France VAT (TVA) Guide & Calculator
Calculate French VAT with ease. The French name for VAT is Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée (TVA). Our tool helps you calculate gross or net amounts for any of the French VAT rates.
Current VAT Rates in France
France applies several different VAT rates:
- Standard Rate (20%): This is the main rate applied to the majority of goods and services.
- Reduced Rate (10%): Applied to restaurants, passenger transport, hotel accommodation, and certain renovation work on private housing.
- Reduced Rate (5.5%): Applied to most foodstuffs, water, books (including e-books), and tickets for cultural events like cinema and theatre.
- Super Reduced Rate (2.1%): A specific rate for prescription medicines reimbursed by social security and newspapers.
History of VAT in France
France was the first country in the world to introduce a comprehensive value-added tax in 1954. The system has been refined over the decades, with the standard rate changing several times to adapt to European directives and national economic policy.
| Year of Change | Standard VAT Rate |
|---|---|
| 1968 | 20% |
| 1995 | 18.6% |
| 2000 | 19.6% |
| 2014 | 20% |