Finance

# Tax rates and VAT rules

Create your VAT rates with ledger codes, choose the default tax rate and decide which rate applies with VAT rules on price configurations.

Updated 4 October 2026

**Who can do this:** Settings > Variables: a role level above 600\. Default tax rate: role level 1000 (platform administrators).

Tax rates are the VAT percentages you charge, such as 21%, 9%, 0% for international transport, or reverse-charged VAT. Every quote and invoice line has a tax rate. The rate carries its own ledger codes for your accounting package.

## Create a tax rate

1. Open the side menu (☰) and choose **Settings**.
2. Open the **Variables** tab.
3. Go to the **Tax Rates** section.
4. Enter the **Name**, for example "VAT 21%".
5. Enter the **Credit code** and **Debit code** used in your accounting package.
6. Enter the **Percentage**, for example 21.
7. Switch the toggle on to make the rate active.
8. Click **Create**.

The table lists every rate with **Name**, **Credit code**, **Debit code**, **Percentage** and **Active**. Filter it on **Active**.

## Edit, deactivate or remove

* Click **Edit** on a row, change the values in the form at the top and click **Update** (or **Cancel**).
* Switch a rate off to stop offering it. Inactive rates are not offered for new lines, but lines that already use them keep them.
* Click **Remove** to delete a rate you never used.

Do not change the percentage of a rate that is already used on invoices when the law changes. Create a new rate and deactivate the old one, so earlier invoices stay correct.

## Set the default tax rate

1. Open the side menu (☰) and choose **Settings**.
2. Open the **Environment** tab.
3. Expand **Financial**.
4. Choose the rate in **Default tax rate**.
5. Save the settings.

New quote and invoice lines start with this rate. Without a default, Transportial uses the first active rate.

## Choose the rate per line

On a quote or invoice, each line has **Select tax rate**. The form shows totals **Exclusive of VAT** (on quotes) or **Excluding VAT** (on invoices), or **Including VAT**, depending on the toggle at the top. See [Quotes](/en/help/quotes) and [Invoices](/en/help/invoices).

## Apply VAT automatically with VAT rules

Price configurations and price modules have **VAT rules**. A rule picks a tax rate when the priced item matches its conditions, for example 21% for domestic transports and 0% for cross-border ones.

1. Open a price configuration (see [Set up price configurations](/en/help/pricing)).
2. Under **VAT rules**, click **Add VAT line**, then click the new **Price tax line** block.
3. Enter a **Name**, for example "Domestic transport".
4. Choose the rate in **Select tax rate**. Only active rates are listed.
5. Optional: add a **Description**.
6. Add the conditions the priced item must meet. Leave them empty for a rule that always applies.
7. Click **Save**, then save the price configuration.

Rules are tried from top to bottom; the first rule that matches supplies the rate. Rules on a price module go before the rules of the configuration.

Put your most specific rule first and finish with a rule without conditions as the fallback.

## Related articles

* [Set up price configurations](/en/help/pricing)
* [Pricing categories and cost elements](/en/help/pricing-categories)
* [Create, send and follow up invoices](/en/help/invoices)
* [Create and send quotes](/en/help/quotes)

## Still need help?

Our support team is happy to answer any question about Transportial.

[Contact support](/en/contact)[Report an issue](/en/report-issue)

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Canonical page: https://transportial.com/en/help/tax-rates