This guide provides an overview of VAT in France, including applicable rates, registration requirements, compliance obligations, and filing deadlines. It is designed for businesses engaging in transactions within France.
is the year France introduced modern VAT, paving the way for global adoption.
Foreign businesses that incur VAT on eligible expenses in France may be able to reclaim it.
Doing business in France? You’ll need to play by the CGI rules.
Registration is required only once your business exceeds the threshold in France.
Exemption: Access to electronic newspapers and periodicals may be VAT-exempt if they serve educational or public interest purposes.
International events may incur local VAT in France on venue hire, accommodation, and supplier costs. Foreign businesses can apply for a VAT refund in France, provided proper invoices and documentation are submitted. Use a VAT refund calculator to estimate recoverable amounts.
Foreign businesses in the tourism sector may recover VAT on eligible expenses such as accommodation, transport, and event-related services through a VAT reclaim in France. Claims must be supported by compliant invoices and proper documentation. A VAT refund calculator can help estimate recoverable amounts.
Foreign businesses have until June 30 of the following year to submit a VAT refund claim in France under the 8th or 13th Directive. Late submissions are not accepted. Using a VAT refund calculator can help estimate reclaimable amounts.
Explore indirect tax information in these countries:
The DGFiP Has Spoken: France’s September e-Invoicing Deadline Stands. There has been speculation in recent weeks about whether France’s mandatory e-Invoicing deadline would be pushed back following a cyberattack on the DGFiP, France’s Public Finances Directorate. The French government has now responded directly, and the answer is unambiguous: no postponement. David Amiel, Minister for […]
How to Deregister for VAT and What to Consider First A drop in turnover, a change of business model, or the closure of a cross-border sales channel can all result in a company being registered for a tax it no longer needs to charge. Cancelling that registration is rarely as simple as writing to the […]
EDI vs E-Invoicing: What’s the Difference and Which Does Your Business Need? Both EDI and e-Invoicing move structured transactional data electronically between businesses. On the surface they look similar. In practice they serve different purposes, operate through different mechanisms, and carry very different compliance implications depending on where your business operates. Understanding the distinction is […]
Backdating VAT Registration: What Businesses Need to Know VAT registration has a deadline. Miss it, and the tax authority does not simply move the start date forward to when you applied. In most cases, it moves it back to when you should have registered in the first place. That gap between when you were liable […]
VAT IT and Helios: Every Invoice Verified, All Eligible VAT Recovered. When your business crosses borders, the tax rules, invoice formats, and compliance requirements change with every country you enter. Most expense platforms were not built to handle that. Managing it across multiple vendors is where things tend to go wrong. Helios and VAT […]
Oman’s e-Invoicing Rollout Just Changed. Here Is the Updated Timeline. On 9 August 2026, Oman’s Tax Authority issued Decision No. 189/2026, adjusting the phased rollout of its mandatory e-Invoicing programme and providing more clarity in respect of the affected taxpayers. The dates have moved. The direction has not. What Changed Phase Who It Covers Previous […]
VAT in the Events Industry: The Triggers That Catch Businesses Out Most event businesses think they have a VAT plan. What they actually have is a VAT filing plan. Those are not the same thing. Filing returns on time does not protect you if the underlying classification of your supplies is wrong. If admission […]
Branch vs Subsidiary: Why the Distinction Matters More Than You Think for VAT Reclaim Most multinationals know the difference between a branch and a subsidiary from a corporate law perspective. Fewer realise how dramatically that distinction affects their VAT position, and specifically, how much recoverable VAT they may be leaving on the table because of […]
California Is About to Tax SaaS. Here Is What Changes on 1 January 2027. If California was the state your US Sales Tax compliance team never had to think about, that changes in six months. Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 122 into law as part of California’s 2026-2027 budget. From 1 January […]
VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA): The Complete Guide to the EU’s VAT Reform VAT in the Digital Age, better known as ViDA, is the European Union’s biggest overhaul of VAT rules in a generation. After nearly two years of political deadlock, the reform is no longer a proposal, it is enacted EU law, with the first major deadlines within the […]
This webinar explains how US businesses can identify and recover foreign VAT, breaking down key concepts like reciprocity and showing where refund opportunities are often missed.
