There are different situations why you may need foreign vat registration:

  • Sell goods online
  • Store goods in the European warehouse where you are not established
  • Exceed the distance selling VAT threshold when you sell cross-border
  • Sell digital services
  • Host conference abroad and others – if you are not sure ask our expert
  • You cannot benefit from OSS registration

In this case you need to get intra-community VAT number, or foreign VAT number.

Amazon PAN–EU package

Amazon PAN-EU program helps FBA sellers to sell their goods across the EU and grow your business. But you will require to register for VAT in all countries which your goods are store.

You can use our ‘PAN-EU 6’ package for obtaining VAT registration in DE, IT, FR, PL, ES, CZ.

Ask your manager for 20% discount for this package!

Register for PAN-EU now
-20%
discount for “PAN-EU 6” countries
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Why LOVAT?

Online fast and easy process

Online fast and easy process

All steps of VAT registration explained

All steps of VAT registration explained

Available for 111 countries

Available for 111 countries

Frequently asked questions

How long the business VAT registration process take?

Receiving the VAT number can take up to 12 weeks. It varies from country to country.  For example, in Germany, the timescale is approximately 8 weeks, because at the beginning company needs to get the general tax number Steuernummer in German. The same approach in France: at first company needs to obtain a French tax number SIREN (or SIRET) and an average timeframe for  French VAT registration is 6 weeks. Quite often during the process tax officer can ask to provide additional information or documents and it also may lengthen the process. Normally you can start to sell and have 30 days to receive your VAT certificate. You can ask our support team about the current average VAT registration duration for your country.

What is the fee of VAT registration in Belgium?

300 EUR – VAT registration only fee

or

150 EUR VAT registration fee with commitment of 6 months VAT reporting subscription (any plan)

How long does it take to register VAT in Belgium?

The processing time for VAT registration in Belgium is typically 3-4 weeks from the date that the Belgian tax authorities receive all of the required documentation. However, the processing time may be longer if the tax authorities have any questions about the application or if the application is incomplete.

Can I start an Amazon FBA business without a VAT number at the beginning and obtain it later?

Yes, you can start an Amazon FBA business without a VAT number at the beginning and obtain it later.

Tips for starting an Amazon FBA business without a VAT number:

  • Choose a country to store your goods that have a high VAT registration threshold. This will give you more time to grow your business before you need to register for VAT.
  • Sell goods to customers in countries that have a high VAT registration threshold. This will also give you more time to grow your business before you need to register for VAT in those countries.
  • When you start selling goods to customers in a country where you need to register for VAT, you can contact Lovat and we will help you with the registration.
  • With the Lovat platform, you will be able to control the volume of your sales, track thresholds, and register for VAT when you need to.

Which documents are required for going VAT registered?

It depends on whether you are a company or an individual entrepreneur. The main document is a trade register extract (good standing). These documents prove a current status of a business in its country of establishment. Sometimes Copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association is needed. Document for director of the company – passport or ID card.

The majority of countries accept documents in English. But some countries ask to have a translation to Local language and sometimes even sworn translation.

Is it possible to apply for VAT number in non-EU countries?

Yes. We can register your company for VAT  in non-European countries. Some countries for example Brazil don’t have simple VAT registration. To receive a VAT number seller needs to register a subsidiary or a local entity. To get a VAT number in Switzerland businesses need to appoint a local tax representative. To clarify requirements for the specific country you can in our VAT guides or ask in the support chat.

Do countries have vat registration requirements?

The Majority have requirement that a business must have taxable activity to be able to apply for VAT. Among such countries Latvia, Germany, France. To be able to register for VAT in these countries you need to support your application with a proof that a business has obligations to be registered.

Examples of the reasons for registrations:
• contracts with local customers
• sales to local customers
• lease of warehouse contract
• fulfillment center contract

Very few countries allow voluntary VAT registration – the UK, Russia and some others. That meant that in these countries you don’t need to proof that you have taxable actively you may register for VAT voluntarily.

What turnover is required for vat registration?

Each country has a rule about turnover for domestic businesses, this rule normally doesn’t apply to distance sales. For the EU-based business selling to other EU countries commutative turnover below 10K euro. That means that EU-based businesses selling remotely less than 10K euro per year to other EU countries don’t need to register for VAT. Other distant sales thresholds you can check at our VAT guides section.

Can I check if a company is a vat registered?

If you want to check a European vat number you may use our VAT number checker API or use EU website to check numbers one by one. Bear in mind that at this website you may only check the number registered for intracommunity operations. Sometimes VAT numbers might be valid for sales inside a country only. Such numbers you can check with the local tax authority website. For example, for the UK VAT number, you can check it here. When you are the EU business you don’t need to check VAT numbers for your outside-EU contractors.

Registration thresholds for foreign taxable persons

Generally, distance sales thresholds or general tax registration doesn’t apply to foreign businesses. For Example VAT registration threshold in Romania is RON 300 000 (EUR 88.500) and the distance sales threshold is EUR 10 000. When a company established in the UK starts to sell goods or services taxable in Romania this company cannot benefit from any of the above thresholds and need to register from the first euro. Because first threshold (EUR 88.500) is for locally established businesses and the second threshold is for EU established businesses.

Exemption from VAT registration

It depends on what you sell first of all. For example, when you sell exempted goods or services only you don’t need to register for VAT in the UK.

Can I apply for backdating VAT registration?

If you have already made taxable transactions but failed to register, the legislation in most countries allows you to register with back-dated registration date. Usually, even when you report your sales retrospectively you cannot credit incoming vat invoices for corresponding periods. You can read more in our article here.

Can I be VAT registered if I’m registered neither as a company nor as an individual entrepreneur?

No. To be able to apply for VAT registration a person needs to be registered as a business.

What to undertake if tax authorities reject VAT registration applications?

At first, it is essential to understand the reason for this rejection. If you believe that you have a right to be registered you may raise an objection. Normally you have from 10-60 days to appeal against the tax authority’s decision. You may attach supporting documents to your appeal.

I change the name of the company. Do I need to make changes to VAT registration certificates?

Yes, as soon as you change your business name, the business address you need to notify tax offices where you have VAT numbers. You need to fill the special form to make such changes. Tax authorities will reissue VAT certificates with a new name or address. The average time for this is 30 days.

Do I need a VAT registration in Belgium if I store goods in the Amazon warehouse in Belgium?

Yes, you do. If you store goods in Belgium, you are required to register for VAT in Belgium and comply with the Belgian VAT rules. This applies to all Amazon sellers who use the Amazon warehouse in Belgium, which will receive goods from other Amazon Logistics centers like France and Germany.

VAT deregistration

There are different cases for VAT deregistration. It is optional in case your income is below the threshold and the taxable sales are expected to be less than the deregistration threshold in the next 12 months. It is obligatory to deregister if you're no longer eligible to be VAT registered: you stop trading or making VAT taxable supplies. Get a free consultation

Online VAT registration – a simple solution for your business abroad

If you need a company VAT number to set up your business selling goods or services abroad, you can get it fast and online. Lovat company makes it possible to obtain a VAT registration certificate without spending much time, resources, paperwork, or other difficulties. The service is available in 111 countries worldwide.

How to get a VAT number online? In order to apply for VAT online, all you have to do is select the required country, register a new account on our website, fill out a simple application and download the documents through your account. See a step-by-step guide about ordering of a VAT registration

In order to become a VAT payer, you require an extract from the Commercial Register, a passport or an ID card. In some cases, other documents may be required, such as a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. After submitting the form, you will receive your VAT number, when it will be ready – just by checking your email.

If you have any questions, want to know how much it costs, or need any help during the registration, you can always contact our manager and find a comprehensive consultation on each stage. To contact the manager, write an email or call one of the phones in the “Contact Us” tab. You can also fill out a feedback form, and the manager will call you back promptly.