Czech Republic VAT rate 2026: 21% standard rate

By Remco from Avatcado

The Czech Republic taxes at a 21 percent standard VAT rate with a single 12 percent reduced rate, merged in 2024 from two older reduced rates to simplify compliance. A genuine 0 percent rate applies to printed and electronic books, in force since 1 January 2024, making the Czech Republic one of the few EU states to zero-rate books outright rather than merely reduce their rate.

Czech Republic VAT rates

RateTypeApplies to
21%StandardDefault rate for goods and services not listed under a reduced or zero category.
12%ReducedMost groceries and gluten-free food, heating and drinking water services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, passenger transport, and accommodation services.
0%ZeroPrinted and electronic books, in force since 1 January 2024.

Rates served live from the Avatcado API, last updated August 13, 2026.

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Businesses charging Czech Republic VAT must hold an active Czech Republic VAT registration. Check any Czech Republic VAT number for free below.

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Get Czech Republic VAT rates via API

The same rates as an API call:

curl "https://api.avatcado.com/v1/rates/CZ" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer avat_live_your_api_key"
{
  "data": {
    "country_code": "CZ",
    "country_name": "Czech Republic",
    "currency": "CZK",
    "standard_rate": 21,
    "other_rates": [
      {
        "rate": 12,
        "type": "reduced"
      },
      {
        "rate": 0,
        "type": "zero"
      }
    ],
    "updated_at": "2026-08-13T00:00:00.000Z"
  },
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "req_..."
  }
}

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Czech Republic zero-rate books?

Since 1 January 2024, printed and electronic books have carried a genuine 0 percent VAT rate rather than a reduced rate, part of a wider 2024 reform that also merged two former reduced rates into a single 12 percent tier.

What is the VAT registration threshold in the Czech Republic?

Since 1 January 2025 there are two tiers: exceeding CZK 2,000,000 in a calendar year makes a business a VAT payer from the following January, while exceeding CZK 2,536,500 makes it a payer immediately.

VAT number formats

Related guides

Free tier includes 500 validations per month, and VAT rates lookups are always free and unlimited. Get an API key or read the API documentation.

Sources