Shop software for shops in Saint Kitts and Nevis
Shopkeepa is simple software for mini-marts, groceries, hardware and beauty supply shops in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Sell, track stock and see how the shop is doing in EC dollars, with the VAT rate as a setting you can change, on the phone or tablet you already have.
Running a shop in Saint Kitts and Nevis, at a glance
- Currency
- Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD), fixed at EC$2.70 to US$1 since 1976 and issued by the ECCB.
- Sales tax
- Value-added tax (VAT), standard rate 17% again from 1 July 2025 after a temporary 13% rate earlier that year.
- Rate history
- The 2025 Budget cut the rate to 13% as relief. The Inland Revenue Department confirmed it reverted to 17% on 1 July 2025 and told businesses to update pricing, software and point-of-sale settings.
- Tax authority
- Inland Revenue Department (IRD), with offices on Bay Road, Basseterre, and Main Road, Charlestown, Nevis, and separate help desks for each island.
- Two islands
- The federation is two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, each with its own IRD office and contact lines.
- Registration threshold
- Not stated on the IRD pages we could read. Adviser guides give figures, so confirm the current threshold with the IRD.
The 13% to 17% VAT change, and what it did to shelf prices
St. Kitts and Nevis changed its VAT rate in the middle of 2025. The 2025 Budget introduced a temporary reduced rate of 13% as economic relief. On 30 June 2025 the Inland Revenue Department confirmed that the rate would revert to 17% on 1 July 2025. It asked VAT-registered businesses to update their pricing systems, accounting software and point-of-sale configurations. A till that kept the old percentage would under-charge every sale.
The standard rate is now 17%. Adviser guides say hotel accommodation and restaurant services are charged 10%, and some basic staples are zero-rated, but those are third-party descriptions, so confirm the list with the IRD.
In Shopkeepa, the VAT rate is a shop setting, and each product can be marked taxable or not. When the rate changes again, you change it once instead of relabelling every item in the till. Reports stay in EC dollars. Shopkeepa keeps the sales records. It does not file your return.
Two islands, two IRD offices
Saint Kitts and Nevis is one country with two islands. The IRD has an office on Bay Road in Basseterre, St. Kitts, and another on Main Road in Charlestown, Nevis, each with its own help desk phone numbers and email. A shop in Charlestown deals with the Nevis office, and a shop in Basseterre with the St. Kitts office, but both file under the same federal VAT.
A business that trades on both islands needs records it can split cleanly by location. Shopkeepa lets you keep sales history searchable and report by day, week and month, so a month of sales is ready when you or your accountant sits down to file. See how to read a sales report for what to look for.
Cash, cards and the end of DCash
St. Kitts and Nevis was one of the four countries where the ECCB launched its DCash digital currency pilot in March 2021. The pilot was shut down in January 2024 and development was suspended in February 2026, so DCash is not a payment option and should not be part of your plan. Cash in EC dollars, bank cards and bank transfers carry most trade. Ask your own bank what card terminal or phone-based option it offers.
Visitors often pay in US dollars. The EC dollar is fixed at EC$2.70 to US$1, so conversion is simple arithmetic: US$10 is EC$27.00. Shopkeepa records how each sale was paid (cash, card, bank transfer, local wallet or other) so the drawer total is clear when you cash up. It does not process payments.
Imports, restocking and storms
Like its neighbours, the federation imports most of what its shops sell, so orders take planning and a late shipment leaves gaps. Set a minimum quantity for each product that covers the full time between order and arrival, not just the days between visits from your distributor. Shopkeepa reminds you once when a product drops below its minimum and builds a restock list with a suggested order quantity. See how to set reorder points.
Shopkeepa is built with unreliable connections in mind, so a short outage should not stop you selling. Read the hurricane season shop checklist before the season starts.
Common questions
Does Shopkeepa work in Eastern Caribbean dollars?
Yes. Prices, sales and reports are in EC dollars. Currency is a shop setting rather than something fixed in the app.
What is the VAT rate in St. Kitts and Nevis?
The standard rate is 17%, restored on 1 July 2025 after a temporary 13% rate. Check the Inland Revenue Department for the current rate and for the rules on your products.
What do I do when the VAT rate changes again?
Change the tax rate in your shop settings and check your shelf prices. Shopkeepa keeps the tax rate as a setting, so there is no need to edit each product. Remember that VAT-inclusive prices set at an old rate may need to be raised.
Can Shopkeepa file my VAT return?
No. Shopkeepa keeps sales records and reports you can use when you file with the Inland Revenue Department. It does not file returns.
Is Shopkeepa available in St. Kitts and Nevis now?
Not yet. Shopkeepa is in development, and shops in the federation can join the early access waitlist to try it first and help shape it.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked on 6 October 2026. Rules, rates and products change, so confirm anything important with the source.
- St. Kitts and Nevis Inland Revenue Department: VAT rate returns to 17% effective 1 July 2025 (press release, 30 June 2025)
- St. Kitts and Nevis Inland Revenue Department: Value Added Tax (VAT) guidance
- Helm Financial: VAT guide for SMEs in St Kitts and Nevis (rates, 10% hotel and restaurant rate)
- ECCB: EC dollar peg at EC$2.70 to US$1.00 since 1976
- CBDC Tracker: ECCU DCash pilot (St Kitts and Nevis was one of the four launch countries) shut down January 2024
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