VAT in Portugal

VAT, called IVA in Portugal, touches every invoice a company issues. On the mainland the law sets three rates: 6%, 13% and 23% for everything outside the two reduced lists. The autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores may set lower rates of their own. For a foreign-owned company the work is registering for VAT, choosing the correct treatment for sales to clients in other countries, filing returns and keeping invoices in a form the tax authority accepts.

Ask a firm whether it files returns for companies that sell to customers in other EU states or outside the EU, whether it handles registration for a non-resident business that only sells into Portugal, and how it checks the VAT status of your customers. A profile that lists e-commerce, real estate or tourism among its industries tells you the firm sees those invoice patterns often.

Accountanty lists 70 firms in Portugal that handle VAT: 61 accounting firms, 7 corporate services providers and 2 law firms. Portuguese and English are offered by 59 and 58 of them. Start with the Portugal guide, or compare firms in Lisbon and Funchal.

Firms offering VAT in Portugal

Bismon

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Ramada

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +2 more

Languages: English · Portuguese

View profile of Bismon

moviinn

Corporate services provider · Boutique firm

Lisbon

  • Company formation
  • Tax compliance
  • VAT
  • +3 more

Languages: English · Portuguese

View profile of moviinn

SEVEN

Corporate services provider · Medium-sized firm

Porto

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +2 more

Languages: Portuguese · English · Spanish · French

View profile of SEVEN

46 more firms offering VAT in Portugal

Frequently asked questions

Which VAT rate applies to my sales in Portugal?

On the mainland the standard rate is 23%, with reduced rates of 6% and 13% for goods and services on the two statutory lists. Madeira and the Azores can fix lower rates. Your adviser should confirm which rate applies to each product or service you sell.

Do I need to register for VAT as a foreign-owned company?

A company that carries on a taxable activity in Portugal normally registers for VAT when it starts, subject to the exemptions the law provides. Registration depends on your activity and where your customers are, so ask the firm to confirm it in writing.

How do I invoice a customer in another EU country?

The treatment depends on whether the customer is a business with a valid VAT number and on what you supply. A VAT adviser checks the customer's status, applies the right treatment and adds the required wording to the invoice. Ask whether the firm also files the related summary declarations.

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General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.