Two new settings: hide the VAT widget for specific countries and choose between EU reverse charge or simple tax exemption mode.
Showing a VAT widget to every visitor regardless of country or tax status causes confusion. A customer in a country where you don’t collect VAT shouldn’t see an exemption form. A B2B buyer in Germany has different needs from a retail shopper in the UK. New widget visibility controls in the Translate Product Images app let you hide the VAT widget for specific countries and configure exactly how tax exemption mode behaves. Here’s what changed and how to set it up.
TL;DR: Two new settings give you more control over your VAT widget visibility and how tax exemptions are applied.
You can now hide the widget for specific countries and choose between EU reverse charge or simple tax exemption mode.
Running a B2B store that sells to multiple European countries? You’ve probably noticed that showing a VAT validation widget isn’t always helpful for every visitor. Maybe you only want to offer VAT exemption to customers from certain countries, or perhaps your tax setup is simpler than the standard EU reverse charge mechanism.
We’ve added two new settings to give you exactly that control.
Previously, you could only hide the widget for your own country (same-country visitors). Now you can hide it for any combination of countries.
In your app settings under “Storefront Widget”, you’ll find a new text field where you can enter country codes separated by commas:
This is useful when:
By default, when a customer validates their VAT number, they’re marked with EU reverse charge exemption in Shopify. This is the correct setting for most EU B2B transactions.
However, some merchants need a simpler approach. The new tax exemption mode setting offers two options:
| Mode | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse Charge (default) | Customer is marked with EU reverse charge exemption. Tax collected unless exemption applies. | Standard EU B2B sales with proper reverse charge invoicing |
| Don’t Collect Tax | Customer is simply marked as tax exempt. No tax collected at all. | Non-EU scenarios, simplified setups, or specific tax arrangements |
The reverse charge mode is the standard for EU B2B VAT exemption and handles the proper intra-community supply rules automatically. Use “Don’t Collect Tax” only if you have a specific reason to bypass the reverse charge mechanism.
Both settings are available in your EU Tax Exemption app dashboard:
The hide countries setting takes effect immediately after saving. Visitors from the listed countries simply won’t see the VAT validation widget on your cart page or cart drawer.
Want to verify the widget is hidden correctly? Add this to your store URL:
?test_visitor_country=DE
This simulates a visitor from Germany. If DE is in your hide list, the widget should not appear. Change the country code to test different scenarios.
Does hiding the widget affect customers who already validated their VAT?
No. Previously validated customers retain their tax-exempt status. The widget visibility only affects new validations.
Can I combine this with the same-country hide setting?
Yes. Both settings work independently. You can hide for same-country visitors AND specific other countries.
What about the Canary Islands exception?
The region exceptions feature still works. If you’ve set up Canary Islands as an exception, visitors from there will still see the widget even if Spain is in your hide list.
These features are available now for all EU Tax Exemption app users. Update your settings in the app dashboard to start using them.
Configure your VAT widget settings →
Questions about the best configuration for your store? Contact our support team – we’re happy to help.