Tanzania VAT Rates 2026
Tanzania levies Value Added Tax as VAT (Kodi ya Ongezeko la Thamani). The standard rate is 18%, applied to most goods and services. Tanzania applies a single flat rate with no reduced rates.
Tanzania has no public registry we can query in real time, so a number cannot be confirmed as active from outside. The free VAT number validation tool still checks it against the national format, which catches transcription errors before they reach your accounting system.
Current rates — 2026
| Type | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 18% | Most goods and services |
| Zero-rated | 0% | Exports, certain agricultural and fishery inputs |
Registration and filing
| Registration threshold | TZS 200,000,000Annual turnover (~USD 75,000); lower threshold for professional service providers |
| Tax authority | Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) |
| Filing frequency | Monthly returns, due by the 20th of the following month |
Access rates via API
The TaxID API returns current VAT and GST rates for 200+ countries and territories. Use the /api/v1/rates/TZ endpoint to get Tanzania data programmatically. Responses are cached for 24 hours.
curl https://www.taxid.dev/api/v1/rates/TZ
# No authentication required for rate lookups
# Response:
# { "country_code": "TZ", "tax_type": "vat",
# "standard_rate": 18, "reduced_rates": [0],
# "currency": "TZS", "last_updated": "2026-06-12" }Fetching the rate in code
// Fetch current Tanzania VAT rates (no auth required)
const rates = await fetch('https://www.taxid.dev/api/v1/rates/TZ').then(r => r.json());
// → { standard_rate: 18, reduced_rates: [0],
// currency: 'TZS' }
applyRate(rates.standard_rate);About Tanzania VAT
Tanzania charges 18% VAT on the mainland, while semi-autonomous Zanzibar administers its own separate VAT law at the same rate — invoices and registrations do not carry across, a trap for businesses operating on both sides. The 2015 VAT Act trimmed a notoriously long exemption list, though agriculture and tourism carve-outs keep returning in annual finance acts. Non-resident providers of digital services must register under a simplified regime introduced in 2022.
VAT in Tanzania is administered by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
Sources: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries · Tanzania Revenue Authority (accessed Jun 2026)
Rate history
- 2015New VAT Act consolidated exemptions; 18% rate retained
Frequently asked questions
What is the VAT rate in Tanzania in 2026?
18% on the Tanzanian mainland; Zanzibar levies its own separate 18% VAT under island law.
Does Zanzibar have its own VAT?
Yes — Zanzibar administers a separate VAT system, so mainland registration and input credits do not extend to Zanzibar transactions.
Related concepts and guides: