A VAT Refund Guide to 

Spain

How to get VAT Refunds from Spain for your business

Businesses registered in countries outside of Spain can claim VAT refunds on any costs incurred in Spain.
The below information details the requirements needed to be eligible for a VAT refund. This includes claimable expense types, Spain VAT rates, deadlines and claiming periods.
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Where is your company based?

EU

based businesses

VAT-registered businesses in an EU member state are eligible to recover VAT on business costs from Spain under the EU VAT Refund Directive.

NON-EU

based businesses

VAT-registered businesses outside of the European Union are eligible to recover VAT on business costs from Spain under the 13th Directive.

Which countries have reciprocity with Spain?

All EU countries, Canada (limited), Israel (limited), Japan, Monaco, Norway (limited) and Switzerland (limited)

For a more detailed explanation on what reciprocity means within the scope of VAT, click here:

What expenses are claimable in Spain?

ENTERTAINMENT & HOSPITALITY

Entertainment

0%

Hotels & Accommodation

10%

Restaurants

10%

EVENTS

Conferences, Trade Shows & Exhibitions

10%

Training Courses & Seminars

21%

GENERAL EXPENSES

Goods

21%

Inter-company charges

21%

Office Expenses

21%

Marketing Costs

19%

Professional Fees & AP invoices

21%

TRAVEL RELATED

Car Rental

21%
50% is claimable

Fuel

21%
50% is claimable

Public Transport

10%

Taxis

12%

Additional Information

How far back can your business claim VAT from Spain?
January to December of the previous year
What’s the foreign VAT deadline in Spain?
30 September of the year following the claim year date
How long does it take to receive a VAT refund from Spain?
Depending on the complexity of your application and the capacity at the VAT authority, it can take up to 5 months for EU businesses and up to 6 months for Non-EU businesses to receive a VAT refund from Spain

Need help with your VAT refund from Spain?

You don’t have to do this alone. We’ve been helping companies reclaim foreign VAT refunds for over 20 years. We have the knowledge and technology to process your refunds quicker as well as attend to any unforeseen VAT authority queries that may arise.

Download a full international VAT guide and never miss a deadline