Amazon UK VAT: what US sellers need to know
Any US seller shipping to the UK or storing inventory in a UK FBA warehouse must register for UK VAT with HMRC before selling. UK VAT is 20% standard rate. Amazon collects and remits VAT on your behalf for many transactions (MFR rules), but registration and periodic filings remain the seller's responsibility.
Jul 26, 2026 · 3 min read
When registration is required
You store inventory in a UK FBA warehouse, OR you sell over the UK distance-selling threshold from outside the UK. In practice, any FBA-UK seller registers on day one.
Amazon's MFR (Marketplace Facilitator) role
Amazon collects and remits UK VAT on many B2C transactions to non-VAT-registered UK buyers. Sellers still remit VAT on B2B sales, on some cross-border sales, and on their own imports.
Filing cadence
Quarterly VAT returns to HMRC. Making Tax Digital compliance required. Most sellers use a specialist accountant or a service like Avalara / SimplyVAT for £1,500 to £4,000/year.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a UK company?
No. US LLCs can register for UK VAT as a non-established taxable person.
How long does UK VAT registration take?
2 to 8 weeks. Longer if HMRC asks for supporting documentation.
Is UK VAT the same as EU VAT?
Post-Brexit, no. UK VAT is HMRC only. EU VAT requires separate registrations per country.
Does Nova handle VAT?
Nova does not file VAT. Nova reports SKU-level revenue and fees; VAT filing stays with your accountant or VAT service.
See this in Nova
Nova surfaces this metric per SKU so you can act before your next monthly close catches it.
Try Nova free for 14 days