Do I pay tax on Vinted sales? eBay, Depop and Etsy explained

19 October 2026 · 5 min read · Checked against GOV.UK 19 October 2026

Clearing out your wardrobe isn't a business

When you sell something you bought for yourself, you almost always get less than you paid. There's no profit, and HMRC doesn't treat it as trading. That's true whether you sell five things or fifty.

Example: a big clear-out

Ellie sells 45 of her old clothes and some kids' toys on Vinted over the year, for £900 in total. Because she made more than 30 sales, Vinted reports her to HMRC. She doesn't owe any tax: they were her own things, sold for less than she paid.

When selling becomes trading

It's different when you're buying or making things in order to sell them. HMRC looks at the whole picture. Signs you're trading include:

buying items intending to sell them for more, like charity shop finds or trainers;
making things to sell, like crafts, prints or cakes;
selling regularly, or the same kinds of things again and again;
repairing or improving items to get a better price.

Example: reselling trainers

Marcus buys limited-edition trainers and resells them on eBay. Over the tax year he sells £6,000 worth, having paid £4,200 for them plus fees. That's trading, and it's over £1,000, so he needs to register for Self Assessment and report his profit.

The £1,000 trading allowance

If your trading income is £1,000 or less in a tax year (6 April to 5 April), it's tax-free and you don't need to tell HMRC. That's your sales before costs, and it covers all your side hustles together.

Over £1,000, you take off either the £1,000 allowance or your real costs, whichever is better for you. Marcus would use his costs: £6,000 minus £4,200 leaves £1,800 of profit, while the allowance would leave £5,000. Read more in the trading allowance explained.

One thing to watch: valuable items

Selling a single possession, or a set, for more than £6,000 can mean Capital Gains Tax, even if it was never part of a business. Think jewellery, watches, art or antiques. Cars are usually exempt. GOV.UK explains the rules (opens in a new tab).

What to do

Only your own things? Nothing to do. Keep a rough note of what you sold in case HMRC asks.
Trading, under £1,000? Nothing to report. Keep a note of your sales.
Trading, over £1,000? Register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the end of the tax year, then file and pay by 31 January.

Not sure which applies? Our online selling tax checker works it out in a minute, or try HMRC's own checker (opens in a new tab).

General guidance, not personalised tax advice. Rules can change: check GOV.UK or speak to an adviser about your situation.