VAT in Spain

Value added tax applies to most sales a company makes in Spain, at a general rate of 21 per cent with reduced rates for some goods and services. For a foreign founder the practical questions are when to register, how to invoice customers in other EU countries, and how to recover VAT paid on costs. The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla sit outside the Spanish VAT territory, which matters if you trade there.

Ask a firm how often it files your returns, whether it handles EU sales listings and whether it can deal with an enquiry from the tax office in your own language. Check that the profile mentions e-commerce or cross-border work if that is your model.

438 firms list VAT in Spain: 389 accounting firms, 38 law firms and 11 corporate services providers. Spanish is offered by 424, English by 169 and French by 48. Startups are named by 43 and e-commerce by 19, which helps if you sell online. Back to the Spain overview for the other services.

Firms offering VAT in Spain

DAEM

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Barcelona

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +3 more

Languages: Spanish

View profile of DAEM

DiG Abogados

Law firm · Medium-sized firm

Barcelona

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

Languages: Spanish · Catalan · English · French …

View profile of DiG Abogados

iPimes

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Barcelona

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

Languages: Spanish · Catalan · English

View profile of iPimes

414 more firms offering VAT in Spain

Frequently asked questions

When does a foreign company need to register for VAT in Spain?

Generally when it supplies goods or services that are taxable in Spain. The trigger depends on what you sell and to whom, so ask a firm to confirm your position before the first invoice.

Can I recover Spanish VAT paid on business costs?

Often, yes, if the costs relate to taxable activity and the invoices are correct. A firm can set this up in your returns. Keep every invoice, with the company's tax number on it.

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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.