# Retrieve VAT or sales tax

Use the **getContents** method to calculate the tax charge based on current session contents. 

Follow the steps below to learn how you can retrieve the VAT or sales tax amount:

1. Populate the **Order** object with information. 2Checkout needs the `BillingDetails` **(object)** information to calculate taxes. 
2. Use the **getContents** method to get info on all the products added to cart by the shopper in the current session.
3. The output of the **getContents** method is the **Order session content object.**
4. Under the `Price`, access information including for each product purchased. Find value added tax and sales tax details under the VAT parameter. 
5. Tax information is also available for the entire order object. Find value added tax and sales tax details under the VAT parameter.
6. Calculate the VAT/sales tax rates using the `VAT` and `NetPrice` values. 

## Request parameters

<table><thead><tr><th width="124">Parameter</th><th>Type / Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><code>sessionID</code></td><td><p><strong>Required (string)</strong></p><p>Session identifier, the output of the <strong>Login</strong> method. Include <code>sessionID</code> into all your requests. 2Checkout throws an exception if the values are incorrect. The <code>sessionID</code> expires in <strong>10 minutes</strong>.</p></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/pages/ntYqWA3pWPLrpvzTn87M"><code>Order</code></a></td><td><p><strong>Required (object)</strong></p><p>Object designed to collect all data necessary for an order, including billing, product/subscription plan and payment details.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Request sample

```php
<?php

require ('PATH_TO_AUTH');

$Order = new stdClass();
$Order->RefNo = NULL;
$Order->Currency = 'usd';
$Order->Country = 'US';
$Order->Language = 'en';
$Order->CustomerIP = '91.220.121.21';
$Order->ExternalReference = NULL;
$Order->Source = NULL;
$Order->AffiliateId = NULL;
$Order->CustomerReference = NULL;
$Order->Items = array();
$Order->Items[0] = new stdClass();
$Order->Items[0]->Code = 'my_subscription_1';
$Order->Items[0]->Quantity = 1;
$Order->Items[0]->PriceOptions = NULL;
$Order->Items[0]->SKU = NULL;
$Order->Items[0]->Price = NULL;
$Order->Items[0]->CrossSell = NULL;
$Order->Items[0]->Trial = false;
$Order->Items[0]->AdditionalFields = NULL;
$Order->Items[0]->Promotion = NULL;
$Order->BillingDetails = new stdClass();
$Order->BillingDetails->FirstName = 'FirstName';
$Order->BillingDetails->LastName = 'LastName';
$Order->BillingDetails->CountryCode = 'us';
$Order->BillingDetails->State = 'California';
$Order->BillingDetails->City = 'LA';
$Order->BillingDetails->Address1 = 'Address example';
$Order->BillingDetails->Address2 = NULL;
$Order->BillingDetails->Zip = '90210';
$Order->BillingDetails->Email = 'customer@email.com';
$Order->BillingDetails->Phone = NULL;
$Order->BillingDetails->Company = NULL;
$Order->DeliveryDetails = NULL;
$Order->PaymentDetails = new stdClass ();
$Order->PaymentDetails->Type = 'TEST';
$Order->PaymentDetails->Currency = 'usd';
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod = new stdClass ();
$Order->PaymentDetails->CustomerIP = '10.10.10.10';
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->RecurringEnabled = true;
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->CardNumber = "4111111111111111";
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->CardType = 'visa';
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->ExpirationYear = '2019';
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->ExpirationMonth = '12';
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->HolderName = 'John';
$Order->PaymentDetails->PaymentMethod->CCID = '123';
$Order->Promotions = NULL;
$Order->AdditionalFields = NULL;
$Order->LocalTime = NULL;
$Order->GiftDetails = NULL;

try {
    $CartContents = $client->getContents    ($sessionID, $Order);
}
catch (SoapFault $e) {
    echo "CartContents: " . $e->getMessage();
    exit;
}
var_dump("CartContents", $CartContents);
```

## Response parameters

<table><thead><tr><th width="173">Parameter</th><th>Type</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="/pages/76f484e0d1d46d29018a991ac2117d0c2f58bfc2"><code>SessionContents</code></a></td><td><strong>Object</strong></td></tr></tbody></table>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.2checkout.com/soap-api-reference/soap-api-6.0/api-requests/order-session-contents/retrieve-vat-or-sales-tax.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.