Amazon VAT Number: How to Add Your VAT ID on Amazon and Stay Compliant
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- The VAT ID (VAT identification number) is your EU-wide tax ID – mandatory for every Amazon seller engaged in cross-border trade.
- If you don't have a valid VAT ID on file with Amazon, you risk incorrect tax calculations, liability issues, and, in the worst-case scenario, account suspension.
- You must enter your VAT ID directly in Amazon Seller Central (Settings → Tax Information).
- If you use Amazon FBA with international warehouses (e.g., PAN-EU), you need a local VAT ID for every country where you store inventory.
- For tax purposes, B2B sales to other EU countries are considered tax-exempt intra-community supplies. Both VAT IDs must be included on the invoice, along with the mandatory legal reference regarding the tax exemption. The reverse charge mechanism, on the other hand, primarily applies to the receipt of foreign services (e.g., Amazon advertising costs from Luxembourg).
- Amainvoice automatically identifies B2B and B2C sales and handles tax-exempt intra-community supplies and the reverse charge mechanism for services in a legally compliant manner. Additionally, the tool performs automatic real-time VAT ID verification and assigns your various VAT IDs to their respective countries.
What is an Amazon VAT ID – and why do you need one?
The VAT identification number (VAT ID) is your Europe-wide tax identifier for cross-border trade. It always begins with a country code (e.g., "DE" for Germany), followed by a unique sequence of numbers.
For Amazon sellers, the VAT ID is an essential operational tool: it identifies you as a VAT-registered business and is the mandatory legal prerequisite for tax exemption on cross-border B2B supplies. Furthermore, it prevents the incorrect calculation of foreign VAT on Amazon service fees (Reverse Charge) and documents your tax registration in the EU countries where Amazon stores your goods.
If you currently only sell to private customers within Germany, your regular tax number is often formally sufficient. However, as soon as you incur Amazon fees from Luxembourg, run Google Ads, or use FBA warehouses abroad, you need a VAT ID—meaning, in practice, you need one from the very beginning.
With Amainvoice you enter your VAT ID(s) once, and the system automatically handles the correct assignment for every sale. No manual checking, no risk of errors.
How to add your VAT ID to Amazon: A step-by-step guide
The VAT ID must be correctly registered both in Amazon and in your accounting software. For Amazon Seller Central, follow these steps:
- Log in to Amazon Seller Central .
- Go to the top right and select "Settings" → "Account Info".
- In the "Tax Information" section, click on VAT identification numbers (or directly via "Place of establishment").
- Click on "Add a VAT identification number".
- Select the appropriate country and enter your VAT ID without any gaps (no spaces or special characters), including the two-letter country code (e.g., DE123456789).
- Select the registered address associated with your VAT ID. Important: This must match the address on file with the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) exactly, character for character, as Amazon verifies this data automatically.
- Save your entries.
Important: For every country where you are tax-registered (e.g., due to FBA warehouses in Poland or the Czech Republic), you must provide the local VAT ID separately . Amazon verifies these numbers – incorrect or missing entries can lead to your account being suspended.
Do you have multiple VAT IDs from different EU countries? In Amainvoice , you can store all your numbers centrally in one place. The software automatically assigns each sale to the correct VAT ID and the appropriate tax rate.
Why a VAT ID is mandatory for Amazon FBA
Are you using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)program, Amazon stores your goods in its own logistics centers – including those in other EU countries. This is the crucial point: The mere storage of goods in another EU country immediately triggers a tax liability there.
Concrete examples:
- PAN-EU: Amazon distributes your goods to warehouses in Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Italy, and others → You need a local VAT ID in each of these countries.
- CEE program: Storage in Poland and the Czech Republic → Tax liability in both countries, even if you never sell directly there.
If you do not have the respective local VAT ID on file with Amazon: In the worst case, Amazon may exclude you from the FBA program.
This article explains in detail how to navigate the EU tax labyrinth for FBA: Amazon FBA Tax: PAN-EU & CEE – How to stay compliant
Amazon VAT ID and B2B sales: The reverse-charge procedure
Amazon VAT ID and B2B sales: Tax-exempt intra-Community supplies If you sell to companies in other EU countries via Amazon Business, this constitutes a tax-exempt intra-Community supply. This means:
- You issue a net invoice and must include the mandatory note: "Tax-exempt intra-Community supply" (the term "reverse-charge" is not permitted under tax law for invoices involving goods).
- The foreign B2B buyer accounts for the acquisition in their own country as an intra-Community acquisition.
- Prerequisites: Both parties must have a valid VAT ID at the time of delivery, the numbers must be stated on the invoice, the physical cross-border movement of the goods must be documented, and the turnover must be declared in the recapitulative statement (EC Sales List) submitted to the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt). If a valid VAT ID is missing on the buyer's side or is not validated, the tax exemption does not apply. The transaction is classified as a B2C distance sale and is subject to tax in the destination country (or via OSS).
If your VAT ID is missing or not validated, you are required to report and pay the full VAT – even if you are actually operating in the B2B sector.
Amainvoice automatically checks for a valid buyer VAT ID on B2B sales, correctly applies the reverse charge mechanism, and prints both numbers on the invoices in a legally compliant manner. Learn more: Reverse Charge on Amazon: What sellers need to know about the reverse charge mechanism
Practical example: B2B sale to France
You sell office chairs via Amazon from your German warehouse to a French company. An order totals 500.00 EUR gross.
Scenario A: With a valid VAT ID for both parties (Intra-Community supply)
- Since all requirements are met, you invoice net. With a set gross price of 500.00 EUR, the foreign VAT is mathematically deducted: Net invoice total: 500.00 EUR / 1.20 = 416.67 EUR
- You issue the customer a net invoice for 416.67 EUR (or alternatively for the full 500.00 EUR net, if the price in the Amazon B2B channel was agreed exclusive of taxes).
- You must include the note "Tax-exempt intra-Community supply" on the invoice.
- The French buyer accounts for the acquisition tax in France themselves (at the local rate of 20%, or 83.33 EUR, which they can generally deduct as input tax at the same time). You have no tax liability abroad.
Scenario B: Without a valid VAT ID from the French buyer (B2C distance selling)
- Without a VAT ID for the buyer verified at the time of delivery, a tax-exempt supply cannot be made. The sale is treated for tax purposes as a B2C distance sale to a private individual.
- Case 1 (You participate in the OSS or exceed the 10,000 EUR EU sales threshold): The place of supply shifts to France. You must charge French VAT at a rate of 20%.VAT portion: 500.00 EUR minus (500.00 EUR / 1.20) = 83.33 EUR You report and pay this 83.33 EUR in French tax simply and centrally via the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) procedure to the German Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt).
- Case 2 (You remain below the 10,000 EUR delivery threshold and do not use the OSS): The supply is subject to tax in Germany. You charge German VAT (19%): VAT portion: 500.00 EUR minus (500.00 EUR / 1.19) = 79.83 EUR You pay this 79.83 EUR to your local German tax office as usual.
How Amainvoice automates the management of your Amazon VAT IDs
Manually managing multiple VAT IDs across different EU countries is time-consuming and prone to errors. Amainvoice solves this exact problem:
- Automatic sales detection: Amainvoice reads your Amazon data in real time and identifies whether each transaction is B2B or B2C, where the goods are shipped from, and where they are going.
- Centralized management of multiple VAT IDs: You enter all your national VAT IDs once. The system automatically assigns them to the correct country and tax rate.
- Legally compliant invoicing: Your Amazon invoices automatically include all mandatory information – including verified VAT IDs for both parties.
- Accountant export: At the end of the month, you can export prepared data that your accountant can use directly for VAT returns – both domestically and internationally.
→ Try Amainvoice free for 14 days | → View pricing | → Request a free accounting analysis
What happens if you don't have a VAT ID or fail to provide one?
Without a VAT ID for intra-Community sales you calculate taxes incorrectly – the tax office will demand back payments that you have to pay out of your own pocket. Missing or incorrect information in Amazon Seller Central can lead to account restrictions or suspensions. And during tax audits, missing VAT IDs on foreign invoices quickly become a compliance issue.
In short: If you don't actively manage your Amazon VAT ID, you will pay the price sooner or later.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Please consult a qualified tax advisor regarding your individual situation.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Amazon Identification Number & VAT ID
What is the Amazon identification number / VAT ID?
The VAT identification number (VAT ID) is your EU-wide tax identifier for cross-border transactions. On Amazon, you need it for FBA foreign warehouses, B2B sales, and the correct billing of Amazon fees from other EU countries.
Do I need a separate VAT ID for every FBA country?
Yes. Every country where Amazon stores your goods creates a tax liability there. You need a local VAT ID for each of these countries – regardless of whether you sell directly to customers there.
What is the difference between a VAT ID and a standard tax number?
The tax number is your national identifier with the tax office for domestic transactions. The VAT ID is valid EU-wide and is specifically required for cross-border sales. Both numbers exist in parallel.
Can Amainvoice manage multiple VAT IDs automatically?
Yes. You enter your VAT IDs into Amainvoice once. In addition to automatic country and tax rate assignment, Amainvoice provides automated, real-time validation of your customers' VAT IDs. If the system detects an invalid ID for a B2B buyer, it blocks the incorrect net invoicing and enables an automated conversion into a correct B2C invoice including VAT. This effectively protects you from back taxes.
How do I add my VAT ID to Amazon?
In Amazon Seller Central, go to "Settings" → "VAT Information". There, you enter the VAT ID for each relevant EU country individually. For multiple countries (e.g., with PAN-EU), you must enter each number separately.
What happens if I don't add my VAT ID to Amazon?
Missing or incorrect VAT IDs can lead to incorrect tax calculations, back payments to the tax office, and, in the worst case, the restriction or suspension of your Amazon account.
Where do I apply for a VAT ID?
In Germany, you apply through the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) – usually within a few days of your application. For other EU countries (e.g., for FBA storage), you must register with the respective national tax authority or hire a tax advisor.
