VAT number in Belgium
How to obtain a VAT number in Belgium?
Do you need to obtain a VAT number in Belgium? As a foreign company, you have two options: you can apply for identification yourself or go through a representative. What steps should I take to obtain a VAT number in Belgium? For which operations? What are your obligations in this country? Here is a VAT guide to everything you need to know about Belgian VAT identification for non-established companies.
- Consultation: Free and without obligation
Obtaining a VAT number in Belgium
Are you developing your export sales? Do you have new tax obligations in terms of intra-Community VAT to manage in Belgium? We have the solution to help you develop your business without adding to the paperwork.
- You do not know the Belgian VAT rules
- The stakes are too high to do everything in-house.
- You need to comply with VAT in Belgium
- Get a VAT registration in Belgium without creating a permanent establishment
- Secure your VAT compliance and tax return processing
- A team of VAT rockstars at your side to help you grow your export business
Eurofiscalis takes care of your registration and your VAT returns in Belgium.
When to identify yourself for VAT in Belgium?
All taxable persons in the EU have an intra-community VAT number in their country. As a French company, your FR VAT number allows you to trade with other Member States, to fill in your VAT returns or to answer the INTRASTAT survey in France. However, as soon as you are liable for VAT in another Member State, you must identify yourself for VAT in that country if you are not already established there. For which operations do you need to apply for a VAT number in Belgium?
You must identify yourself for Belgian VAT in the following cases:
- You import goods into Belgium;
- You are buying and selling in Belgium;
- You send goods from Belgium to companies located in other Member States (intra-Community deliveries);
- You carry out work on buildings in Belgium using foreign subcontractors;
- You organize trade shows or seminars in Belgium, etc.
This list is not exhaustive: if you have any doubt, do not hesitate to contact us before starting your activities in Belgium. You must indeed file your application for registration before the start of your operations.
Our teams will take care of you. No more administrative and time-consuming tasks, our Belgian VAT Stars will assist you.
What steps should I take to obtain a VAT number in Belgium?
Please note that there are two different schemes for applying for a BE VAT number when you are a non-established foreign company: the “responsible” fiscal representation scheme, and the direct identification scheme. Your options are different depending on whether you are established in an EU or non-EU country.
Obtaining a Belgian VAT number for non-EU companies
You are obliged to use the responsible representation scheme if you are established outside the European Union. You cannot apply for registration yourself. You must appoint a fiscal representative in Belgium who will be responsible for all your VAT obligations in the country: registration, periodic declarations (VAT, Intrastat, EC Sales List), VAT payments and recoveries, etc.
Obtaining a Belgian VAT number for EU companies
If you are established in France or in another Member State, you will be using the direct Belgian VAT identification system. You have the possibility to appoint a fiscal agent in Belgium but it is not an obligation. This person can take care of your registration file, your VAT returns or even the filing of your Intrastats, depending on the tasks you entrust to him. On the other hand, you remain responsible for the VAT procedures carried out in Belgium: your fiscal agent is a simple intermediary between you and the Belgian tax authorities.
Do you want to do the procedures yourself? You can apply for a Belgian VAT number by contacting the Foreign SME Center directly. Here is the procedure to follow for direct Belgian VAT identification requests.
How do you compile your direct identification file?
Remember that this procedure is only possible for companies established in the EU. If you are in a third country, you must use a responsible representative.
For your application for a VAT number in Belgium, you must fill in the following forms:
- Form 604A "Declaration of commencement of activity";
- The IDT form "Direct identification for VAT".
You must also attach to your file :
- A proof of activity requiring a VAT number in Belgium (contract, purchase order, transport document, invoice, proof of activity takeover, etc.) ;
- An extract from the trade register in your country (Kbis extract in France);
- A certificate of VAT liability in your country, unless your VAT number is active in the VIES system;
- The statutes of your company, for the description of your activities;
- A copy of the manager's identity card;
- The bank details of your company.
Who should you send your file to?
When your application is complete, you must send it by e-mail to the Foreigners’ SME Center at foreigners.team1@minfin.fed.be. It generally takes 2 weeks to obtain your Belgian VAT number.
To contact the Foreign SME Center :
By mail:
SPF Finances – AGFisc PME – Centre Matières Spécifiques,
Avenue Prince de Liège 133 box 735
5100 Jambes
By phone : +32 2 572 57 57
By mail : team1@minfin.fed.be
What are the obligations for foreign companies identified in Belgium?
Your Belgian VAT number must be mentioned on all your invoices issued in Belgium. It will also be required for all your tax and declaration obligations in this country, including
- Belgian VAT returns: monthly VAT returns and payments ;
- Intrastats: monthly statistical declarations with an entry threshold of 1.5M€ and a shipment threshold of 1M€;
- EC Sales Lists: monthly declarations of intra-EU deliveries from Belgium.
Why use our Service to be your tax representative / tax agent?
Eurofiscalis is an international tax company specialising in tax representation. Our experts (statutory auditors, accountants, lawyers) speak 3 languages and will take care of all tax obligations on behalf of your company. European tax law and related aspects are a critical issue in a company’s development on the international arena, which is why we establish long-term relations based on trust.
Analysis of your flows and compliance with VAT, intrastat, invoices, customs
Processing and submission of your VAT registration
Getting your local and EORI numbers
Simplified customer/supplier bookkeeping
Filing of your periodic VAT and Intrastat returns
Single point of contact with local authorities
Hundreds of companies choose Eurofiscalis to help them in their development in Europe. Listen to the testimonial of our client PING, we help them to manage their intra-community VAT
moderation
- Ian Smith | Directeur Administratif et Financier
- Collabore avec Eurofiscalis : Depuis 2021
- Services : Déclarations TVA, Audit TVA
- Chiffre d'affaires : +70 000 000 €
- Web : ping.com
“The service Eurofiscalis provide us, give me the confidence and trust that we have a compliance process to Europe for our VAT and customs…”
Countries where we offer the service of fiscal representative
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Spain
- France
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- The Netherlands
- Portugal
- United Kingdom
- Switzerland
- Bulgaria
- Estonia
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Poland
- Czech Republic
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
Call on our firm to manage your VAT obligations in Belgium
Use our service and outsource the management of your Belgian VAT returns