When is VAT due when buying an airplane?
 

I currently live in the Netherlands and am looking to buy an airplane. I'm confused by the VAT rules and what I see in listings. When do I owe VAT? What does "VAT free" mean in a listing? Thanks for the help!

Take note that this advice is worth what you paid for it …. but isn't it like anything else ? If I sell you something no VAT is involved because I am not VAT registered. If you buy it from a seller who is VAT registered, VAT is added onto the sale price and paid over to the Government in question.

But VAT is payable if importing from a different VAT regime. As OP is in Netherlands it may be a few thousand € for advice before buying the aircraft (VP1?) would be worthwhile.🙂

At the moment untill the 31st dec a private individual buys an aircraft from the eu he will pay the rate in that country

after the 31st dec the aircraft should be vat free if you bought from a eu country you may need to reclaim the vat from that eu country
but when the aircraft arrives in the uk you will need to pay uk vat on the purchase

if you bought from the rest of the world you will need to pay vat on the aircrafts entry to the uk

business purchases are different

vat paid is when the aircraft has already paid vat on entry to a eu country