VAT on books
VAT on books in Belgium
Belgium taxes books at 6%, in whatever form they reach the reader, on paper, on another carrier or electronically. Ebooks came down from 21% to 6% with effect from 1 April 2019. The standard rate is 21%.
General guidance, checked against official sources. It is not tax advice. Rates and rules change, and your own situation matters. Check with Belgium's Federal Public Service Finance or an accountant before you decide.
Checked by Dario Griffo, founder of Lanternbee, on .
The rates
| What you sell | Rate | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed books | 6% | Reduced rate | Belgian Chamber, DOC 54 3619/004 (2019) |
| EbooksSince 1 April 2019. Before that, 21%. | 6% | Reduced rate | Belgian Chamber, DOC 54 3619/004 (2019) |
| Most other goods and services | 21% | Standard rate | European Commission, Taxes in Europe Database |
What to know about Belgium
- The 2019 law set 6% for books regardless of the form in which they are made available, with effect from 1 April 2019. DOC 54 3619/004
- The same law gave some general-interest periodicals a 0% rate. Books were not included and stay at 6%. DOC 54 3619/004
- Belgium moved some 6% items to 12% in 2026. Books were not among them, and the European Commission still lists them at 6% on 1 July 2026. European Commission, TEDB
- No official text names audiobooks. The law excludes only content that is mainly advertising, video or music, so a narrated audiobook is very likely at 6%, but the table leaves it out until that is confirmed.
Selling to readers in Belgium: examples
You are the seller. Your own Stripe account takes the payment, and Stripe Tax adds the rate for Belgium at checkout once you add your registration in Stripe. These examples use prices before tax.
- An ebook priced at €10.00 costs a reader in Belgium €10.60. €0.60 of that is the 6% VAT on ebooks in Belgium, which you pay over.
- A paperback priced at €20.00 and posted to Belgium from another EU country takes the 6% rate for printed books in Belgium once your sales to other EU countries pass €10,000 a year: €1.20 of VAT.
- If you live in Belgium yourself, sales to readers in Belgium always take the rates above, and they go on your usual VAT return in Belgium, not the One-Stop Shop.
How EU VAT works for authors: the reader’s country, the €10,000 threshold and the One-Stop Shop, in one guide.
Questions authors ask about Belgium
What VAT do Belgian readers pay on ebooks?
6%, the same as printed books, since 1 April 2019.
Did the 2026 Belgian VAT changes affect books?
No. Some items moved from 6% to 12% in 2026, but books stayed at 6%.
Are audiobooks at 6% in Belgium?
Very likely, because the law covers books in any form and only excludes music and video. We found no official text that names audiobooks, so check with FPS Finance.