What is the standard VAT rate in Germany?

Germany's standard VAT rate is 19%. It applies to most goods and services. In effect since 2007-01-01.

How do I validate a Germany VAT number?

Germany VAT numbers are validated via the European Commission VIES service. The number format is DE + 9 digits (example: DE123456789).

EU/UK VAT · DE · EU member · Euro area

Germany VAT

Q: What is Germany's tax authority for VAT?

Bundeszentralamt fuer Steuern. Official guidance: https://www.bzst.de/

Germany VAT rates, number format and cross-border validation, from the European Commission VAT rates database and the EU VIES service.

By PlainVAT ·EU Commission VAT source →

Standard rate: 19%
Reduced rate: 7%
Number format: DE + 9 digits
Validation: VIES

How Germany's 19% rate compares

Germany's 19% standard VAT rate is solidly below the median of 21%. It also applies a reduced rate of 7% on food, books, newspapers, passenger transport, hotels. The current rate has been in effect since 2007-01-01, unchanged for several years.

By standard-rate proximity, Germany matches Cyprus's standard rate almost exactly. VAT numbers in this country can be validated via the VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) cross-border validation service.

Derived from PlainVAT per-country rate table sourced from the European Commission's official VAT rates database. See methodology for the EU-wide rate range, refresh cadence, and source-linking policy.

All VAT rates

Standard rate

19%

Most goods and services

In effect since 2007-01-01

Reduced rate

Food, books, newspapers, passenger transport, hotels

In effect since 1983-07-01

VAT number format

Prefix: DE
Format: DE + 9 digits
Example: DE123456789
Validation service: VIES (European Commission)

Validate a Germany VAT number

Tax authority

Bundeszentralamt fuer Steuern

Official guidance: https://www.bzst.de/

Source: European Commission Taxation and Customs Union EU VAT Rate Registry · 2026 Accessed 2026-05-20

Countries with similar standard rates

Disclaimer: This information is for general reference only and should not be considered legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm with your accountant or the relevant tax authority for your transaction.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher. · Updated May 2026

PlainVAT renders country-rate figures from the European Commission's Taxation and Customs Union VAT-rate registry; explanatory guidance links to its relevant authority sources. Country rates are computed directly from the European Commission's VAT-rate registry, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.