No. 22 of 23

VAT calculator: add or remove tax

Got a price before tax and need the total? Or a receipt total and want to know how much of it is VAT? Pick a direction, tap a country rate or type your own, and the net amount, the tax and the total show up side by side.

Net, before VAT–
VAT–
Total, VAT included–

Key: / jumps to the first field

Results are for information only.

How to use it

  1. Choose whether your amount is before VAT (add the tax) or already includes it (take the tax out).
  2. Tap a country preset or type any rate in the rate box.
  3. Read the net amount, the VAT and the total. Pick 3 decimals for currencies like the Tunisian dinar.

How it works

VAT is a percentage of the net price, the price before tax. Adding it is a single multiplication. Taking it out is where people slip: the tax was worked out on the smaller, net number, so you can't simply subtract the rate from the total. Divide by (1 + rate) instead.

gross = net × (1 + r ÷ 100) · net = gross ÷ (1 + r ÷ 100) · VAT = gross − net

Worked example

A laptop costs 3,450 riyals including Saudi VAT at 15%. Net: 3,450 ÷ 1.15 = 3,000. VAT: 3,450 − 3,000 = 450. Subtracting 15% of 3,450 would give 2,932.50 and understate the net price by 67.50. Going the other way, a French invoice of 840 € before tax at 20% carries 840 × 0.20 = 168 € of VAT, for a total of 1,008 €.

Assumptions and limits

  • One rate per calculation. A receipt that mixes rates, say food at a reduced rate and everything else at the standard rate, needs one calculation per rate.
  • Sellers round VAT per line or on the total depending on their system, so your result can differ from a receipt by a cent or so.
  • Exempt and zero-rated items, reverse charge between businesses, excise and stamp duties aren't modeled. Tunisian invoices, for example, also carry a fixed stamp duty that isn't a percentage.
  • Rates change. The presets were checked in October 2026; confirm with the tax authority before you file anything. This is a calculator, not tax advice.

Sources

Standard rates: UAE Federal Tax Authority (5%). Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (15% since July 1, 2020). French Code général des impôts, article 278 (20%). Tunisian VAT Code as amended by the 2018 Finance Law (19%).

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove VAT from a price?

Divide the total by 1 plus the rate. At 15%, 1,150 ÷ 1.15 = 1,000, so the VAT is 150. Knocking 15% off 1,150 gives 977.50, which is wrong.

What are the standard VAT rates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, France and Tunisia?

5% in the UAE, 15% in Saudi Arabia, 20% in France and 19% in Tunisia. France also has reduced rates of 10%, 5.5% and 2.1%, and Tunisia has 13% and 7%. Type those into the rate box.

Does the currency matter?

No, the math is the same in dirhams, riyals, euros or dinars. Only the decimals differ: the Tunisian dinar has three, so switch to 3 decimals.