VAT calculator South Africa

Add 15% VAT to a price, or work out how much VAT is inside a VAT-inclusive amount. The working is shown, so you can check every number.

Amount excluding VAT
R 1,000.00
VAT (15%)
R 150.00
Amount including VAT
R 1,150.00

Working: R 1,000.00 × 15% = R 150.00 VAT, so R 1,000.00 + R 150.00 = R 1,150.00

VAT quick reference

Common amounts at 15% VAT.

Excluding VATVAT (15%)Including VAT
R 100.00R 15.00R 115.00
R 250.00R 37.50R 287.50
R 500.00R 75.00R 575.00
R 1,000.00R 150.00R 1,150.00
R 2,500.00R 375.00R 2,875.00
R 5,000.00R 750.00R 5,750.00
R 10,000.00R 1,500.00R 11,500.00
R 50,000.00R 7,500.00R 57,500.00

How to calculate VAT in South Africa

South African VAT is charged at 15% on the price excluding VAT. Two calculations cover almost every situation.

Adding VAT to a price

Use this when you know your price before VAT, for example when quoting or invoicing.

VAT = price excluding VAT × 0.15

Price including VAT = price excluding VAT × 1.15

Example: R2,000 excluding VAT. The VAT is R2,000 × 0.15 = R300, so the total is R2,300.

Removing VAT from a price

Use this when a price already includes VAT, such as a supplier's receipt, and you need the amount before VAT or the VAT you can claim.

Price excluding VAT = price including VAT ÷ 1.15

VAT = price including VAT × 15 ÷ 115

Example: R2,300 including VAT. Excluding VAT, it is R2,300 ÷ 1.15 = R2,000, and the VAT is R300.

The most common VAT mistake

Taking 15% off a VAT-inclusive price does not give you the price excluding VAT. On R2,300, 15% is R345, which would leave R1,955. The correct answer is R2,000, because the VAT was added to R2,000, not to R2,300. Inside an inclusive price, VAT is 15/115 of the total, about 13.04%.

When to charge VAT

Only VAT-registered businesses may charge VAT. Registration is compulsory once your taxable supplies pass R2.3 million in a 12-month period, and voluntary from R120,000. Read our guide to VAT registration in South Africa.

If you are registered, show the amount excluding VAT, the VAT and the total on every invoice, and make sure it meets the tax invoice requirements. Our free invoice generator adds 15% VAT for you.

Stop working out VAT by hand

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VAT calculator questions

How do I calculate 15% VAT?

Multiply the amount excluding VAT by 0.15 to get the VAT, or by 1.15 to get the total including VAT. For example, R1,000 excluding VAT has R150 VAT, so the total is R1,150.

How do I remove VAT from a price?

Divide the VAT-inclusive price by 1.15 to get the amount excluding VAT. The VAT is the difference. For example, R1,150 including VAT is R1,000 excluding VAT and R150 VAT.

Is the VAT 15% of the price including VAT?

No. VAT is 15% of the price excluding VAT. In a VAT-inclusive price, the VAT portion is 15/115 of the total, about 13.04%. Taking 15% off an inclusive price gives the wrong answer.

What is the VAT rate in South Africa?

The standard VAT rate in South Africa is 15%.

Should I charge VAT if I'm not VAT registered?

No. Only registered VAT vendors may charge VAT. If you're not registered, your prices and invoices must not include VAT.

How should VAT be shown on an invoice?

A VAT-registered business should show the amount excluding VAT, the VAT, and the total including VAT, along with the other details SARS requires on a tax invoice.