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Everything you need to figure out
German VAT.

Free tools that give you a quick answer. Guides written for sellers from your country. Honest comparisons of every German VAT provider. And deep reading when you need it. Start with the tool that fits your question, or jump straight to the lane you need.

Already have a German tax letter to deal with? Get urgent help with a Finanzamt letter →

14 toolsFree, no signup
11 countriesSeller-specific guides
LicensedGerman tax advisor
Registered with the Steuerberaterkammer Rheinland-Pfalz
A product of FRADECO GmbH, licensed German tax advisory, serving international sellers since 2021
Filing German VAT for sellers on Amazon FBA Shopify eBay Otto Kaufland Etsy
Free PDF · Every country
The exact documents you need, by country
A per-country checklist of what the Finanzamt needs to register you for German VAT. Printable, free.
Get the checklist →
Tools

Get a straight answer in under two minutes.

Free, interactive tools. Drop in a number or answer a few questions and get a result on screen. No email gate, no signup.

Start here
All tools
Live VIES check

EU VAT ID validator

Verify any EU VAT number against the official VIES database in seconds. Returns the registered company name and address.

Validate a VAT ID →
Bulk VIES check

Bulk EU VAT validator

Validate a whole list of EU VAT numbers at once against VIES. Valid or invalid plus company name per row, with CSV export.

Validate a list →
3 questions → verdict

Do I need EU OSS?

Whether you need Union OSS for cross-border B2C sales, if Germany is your filing country, and what it costs. Union OSS, not iOSS.

Check OSS →
Pan-EU / CEE / EFN

Amazon FBA: which VAT registrations?

Pick your fulfilment program for the exact EU countries you need to register in, and where OSS covers you instead. 2026 rules.

Check my FBA →
Importer check

Do you need an EORI?

Whether you need an EU EORI number of your own, who declares for you, and where OSS applies instead. Most sellers do not need one.

Check EORI →
Pick country → docs

Registration document checklist

The exact documents the Finanzamt needs by country: company document, apostille, translation, and your assigned tax office.

Get your checklist →
§ 14 UStG

Invoice requirements + clauses

The 10 mandatory invoice items and the exact reverse-charge clauses in German and English, ready to copy.

Check your invoices →
Live calculator

German VAT calculator

Estimate your monthly net VAT due from your real sales channels: Amazon DE, Shopify, marketplace fees, and import VAT.

Run the calculator →
Letter lane

Finanzamt deadline calculator

Enter your letter date and get the exact working-days countdown for your reply or appeal window.

Count my days →
Letter lane

VAT penalty calculator

Estimate the late-filing penalty (Verspätungszuschlag), late-payment surcharge (Säumniszuschlag), and interest on a late or estimated German VAT assessment.

Estimate the penalty →
Got a letter from the Finanzamt?

A German tax letter has a deadline. Don't let it run out.

Forward us the letter and we tell you what it means, what is due, and what to do next. A licensed German tax advisor reads it, in plain English. Letter handling from €200 net.

Get urgent help
Common questions

Questions, answered.

Six of the most common questions before signing up: German address, Finanzamt letters, registration timing, pricing, cancellation, and how this differs from online VAT platforms.

Visit our FAQ center →

Compare providers

Honest, side-by-side comparisons.

We tell you where Vaytax wins, where the competition wins, and which type of seller each option fits best.

Learn

Deeper reading.

Topic pillars and recent blog posts. Written by a licensed German tax advisor, not a content farm.

Fiscal representation in Germany

When non-EU sellers actually need a fiscal rep, and the common myth that wastes thousands.

Read pillar →

Authorized recipient (Empfangsbevollmächtigter)

Only companies seated outside the EU and EEA can be asked to name one, and only when the Finanzamt asks.

Read pillar →

Consignment stock (Konsignationslager)

Call-off stock under § 6b UStG runs EU to EU only, so a UK company cannot use it after Brexit.

Read pillar →

Permanent establishment (Betriebsstätte)

Storing stock in a German FBA or 3PL warehouse normally does not create one, so German corporate tax normally does not follow.

Read pillar →

German import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer)

Recoverable once you are registered, and not recoverable at all on imports made before that. Why the order matters.

Read pillar →

Reactivating a deregistered VAT number

The Finanzamt switched your German VAT number off. What it takes to bring it back, and what that costs.

Get a quote →

Filing German VAT returns late

Years or periods that were never filed. What it costs to bring them up to date, and what we need from you to quote it.

Get a quote →

Late-filing surcharge (Verspätungszuschlag)

The 0.25 percent formula everyone quotes does not apply to a late monthly VAT return. What decides the amount instead.

Read pillar →

Liability notice (Haftungsbescheid)

When a company's unpaid tax is addressed to its managing director personally, and the fault standard that has to be met.

Read pillar →

OSS registration through Germany

It starts on the first day of the quarter after you apply, filed in the BZStOnline-Portal (BOP).

Read pillar →

VAT registration in Germany

The full timeline, documents, and what to expect from the German tax office.

Read pillar →

German VAT glossary

Plain-English definitions for every German tax term you'll encounter.

Read pillar →

2026 deadlines explained

How monthly, quarterly, and annual cadence works, and when each kicks in.

Read pillar →

The annual VAT return

What the Umsatzsteuererklärung is, who must file it, how it differs from monthly, and the deadlines.

Read pillar →

Monthly, quarterly or annual?

The €2,000 and €9,000 thresholds that decide your filing rhythm, and what annual-only status means.

Read pillar →

Recent from the blog

All posts →

Not sure where to start?

Find the lane that fits your situation.

Two minutes tells you whether you need to register in Germany, can use Union OSS, or don't need anything yet. From there, registration is €1,499/year all-in, or €99/month if you already hold a German tax number.

Take the 60-second check → Start registration

No email gate on the check. Cancel registration anytime.