France
VAT Name :
Taxe sur la valeur ajoutee (TVA)
VAT Number Format :
12345678901, X1234567890, 1X123456789, XX123456789
(11 characters. May include alphabetical characters (any except O or I) as first or second or first and second characters.)
VAT Information Offices :
Direction Generale des Impots. Bureau GF24A sous-direction des professionnnels et l’action en recouvrement. 86-92, Allee de Bercy, Teledoc 971 75572 Paris Cedex 12
RATES
| Rate | Type | Which goods or services |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | Standard | All other taxable goods and services |
| 10% | Reduced | Some foodstuffs; Certain non-alcoholic beverages; Some pharmaceutical products; Domestic passenger transport; Admission to some cultural services and amusement parks of cultural aspect; Pay/cable TV; Some renovation and repairs of private dwellings; Some cleaning in private households; Hotel accommodation; Restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs (excl. alcoholic drinks); Some domestic waste collection; Certain domestic care services; Firewood; Takeaway food; Cut flowers and plants for decorative use; Some social housing; Writers and composers; Some works of art and antiques; Some agricultural supplies |
| 5.5% | Reduced | Some foodstuffs; Some non-alcoholic drinks; School canteens; Water supplies; Medical equipment for the disabled; Certain books and e-books; Admission to certain cultural events; Some social housing; Some renovations and repairs to private dwellings; Admission to sports events; Some domestic care services; Sanitary protection for women; Some cut flowers and plants |
| 2.1% | Reduced | Some pharmaceutical products; Some newspapers and periodicals; Public TV licences; Admission to certain cultural events; Some livestock intended for use as foodstuffs |
| 0% | Zero | Intra-EU and international transport (excluding road and inland waterways) |
EXEMPTIONS
- Certain admissions to sporting events by non-profit-making bodies
- Letting of residential property (if letting is accompanied by services similar to a hotel then reduced rate will apply)
- Letting of commercial property
- Financial services
- Supply of land
- Option to tax exists for certain leasing and letting of immovable property, financial services, supply of buildings and supply of land
THRESHOLDS
Registration Threshold : EUR 82.800 (supplies of goods and hotel accommodation); EUR 42.900 (supplies of certain services)
Distance Selling Threshold : EUR 35.000
Intra-Community Acquisition Threshold : EUR 10.000
Dispatches : EUR 460.000
Arrivals : EUR 460.000
VAT Free Shopping for Tourists : EUR 175
Non-Resident : Non-resident businesses without a fixed establishment must register for VAT (nil threshold)
PENALTIES
Late Filing : 10% of the VAT due or fixed penalty of EUR 150 if no VAT due. Added to late filing penalty – can be increased to 40% if an error is discovered by tax office plus interest charge
Late Payment : 5% of the VAT due or fixed penalty if there is no VAT due
Late Payment : Not normally applied. Penalty can be charged as part of the regularisation of the VAT return
DEB/DES returns : Missing return – EUR 750 if filed within 30 days, EUR 1.500 thereafter
Missing data : Penalties between EUR 15 and EUR 1.500
Other :
– Other penalties can apply to intra community acquisition errors (10%)
– Other penalties can apply if corrections are triggered by tax audits/investigations
DEADLINES
Assessment Period : 3 years (can be extended to 6 years for tax evasion). Extended for criminal prosecutions to 10 years
Standard Tax Period : Monthly; quarterly filing and annual filing in certain cases according to turnover bands
Due Date : generally 19th or 24th day following reporting period
DEB/DES returns : Monthly; due date is 10th working day of the month following the report period