The standard Value Added Tax (VAT) of five per cent will be applied to purchasing petrol, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Zakat and Tax (GAZT) has said.

The confirmation was stated in a reply to an online question whether there would be a VAT rate of petrol. “The VAT rate of five per cent for petrol will be applied starting January 1, 2018,” GAZT said.

Last week, the authority said the local transport of passengers and goods within Saudi Arabia, and associated services would be subject to the standard 5 per cent VAT rate, with businesses collecting the tax from travelers upon purchasing the travel ticket.

However, it said that the international transport of passengers and goods will be zero-rated according to the Unified VAT Agreement for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the VAT Implementing Regulations.

The zero-rated services include excess baggage and seat reservation fees, maintenance, repair and modification of qualified international transport, storage charges, port charges, parking fees, customs duties, customs clearance fees, transport-related fees, air navigation services fees and aircraft crews.

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