Editorial Standards
UtilityPilot publishes practical tools and guidance for trade, business and commerce. These standards explain how we choose our sources, how we keep rates and data current, who is accountable for the content, and how you can report a problem.
Last reviewed: 3 September 2026
How we select sources
For anything that depends on an official figure — VAT and GST rates, public holidays, customs duty schedules and HS/HTS classification — we use primary sources first: national tax authorities, government portals and official customs schedules. Where a primary source is unavailable, we use a clearly identified, reputable secondary source and say so. Every substantive tool links to the source you should verify against, and our full source list is published on the Sources page.
How we review rates and data
Tax and duty rates are reviewed whenever a jurisdiction announces a change, and are re-checked on a regular schedule. Public-holiday calendars are reviewed annually and ahead of each new year. Calculation formulas follow universally accepted accounting and logistics definitions and are shown on each tool so the result can be independently checked. Rates and reference data are informational only — always confirm the current figure with the official authority before filing or contracting.
Deterministic maths, AI only for interpretation
When you ask a question in ordinary language, an AI interpretation service reads your wording to work out what you are asking and which tool applies. The arithmetic itself is always performed by deterministic engines, never by the AI, so results are reproducible and every assumption is shown. See our Methodology for detail.
Who is accountable
UtilityPilot is published and reviewed by Onno C. P. Boots. Substantive guides and jurisdiction pages carry a visible last-reviewed date so you can see how current the content is.
Reporting an error
If you believe a rate, figure or explanation is wrong, please tell us at hello@utilitypilot.net. We review every report and correct confirmed errors promptly. See our Corrections Policy for how we handle them.