Amazon VAT Germany: What Every FBA Seller Must Know in 2026

Reviewed by a licensed German tax advisor

Files your German VAT returns with the Finanzamt

Vaytax is operated by FRADECO GmbH tax advisory firm, a Franco-German tax advisory firm specialising in cross-border German VAT compliance for international businesses. The firm holds both German tax advisor and French Expert-Comptable qualifications and files via the Finanzamt.

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In October 2024, Amazon shut down its free "VAT Services on Amazon" programme. Over 200,000 third-party sellers who relied on this service now need to find, and pay for, an alternative provider. If you sell on Amazon.de, here's everything you need to know.

What Changed in October 2024?

Amazon's VAT Services programme handled VAT registration and monthly filing for sellers in up to 7 EU countries, for free. It was offered through third-party tax service providers embedded in Seller Central.

As of October 31, 2024, this programme no longer exists. Every seller who was enrolled now needs to:

• Find their own VAT compliance provider
• Transfer their existing VAT registrations
• Ensure uninterrupted monthly filings

Do You Need German VAT Registration?

If you answer "yes" to any of these, you need a German VAT number:

• You use Amazon FBA in Germany, If Amazon stores your products in German warehouses (which is the default for Pan-EU), you must be VAT-registered
• You sell to German customers from another EU country and exceed the €10,000 combined EU distance selling threshold
• You're enrolled in Pan-EU or CEE programmes, Amazon distributes your inventory across multiple countries, each requiring registration

What Amazon Requires From You

Amazon's compliance team will ask you for:

1. VAT registration certificate, The official Bescheinigung from the Finanzamt, uploaded to Seller Central
2. Valid VAT number, Your DE-prefixed USt-IdNr.
3. Ongoing compliance, Amazon may periodically verify that your VAT filings are current

Failure to provide valid VAT documentation can result in listing suppression or account suspension.

Your Options: Choosing a VAT Provider

Providers fall into three broad categories, and the difference that matters most is who actually signs and files your return. In Germany only a licensed Steuerberater may file VAT returns on your behalf, so the question for any provider is whether that person is in-house or subcontracted.

• Pan-EU software platforms, strong multi-country coverage and English interfaces, with the German filing typically carried out by a local partner firm you do not choose or meet.
• Self-serve compliance services, lower headline pricing, more of the data preparation left with you, and registration usually billed separately per country.
• Local German tax advisors, in-house filing and direct Finanzamt contact, but often no English-language product and pricing quoted per hour rather than per filing.

Vaytax is the third category with the first category's interface: a licensed German Steuerberater files in-house, and you get an English product to submit your figures through. €89/month if you already hold a German VAT number, or €1,199/year all-in with the German VAT registration included.

For side-by-side comparisons against specific named providers, see our comparison guides: hellotax alternatives and Taxdoo alternatives.

What to Look for in a Provider

• Licensed tax advisor involvement, In Germany, only licensed tax advisors can file VAT returns on your behalf. Make sure your provider actually has one.
• Finanzamt filing by a licensed Steuerberater, the regulated professional channel German tax authorities expect. Filings on this path are less likely to trigger inquiries.
• Transparent pricing, Beware hidden per-transaction fees, mandatory annual contracts, or surprise renewal charges.
• Language support, Can you actually communicate with your provider in your language?
• Speed, How quickly can they submit your registration and start filing?

Monthly Filing: What's Involved?

Each month, you need to:

1. Report your German sales (net amounts at 19% or 7% VAT)
2. Report any intra-community deliveries (0% VAT to other EU businesses)
3. Report any input VAT (Vorsteuer) from German purchase invoices
4. File the return by the 10th of the following month

With our service, you fill out a simple multilingual form with your data. We handle the rest.

Amazon Transaction Reports

Amazon provides several reports that help with VAT compliance:

• VAT Transactions Report, Download from Seller Central > Reports > Fulfilment by Amazon, Tax section (how-to guide)
• Date Range Report, More detailed, available under Reports > Payments
• Amazon VAT Calculation Service (VCS), Generates VAT invoices automatically for your orders

Your VAT provider should be able to work with these reports to prepare your filings.

Vaytax works from this report directly: upload the VAT Transactions Report in the dashboard and it is read line by line, with every euro classified as German 19% or 7% sales, intra-EU B2B, exports, or §25e marketplace sales that are set aside. The total is reconciled against the file's own total, unreadable files are rejected with exact guidance, and a licensed German tax advisor files the return.

Paying, signing up, and Amazon VAT invoices

How do you pay Amazon VAT in Germany?

You pay German VAT directly to your German Finanzamt, not to Amazon. After your monthly VAT return (UStVA) is filed, the net amount due, which is the VAT you charged on your German sales minus the deductible input VAT (Vorsteuer) on your German purchases, is transferred by SEPA bank transfer to your Finanzamt's account by the 10th of the following month, quoting your Steuernummer as the payment reference. There is one exception to the "you charge and remit it yourself" rule: under the marketplace deemed-supplier rule (§3 Abs. 3a UStG), Amazon itself collects and remits the VAT on certain B2C sales by sellers established outside the EU, so those amounts do not pass through your own return. For ordinary FBA sales from German stock by an EU or UK seller, you remit the VAT yourself after each monthly filing. Paying from a foreign bank account works by SEPA transfer or direct debit; the exact steps are in how to pay German VAT from abroad. With Vaytax, a licensed tax advisor files the return and tells you the exact amount and reference to pay.

How do you sign up for Amazon VAT in Germany?

Signing up for "Amazon VAT" in Germany means registering with the German Finanzamt for a Steuernummer and a USt-IdNr., then adding both to Seller Central. You do not sign up for VAT inside Amazon itself; Amazon only stores the number once the Finanzamt has issued it. The steps are: (1) gather your incorporation documents (these vary by country, for example a UK Certificate of Incorporation plus Articles, or a US LLC certificate plus EIN); (2) submit the German tax registration questionnaire to the responsible Finanzamt; (3) receive your Steuernummer, usually in 4 to 8 weeks, and apply for the USt-IdNr.; (4) upload the VAT certificate and number to Seller Central; (5) begin filing monthly. The timeline is driven by Finanzamt processing, not by Amazon. With Vaytax it is €1,199/year all-in, covering the registration plus the monthly UStVA and annual return, handled by a licensed tax advisor.

How does Amazon issue a VAT receipt or invoice?

Amazon issues VAT invoices automatically through its VAT Calculation Service (VCS) once you enable it in Seller Central. Each invoice shows your business details, your German USt-IdNr., the VAT rate applied (19% standard or 7% reduced), and the VAT amount per order. Buyers download their invoice from the order page, and you download copies from the VAT Calculation Report in the Tax Document Library. If VCS is not enabled, you or your tax advisor must issue compliant invoices yourself: a valid German VAT invoice must contain the elements required under §14 UStG (supplier and customer details, invoice number and date, VAT rate and amount, and the net and gross totals). One scope point: VCS only generates the invoices. It does not file your VAT return, so you still report the monthly totals to the Finanzamt yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Do Amazon FBA sellers need a German VAT number?

Yes, if your inventory is stored in a German Amazon fulfilment centre. The moment your stock arrives at DE1 (Werne), DE2 (Rheinberg), DE3 (Graben), DE4 (Bad Hersfeld) or any other German warehouse, you have a taxable presence in Germany. Pan-EU FBA and the EFN trigger the same obligation when inventory lands in Germany. Amazon will request your German USt-IdNr. and can suspend listings without it. Country-specific guidance: UK sellers, China sellers, Poland, Italy, France, Netherlands, Switzerland.

Can Amazon still file my German VAT return for me?

No. Amazon ended its free VAT Services on 31 October 2024. Sellers are now responsible for finding their own tax advisor or VAT compliance service. Amazon still provides transaction reports, but no longer prepares or files your UStVA.

What happens if I sell on Amazon.de without a German VAT number?

Three compounding risks: Amazon can suspend your listings under marketplace compliance; the Finanzamt can impose back-taxes, interest, and penalties retroactively; and under §25e UStG, marketplaces can be held jointly liable for unpaid VAT, which is why Amazon polices this aggressively. The cheapest path is to register before you start selling.

Do I need a Steuernummer or a USt-IdNr. for Amazon FBA?

Both, and they are different numbers. The Steuernummer is your domestic German tax number (Finanzamt-issued, used for filing your UStVA). The USt-IdNr. (DE + 9 digits) is the EU VAT identification number from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern, used for cross-border EU transactions and shown to Amazon. See our Steuernummer vs USt-IdNr. guide.

How much does German VAT compliance cost for Amazon sellers?

With Vaytax: €1,199/year all-in for German VAT registration plus monthly UStVA and the annual return, handled by a licensed tax advisor. Competitors often bundle per-transaction fees or “fiscal representation” surcharges that push real costs to €2,400–€5,000+, even though most foreign sellers don’t actually need fiscal representation in Germany. See our hellotax alternatives breakdown.

What Amazon reports do I need for German VAT filing?

Three main reports: VAT Transactions Report (Seller Central → Reports → Fulfilment by Amazon, Tax section), Date Range Report (Reports → Payments), and VAT Calculation Service invoices if enrolled. A licensed Steuerberater can process these directly. With Vaytax, you enter monthly totals into the dashboard and we handle the filing with the Finanzamt.