http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/23/section/30Value Added Tax Act 1994An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to value added tax, including certain enactments relating to VAT tribunals.1994-07-05texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-04-21Expert Participation2026-04-01 Part II Reliefs, exemptions and repayments Reliefs <Abbreviation Expansion="et cetera" xml:lang="la">etc.</Abbreviation> generally available Zero-rating.301Where a taxable person supplies goods or services and the supply is zero-rated, then, whether or not VAT would be chargeable on the supply apart from this section—ano VAT shall be charged on the supply; butbit shall in all other respects be treated as a taxable supply;and accordingly the rate at which VAT is treated as charged on the supply shall be nil.2A supply of goods or services is zero-rated by virtue of this subsection if the goods or services are of a description for the time being specified in Schedule 8 or the supply is of a description for the time being so specified.2AA supply by a person of services which consist of applying a treatment or process to another person’s goods is zero-rated by virtue of this subsection if by doing so he produces goods, and either—athose goods are of a description for the time being specified in Schedule 8; orba supply by him of those goods to the person to whom he supplies the services would be of a description so specified.3Where goods of a description for the time being specified in that Schedule, or of a description forming part of a description of supply for the time being so specified, are imported, no VAT shall be chargeable on their importation except as otherwise provided in that Schedule.4The Treasury may by order vary Schedule 8 by adding to or deleting from it any description or by varying any description for the time being specified in it.5The export of any goods by a charity ... shall for the purposes of this Act be treated as a supply made by the charity—ain the United Kingdom, andbin the course or furtherance of a business carried on by the charity.6A supply of goods is zero-rated by virtue of this subsection if the Commissioners are satisfied that the person supplying the goods—ahas exported them ...; orbhas shipped them for use as stores on a voyage or flight to an eventual destination outside the United Kingdom, or as merchandise for sale by retail to persons carried on such a voyage or flight in a ship or aircraft,and in either case if such other conditions, if any, as may be specified in regulations or the Commissioners may impose are fulfilled.6ASubsection (6) does not apply in the case of goods exported from Great Britain if, in respect of the supply, the supplier exercises an option under an order made under section 50A.7Subsection (6)(b) above shall not apply in the case of goods shipped for use as stores on a voyage or flight to be made by the person to whom the goods were supplied and to be made for a purpose which is private.8Regulations may provide for the zero-rating of supplies of goods, or of such goods as may be specified in the regulations, in cases where—athe Commissioners are satisfied that the goods have been or are to be exported to such places as may be specified in the regulations, andbsuch other conditions, if any, as may be specified in the regulations or the Commissioners may impose are fulfilled.8A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Regulations may provide for the zero-rating of a supply of services which is made where goods are let on hire and the Commissioners are satisfied that the goods have been or are to be exported during the period of the letting, and such other conditions, if any, as may be specified in the regulations or the Commissioners may impose are fulfilled.10Where the supply of any goods has been zero-rated by virtue of subsection (6) above or in pursuance of regulations made under subsection (8) or (9) above and—athe goods are found in the United Kingdom after the date on which they were alleged to have been or were to be exported or shipped ...; orbany condition specified in the relevant regulations under subsection (6), (8) or (9) above or imposed by the Commissioners is not complied with,and the presence of the goods in the United Kingdom after that date or the non-observance of the condition has not been authorised for the purposes of this subsection by the Commissioners, the goods shall be liable to forfeiture under the Management Act and the VAT that would have been chargeable on the supply but for the zero-rating shall become payable forthwith by the person to whom the goods were supplied or by any person in whose possession the goods are found in the United Kingdom; but the Commissioners may, if they think fit, waive payment of the whole or part of that VAT.S. 30(2A) inserted (29.4.1996 with effect as mentioned in s. 29(5) of the amending Act) by 1996 c. 8, s. 29(2)(5)S. 30(5) substituted (1.5.1995 with effect as mentioned in s. 28(2) of the amending Act) by 1995 c. 4, s. 28(1)Word in s. 30(9) substituted (31.12.2020) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(7) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)S. 30(8)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(5) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)Words in s. 30(10)(b) substituted (31.12.2020) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(8)(c) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)S. 30(8) modified (1.8.2021) by S.I. 1995/2518, reg. 133AK(4) (as inserted by The Value Added Tax (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/715), regs. 1, 43)Words in s. 30(10) substituted (31.12.2020) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(8)(a) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)Words in s. 30(10)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(8)(b) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)S. 30(6A) inserted (1.5.2023) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), s. 71(2)(4); S.I. 2023/69, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)Words in s. 30(5) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(3) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)Words in s. 30(3) substituted (31.12.2020) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(2) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)S. 30(8A) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(6) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)Words in s. 30(6)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 29(4) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)