The 2012 worldwide VAT, GST and sales tax guide

536 P ORTUGAL
European Union (EU)
member state
Administered by
Yes
Ministry of Finance
(http://www.portaldasfinancas.
gov.pt)
VAT rates
Mainland
Standard 23%
Intermediate 13%
Reduced 6%
Other
Exempt and exempt with credit
Autonomous regions
of the Azores and Madeira
Standard 16%
Intermediate 9%
Reduced 4%
VAT number format PT 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
VAT return periods
Monthly
If the turnover in the preceding
VAT year exceeded €650,000
Quarterly
If the turnover in the preceding
VAT year did not exceed
€650,000
Annual
All taxable persons that
performed any taxable
operations
Thresholds
Registration
None
Distance selling €35,000
Intra-Community
acquisitions
None
Recovery of VAT by
nonestablished businesses Yes
B. Scope of the tax
VAT applies to the following transactions:
• The supply of goods or services made in Portugal by a taxable
person
• The intra-Community acquisition of goods and services in
Portugal from another EU member state made by a taxable
person (see the chapter on the EU, page 208)
• Reverse-charge services received by a taxable person in Portugal
• The importation of goods from outside the EU, regardless of the
status of the importer
For VAT purposes, the territory of Portugal includes the autonomous
regions of the Azores and Madeira. However, special
VAT rates apply to supplies made in these islands.
C. Who is liable
A taxable person is any business entity or individual that makes
taxable supplies of goods or services or intra-Community acquisitions
or distance sales in the course of a business in Portugal.
No VAT registration threshold applies in Portugal. A taxable
person that begins activity must notify the VAT authorities of its
liability to register.