Portugal VAT Guide

Introduction

EU-wide VAT legislation was introduced to harmonize the VAT principles of all EU Member States and remove conflicts. Consequently, most Portugal VAT rules correlate with EU VAT Directive 2006/112/EC.

Should you collect VAT in Portugal?

You must collect the Portugal VAT in Portugal if your business is engaged in the following types of activities:

1. Supply of Goods: Supply of goods means transferring the right to dispose of a tangible property as owner.
2. Intra-EU acquisition: Acquiring or purchasing goods within Portugal from another EU Member State as a VAT-registered person (typically known as the Reverse Charge Mechanism).
3. Supply of Services: Supply of services covers any transaction not covered in the supply of goods.
4. Import of Goods: Any transaction that imports goods from a non-EU state to an EU Member State.

To learn more, visit the VAT Act of Portugal (Article 1). Furthermore, because the VAT laws of most EU Member States are harmonized with the overall EU VAT law (i.e., Directive 2006/112/EC) and also of Portugal, you can refer to Articles 14-30 of the EU tax directive for detailed information on taxable transactions.

When should you register for VAT in Portugal?

Normally, the value-added tax is destination-based (owing to place of supply rules – discussed separately in the One Stop Shop article), requiring every person (whether registered anywhere or not) to register for VAT when making any taxable sales in Portugal. VAT registration in Portugal is required for the following types of transactions:

• Supply of Goods or Services in Portugal to non-taxable persons: Sellers must register in Portugal and pay VAT only if they have not opted for One Stop Shop (see Notes 1 and 2 below).
• Supply of Services in Portugal to a taxable person: The recipient of services must register and pay VAT in the country if the supplier is not established in Portugal (under Article 196 of the EU VAT Directive (pg.39)).
• B2B Acquisition of Goods: Where the goods are sold by a taxable person from any EU Country to a taxable person in Portugal, the buyer should register for Portugal VAT (reverse charge basis under Article 197 of EU VAT Directive (pg. 39)).
• Import of Goods in Portugal: The importer must pay and register for VAT (if not covered in the Import One Stop Shop–see our OSS article for details).
• Export of Goods/ Services: Exporting goods/ services to non-EU countries would require a VAT number.

Important Note 1: If you supply goods from other EU Member States to Portugal, you would be required to attain registration for Portugal VAT only if your total annual sales (goods/ services) in the EU are more than EUR 10,000; in contrast, they should be taxed in the supplier’s member state owing to the EU-wide VAT threshold specified for TBE services and distance sale of goods. Refer to our EU One Stop Shop Article for more details, which contains information about the EU-wide VAT threshold and distance sale of goods.

Important Note 2: When you opt for EU One Stop Shop registration, you are exempted from separate registration for Portugal VAT. One Stop Shop applies to the B2C sales made by taxable persons from other EU countries to Portugal of over EUR 10,000 and the import of goods in Portugal below EUR 150. Visit our EU One Stop Shop article for more details.

“Example 1: Company A, a Spain-based company, sells goods to a non-taxable buyer B in Portugal. Company A’s total annual sales exceed EUR 10,000 in the EU, excluding sales in Portugal.

Company A must either register for Portugal VAT (if it does not opt to register for One Stop Shop) or the One Stop Shop.”

Portugal VAT Threshold Summary

To read the official guidance, visit the Portuguese VAT law (Article 53).

How can you Register for VAT in Portugal?

To register for VAT in Portugal, you can apply online. The application can be processed in a couple of weeks. The following details must accompany the VAT application:

• Name, address, and nature of business.
• Details of Offices/ facilities including branches, warehouse, etc.
• Bank Account details.
• If a Company is registered elsewhere (or in another EU Member State), the tax office and VAT number under which the Company is registered must be provided.
• Articles of Association.
• Certificate of Incorporation.
• VAT Certificate.
• Power of Attorney when appointing a fiscal representative in Portugal.

Please visit the official website of the Portugal Tax Authority for additional information about registration in Portugal. The registration process may sometimes involve cumbersome formalities, so you can use TaxDo’s streamlined software without going anywhere else. Just fill out the required information on our software, and we will do the rest.

How should you collect and calculate VAT in Portugal?

VAT is generally charged on a destination-based principle (see the place of supply rules described in the OSS Article), which includes all taxable transactions (described earlier in this article) except those that are otherwise exempt; thus, the VAT Rate is applied to any sales made to Portugal.

VAT Rates

You must charge the VAT Rate of 23%, other than the products/ services you are supplying that are covered under the reduced rates of 13% and 6%. Below is an illustrative list of items covered under the reduced VAT Rates:

For a complete list of reduced-rate goods/ services, refer to Article 18 of VAT law. Alternatively, the VAT rates in Portugal are available on the EU Commission website.

Certain conditions may apply to the reduced rates, where things get trickier. TaxDo is here for you! Our experts are well-equipped with VAT laws and will resolve all your concerns.

Below is the simple formula you can use to calculate your VAT collection on each merchandise/ service sold:

VAT collectible = Sale value * (Standard Rate or reduced Rate as may be applicable)

Digital Products/ Services

Digital Products are those stored, used, or delivered in electronic format or any such form. You must charge Portugal VAT for such digital products since Portugal’s VAT laws align with EU VAT rules.

The digital products include the following:

• E-books, images, newspapers, movies, periodicals, videos, etc.
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Services (PaaS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).
• Online ads and affiliate marketing.
• Websites, site hosting services, and internet service providers.

VAT Exemptions

The legislation provides certain exemptions from the VAT, such as:

• Importation of goods of which the supply would be exempt within the country.
• Imports of goods under diplomatic and consular arrangements qualify for exemption from customs duties.
• Supplies of goods to be dispatched or transported to a destination outside the territory of Portugal.
• Supplies of goods are still subject to arrangements for transit or temporary importation, as well as supplies of services related to such supplies.
• Supplies of goods for the fueling and provisioning of aircraft behind referred.
• Exports.

Please visit the VAT Act (Article 9) to see what exemptions are covered.

B2B and Reverse Charge Mechanism in Portugal?

If you are a taxable person from another EU Member State and sell the goods/ services to a VAT-registered person in Portugal, then the transaction is considered a B2B Intra-Community supply, and you are not required to charge the VAT on an invoice raised to the buyer. On the other side of the pond, the Portuguese buyer will account for VAT on the intra-community acquisition (under the reverse charge mechanism). The buyer will calculate the input VAT on purchase from another state in the VAT return and show the output VAT for the same amount, allowing him to adjust the tax liability, resulting in a zero VAT payment. Reverse charge is applied under Articles 196 & 197 of the EU VAT Directive.

Likewise, if you maintain a warehouse in Portugal from another EU Member State and transfer the goods, you will need a VAT number in Portugal and should account for Portugal VAT as an Intra-Community acquisition under the reverse charge. He will show the deemed purchase (input VAT) and deemed sale (output VAT) when filing the return in Portugal, leading to zero tax being paid.

“Example 2: Company A in France sells goods in Europe. For this purpose, it has set up a warehouse in Portugal. It transfers the goods from France to Portugal Warehouse and sells them in Portugal.

Company A must register and account for Portugal VAT on the stock transfer (considered an Intra-community B2B acquisition). While filing the VAT return in Portugal, Company A will show the input VAT on the intra-community acquisition and report the output VAT for the same amount. This way, the VAT liability would become zero on the stock transfer. Later, Company A must charge and pay Portugal VAT for goods sold to consumers in Portugal.

Should you appoint a fiscal representative in Portugal?

Appointing a fiscal representative is mandatory when you do not have an establishment, registered office, or branch office in the EU and carry out any VAT-exempted or taxable transaction in the country. However, it is optional for businesses based in another EU Member State.

The appointed fiscal representative shall require a power of attorney from the taxable person registered in another EU Member State.  

Fiscal representative appointment and carrying out the transaction may be complex, as any defaults can attract heavy fines and penalties. TaxDo can help you by appointing a fiscal representative and handling all the duties, as we work with leading tax partners in Europe, so we can find it easily.

To learn more about fiscal representatives, visit the official Portuguese VAT law.

How should you file VAT in Portugal?

The VAT declaration frequency in Portugal is as follows:

For more information, refer to the Portugal VAT Act (Article 41).

Filing dates are sometimes extended in exceptional circumstances through a notification by the Portuguese tax authority.

Note: If your tax due date is a holiday or weekend, the next business day would be considered the final due date.

You can file the VAT return in Portugal through the online portal or using TaxDo’s specialized software, which seamlessly files, calculates, and reports your taxes. Additionally, if you are selling to other EU Member States and opted for One-Stop-Shop, you must file an OSS return. Refer to our OSS article for further details.

Are there any fines or penalties for default when filing or paying VAT?

The legislation levies a penalty of up to EUR 3,750 for late submission of a VAT return. Penalty for non-payment of VAT is levied from 30% to 100% of VAT due subject to a maximum of EUR 45,000. Interest can also be chargeable at the rate of 4% p.a.

However, assigning your tax burden to TaxDo would not result in you paying any penalty or interest. We will adhere to the due dates. Please review the guidelines Portugal issued for penalties and interest.

VAT Invoice in Portugal

A VAT invoice is a testament to how much VAT is charged and collected and evidence of the B2B/B2C supply basis for applying the other rules. Accordingly, the Portugal VAT invoice must include the following information:

• Business Name and Address of buyer and seller.
• Business VAT number issued to the supplier.
• Date of issue.
• Quantity and type (customary trade name) of the goods supplied or the scope and nature of the other service.
• Time of delivery or other service.
• The applicable VAT rate and the amount of tax are attributable to the consideration.

For more details, refer to the VAT Act (Article 40).

Important Note 3: For any sales made to a country outside Portugal, you must convert the amounts to your official currency. For this purpose, you can use the European Central Bank’s official exchange Rates.

Keeping Records: You must keep the VAT records for at least ten years under Article 369 of the EU VAT Directive.

Special VAT territory in Portugal – The autonomous regions of Azores and Madeira do not fall under the purview of Portugal’s VAT rules. Thus, any products/ services received from these territories are considered Imports from outside the EU, whereas any sale to these territories is treated as exports, leading to zero VAT. TaxDo will guide you best, as our experts have immense experience and knowledge handling such territories. You may read the other provisions concerning these regions by visiting the Portugal VAT legislation. Below is the structure of VAT rates in these territories: