VAT in Slovakia

Slovakia is a member of the European Union (EU) and draws up its tax rules according to the laws or directives issued from Brussels by the EU. The current VAT directive applies to all 27 member states of the European Union, and it governs the rules on VAT compliance, and in some part, covers the setting of VAT rates.

As an EU member state, Slovakia is obliged to implement the VAT directives, which provides guidance on VAT. Where there is a conflict, the European Union’s directive takes precedence. Slovakia is  a member of the European single market economy and uses the Euro (€) as its currency. In Slovakia VAT is known as: Daň z pridanej hodnoty, or DPH.

VAT registration in Slovakia

Both EU and non-EU businesses may trade in Slovakia without establishing a local presence. This is known as non-resident VAT trading. There is no VAT threshold in Slovakia for the registration of non-resident traders, but you will need one to record transactions and your Slovakian customers will want proof that you have obtained one.

There are strict rules on the situations where VAT registration is permitted. Common scenarios that require Slovakian VAT registration include:

• Importing goods into Slovakia;
• Organising live events, conferences, etc. in Slovakia;
• Holding goods in a warehouse in Slovakia as stock for resale;
• Buying goods within Slovakia that are subsequently re-sold in-country;
• Selling goods from Slovakia to other EU member states;
• Distance-selling to private individuals in Slovakia, e.g. internet retailing or trading through an e-commerce platform.

Registering for Slovakian VAT genrrally takes two weeks once all documentation has been submitted to the tax authority, but this varies from seller to seller and will depend on the specifics of an individual company.

Slovakian VAT compliance

There are detailed rules controlling the recording and processing of Slovakian transactions for VAT purposes. This includes guidelines on:

• Slovakian invoice requirements;
• When to issue a Slovakian tax invoice;
• Foreign currency reporting;
• Credit notes and corrections;
• Correcting entries from prior returns;
• Which accounting records must be maintained.

Slovakian VAT rates