Can I use someone else's VAT for European VAT? What should I pay attention to when using it?

Now, you must choose a good site when doing cross-border e-commerce, and the sites in Europe are more popular because the consumption power in Europe is still relatively strong and the market environment is relatively good. However, you need to pay VAT to open a cross-border e-commerce store in Europe, so can you use someone else's VAT?

Can I use someone else's VAT for European VAT ?

Can't.

VAT numbers are not universal in Europe. VAT in EU countries is independent. The UK VAT number is limited to the UK, and the German VAT number is limited to Germany. They cannot be used in other EU countries. Each country has different VAT regulations, and VAT numbers are connected to the country's tax bureau, so they cannot be shared.

What should I pay attention to when using it?

1. Do not use one VAT number for multiple different Amazon accounts. Amazon prohibits the operation of multiple accounts. Whether you give it to others or use it for yourself, there may be associated risks.

2. Pay attention to the subsequent declaration issues. Many people think that submitting to the backend is enough after getting the VAT tax number. They are too lazy to pay attention to it if there is no sales or the sales volume is small. According to tax regulations, if there is sales, tax declaration must be made. As long as there is an order, it must be declared. If there is no sales, zero declaration will be made. Frequent failure to declare or frequent intentional zero declaration will definitely lead to the possibility of tax audit.

3. False declaration problem. Many sellers think that they will not make money if they pay so much tax, so they should report less. This is very risky. First of all, each tax bureau has the authority to view the sales data of each store, and the customs import and export data are all available. It depends on whether the tax bureau wants to check you. If they find out, you will have to pay back taxes, and there may be a certain fine. In serious cases, the store will be frozen. Take Germany as an example, if VAT fraud can be traced back to 10 years.

4. Please note that when paying VAT, in the UK and Germany, after the tax declaration is completed, the seller often pays the tax to the tax bureau by themselves. When filling in the payment information, they forget to fill in the reference note number, that is, fill in the corresponding tax number and other information. If you do not fill it in, how will the tax bureau know which company to pay the tax to, which means that the payment has not been successful. You need to pay special attention.

It is best to register a VAT number yourself when paying VAT taxes on European sites. Otherwise, the platform may discover your VAT and remove it. Even if it is not removed, VAT will be associated with your store, and the impact will be very large, so it is best to register a VAT number yourself.

Recommended reading:

How do I contact an Amazon account manager? What is an account manager?

What does Amazon European VAT mean? In what situations does Amazon need to register VAT?

How long does it usually take for Amazon Europe to conduct a KYC audit?