the UK
• VAT return: include VAT in box 1 and 4
• VAT return: include the net value in box 6 and 7