How do I remove VAT from a total?

Divide by 1 plus the rate. At 20%, divide the gross by 1.2: £120 becomes £100 net and £20 tax. Subtracting 20% instead gives £96, which is wrong by £4.

Why isn't subtracting the percentage the same?

Because the tax was calculated on the smaller net figure, not on the total. At 20%, the tax is 20% of the net but only 16.67% of the gross — the same money measured against a different base.

Which country's rates does this use?

None. Rates differ by country, state, and product category and change without notice, so a stored table would go stale and quietly produce wrong invoices. Enter the rate from your own tax authority or invoice.

VAT & Sales Tax Calculator

Split any price into its net amount and the tax it carries. Work forwards from a price before tax, or backwards from a tax-inclusive total — the reverse direction is where most mistakes happen, because removing 20% tax is not the same as subtracting 20% from the total. Rates are yours to enter; none are stored.

Calculators

What the amount you entered includes

Add tax to a net priceRemove tax from a gross price

Net amount (before tax)

Tax rate (%)

Enter the rate that applies to you — none is assumed

Net (excluding tax): 100.00
Tax: 20.00
Gross (including tax): 120.00

No rates are built in. VAT, GST, and sales tax rates change by country, state, and product category, and a stored table would quietly go out of date — enter the rate from your own invoice or tax authority.

Private by default

This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your data is never uploaded to a server.

How it works

Forwards and backwards through a tax rate

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

Tax is charged on the net amount, so adding it multiplies and removing it divides. The two are inverses of each other, which is why subtracting the percentage from the gross never gets you back to where you started.

Expressed against the gross price, a rate of r is r ÷ (1 + r). A 20% rate is 16.67% of the total.
VAT and GST are usually shown tax-inclusive on consumer prices; US sales tax is usually added at the till, so the amount you start from differs by country.
Rounding is per line or per invoice depending on the jurisdiction; this rounds only for display.
Reduced and zero rates apply to whole categories of goods. Confirm which rate applies before invoicing.

For reference

The same rate, measured two ways

The left column is tax on the net price. The right is the share of the gross total that same tax represents — the number reverse calculations need.

Rate on net	Multiply net by	Divide gross by	Share of gross
5%	1.05	1.05	4.762%
7.5%	1.075	1.075	6.977%
10%	1.10	1.10	9.091%
19%	1.19	1.19	15.966%
20%	1.20	1.20	16.667%
25%	1.25	1.25	20%

Rates shown are arithmetic examples, not a list of any country's current rates.

How to use

4 clear steps.

Choose whether you are adding tax or removing it.
Enter the amount — net if adding, gross if removing.
Enter the tax rate that applies to your sale.
Read the net amount, the tax, and the gross total.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove VAT from a total?: Divide by 1 plus the rate. At 20%, divide the gross by 1.2: £120 becomes £100 net and £20 tax. Subtracting 20% instead gives £96, which is wrong by £4.
Why isn't subtracting the percentage the same?: Because the tax was calculated on the smaller net figure, not on the total. At 20%, the tax is 20% of the net but only 16.67% of the gross — the same money measured against a different base.
Which country's rates does this use?: None. Rates differ by country, state, and product category and change without notice, so a stored table would go stale and quietly produce wrong invoices. Enter the rate from your own tax authority or invoice.