Is the USt-IdNr the same as a US sales-tax number?

No. The USt-IdNr is for EU value-added tax. The US has no VAT; US sales tax is state-level and uses separate state registrations, not a USt-IdNr.

Steuernummer or USt-IdNr - which is which?

The Steuernummer is the general German tax number from the local Finanzamt; the USt-IdNr is specifically for intra-EU VAT and comes from the Federal Central Tax Office. A business can hold both.

USt-IdNr (VAT ID)

The USt-IdNr (Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer) is a German VAT identification number used to handle value-added tax on cross-border trade within the EU.

A German business trading with companies in other EU countries uses its USt-IdNr so that VAT can be handled correctly (often via the reverse-charge mechanism). It is issued by the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern), separate from the local Steuernummer.

The US has no VAT and no equivalent number; US sales taxes work entirely differently, so a German company's US activities do not use a USt-IdNr.

Related providers: Accounting & Tax

Frequently asked questions

Is the USt-IdNr the same as a US sales-tax number?: No. The USt-IdNr is for EU value-added tax. The US has no VAT; US sales tax is state-level and uses separate state registrations, not a USt-IdNr.
Steuernummer or USt-IdNr - which is which?: The Steuernummer is the general German tax number from the local Finanzamt; the USt-IdNr is specifically for intra-EU VAT and comes from the Federal Central Tax Office. A business can hold both.