Vinted and tax in the UK
Money6 min readUpdated
Selling your own used personal belongings on Vinted is generally not taxable in the UK, no matter how much you sell, because you are almost always selling for less than you originally paid. Buying or making goods in order to sell them is trading, and trading profits above the £1,000 trading allowance are taxable.
Vinted reports seller data to HMRC where you pass 30 sales or roughly £1,700 in a year. Being reported is a data-sharing threshold, not a tax bill — the two are frequently confused.
This is general information, not tax advice. If you are near either line, an hour with an accountant is worth more than any article.
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Selling belongings vs trading
The whole question turns on why you acquired the item. If you bought a jacket to wear and later sold it, that is disposing of a personal possession — not taxable income, and normally sold at a loss anyway.
If you bought a jacket in order to sell it at a profit, that is trading from the first item. Scale does not change the classification, only whether the allowance covers it.
The £1,000 trading allowance
The trading allowance lets you earn up to £1,000 of gross trading income per tax year without registering for Self Assessment. Above that you need to register and declare, though you can deduct either the allowance or your actual costs.
Note that this is gross income, not profit. £1,200 of sales with £900 of stock costs still crosses the threshold even though the profit is £300.
Why Vinted reports to HMRC
Under international digital-platform reporting rules, marketplaces share seller data with tax authorities. Vinted reports sellers who exceed 30 sales or around £1,700 in a calendar year.
This caused considerable alarm when it was introduced, largely because it was widely misreported as a new tax. It is not — no tax rules changed. It is a visibility mechanism, and the vast majority of people reported owe nothing because they are selling their own belongings at a loss.
What to keep if you are trading
If you are reselling, keep records from the start rather than reconstructing them later.
- What you paid for each item and when
- What it sold for and when
- Postage and packaging costs
- Any subscription or tool costs used for the business
- Bump and promotion spend
Capital gains, briefly
Personal possessions sold for more than £6,000 individually can attract Capital Gains Tax. For ordinary clothing this is irrelevant, but it can apply to genuinely rare items — certain designer handbags and collectable pieces have crossed it.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I sell on Vinted without paying tax?
If you are selling your own used belongings, there is no limit at which that becomes taxable — it is not trading income. If you are buying to resell, you can earn up to £1,000 of gross trading income per tax year under the trading allowance before you must register for Self Assessment.
Does Vinted report to HMRC?
Yes, where a seller exceeds 30 sales or approximately £1,700 in a calendar year, under international digital-platform reporting rules. Being reported does not mean you owe tax.
Do I need to pay tax on selling my old clothes?
Generally no. Selling personal possessions you originally bought to use is not taxable income, and is normally at a loss against what you paid.
What counts as trading on Vinted?
Buying goods in order to resell them, or making goods to sell. The test is your intention when you acquired the item, not how much you sell.