VAT in Slovakia

Are you shipping goods to customers in Slovakia? Check whether you need to register for the Slovak VAT system and what the VAT rates are in Slovakia.

VAT in Slovakia - table of contents:

The Slovak VAT Act contains most guidelines for foreign companies that need to register for VAT purposes and file local VAT returns. Slovak VAT regulations comply with EU requirements.

When should you register for VAT in Slovakia?

If a foreign company supplies goods or services in Slovakia, it may be obliged to register for VAT purposes. Typical cases where this is required include:

import of goods into Europe through Slovakia,
purchase and sale of goods in the Slovak Republic,
warehousing of goods under a consignment agreement in the Slovak Republic for sale to local customers,
selling goods online to Slovak consumers after exceeding a turnover of 10,000 euros for foreign consumers.

After registering as a VAT taxpayer, a foreign person is obliged to submit documents to the tax office (tax return, summary information, inspection report, and others) exclusively electronically.

VAT registration thresholds in Slovakia

For EU VAT-registered businesses selling goods online to consumers in Slovakia, the threshold for VAT registration (distance selling) is €10,000. .

To register for Slovak VAT, you must complete the appropriate forms (in Slovak) and submit:

VAT certificate confirming that the company is registered as a VAT taxpayer in another EU location – if applicable,
the original extract (notarized or stamped by the court) from the national commercial register of the company, translated into Slovak by an official translator.

VAT declarations in Slovakia

Every company registered with the Slovak tax office as a non-resident VAT taxpayer must report taxable transactions using periodic reports called declarations.

The default accounting period in Slovakia is one calendar month. Companies whose turnover in the previous calendar year was less than 100,000 euros may opt to submit quarterly declarations. Newly registered companies must submit monthly declarations for twelve months from registration, regardless of turnover.

The VAT tax return by a foreign entity should be submitted by the 25th day of the following month for the previous month or quarter, if:

the return shows the tax due,
an intra-Community supply or export of goods was made in the Slovak Republic,
the taxpayer participated in triangular trade as the first client,
the taxpayer applies tax deduction.

In certain cases, it is necessary to submit a control declaration and a summary declaration. In the case of Slovak VAT, there is a five-year limitation period.

VAT ledger report

Companies in Slovakia are required to submit so-called VAT ledger reports, which contain details of sales and cost invoices for each VAT period.

The reports are submitted by the 25th day of the month following the end of the settlement period (month or quarter).

Not submitting the report can lead to a fine of up to 10,000 euros. Repeat offenses may incur fines of up to 100,000 euros.

What should a Slovak invoice contain?

Invoices must primarily include:

date of issue,
unique, consecutive number,
VAT number of the supplier,
full name and address of the supplier and the recipient,
full description of the goods or services provided,
details regarding the quantity of goods or scope of services rendered,
date of delivery, if different from the date of issue,
net value,
VAT rate,
gross value.

In the case of intra-Community transactions, a Slovak VAT invoice must be issued by the 15th day of the month following the delivery.

For all other transactions, an invoice must be issued within 15 days from the date of delivery. Invoices must be kept for 10 years. Slovakia, like all EU member states, currently allows the use of electronic invoices subject to meeting appropriate conditions.

IMPORTANT!

Businesses selling goods online to consumers in Slovakia can register for VAT OSS if their turnover exceeds 10,000 euros. With VAT OSS, they can file one VAT return for all EU member states and pay foreign tax according to the buyer’s country’s rates, simplifying their tax obligations. They don’t need to follow Slovak tax rules except for applying the foreign VAT rate. In case of not registering for VAT OSS, all rules applicable in Slovakia must be followed – but only in relation to distance sales.

RATE	TYPE	TYPE OF GOODS OR SERVICES
20%	standard	all other taxable goods and services,
10%	reduced	some foods, some pharmaceutical products, some medical equipment for disabled persons, books (excluding e-books) hotels and accommodation,
0%	zero	intra-Community and international passenger transportation.

Having only three VAT rates is quite an unusual solution. Most EU countries have four, or even five different rates, with the exception of Denmark, which has only two rates. Read more about the VAT system in Denmark.

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Author: Lucy Adams
She has extensive knowledge in the field of accounting and constantly gains experience working for both small businesses and larger corporations. Her mission is to explain complex financial and accounting issues and teach business owners and those interested in the subject how to manage their finances effectively. She enjoys giving practical advice, discussing current accounting issues, and analyzing legislative changes that may affect business operations. She enjoys a straightforward approach to finance that helps entrepreneurs focus on growing their businesses. She translates complex issues into easy-to-understand language so that anyone can confidently make decisions that impact the success of their business.
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The most important questions

When should you register for VAT in Slovakia?

If a foreign company is supplying goods or services in Slovakia, it may be obligated to register for VAT
How to register for VAT in Slovakia?

To register for Slovak VAT, you need to complete the relevant forms (in Slovak) and submit them along with: a VAT certificate confirming the company's VAT registration elsewhere in the EU - if applicable, and an original extract (notarized or stamped by the court) from the national trade register of the company, translated into Slovak by an official translator.