VAT registration in Spain

Do you need a VAT number in Spain for your foreign company?

In order to obtain a VAT number in Spain for your company, you will need the following documents:

• A recent certificate issued by the relevant government authority stating the company's incorporation date, address, director(s), and shareholder(s) along with how these individuals can represent the company.
• A copy of the passport of the company director(s).
• Power of Attorney.

Once we receive these documents, we can apply for VAT registration in Spain. Once your application is approved, you will receive a VAT number (or CIF) that begins with an "N".

There are several reasons you might need a Spanish non-resident VAT number. Some examples are:

• To hold a conference, exhibition, training, or other for-profit event in Spain.
• To recover VAT paid in Spain.
• To import goods into Spain.
• To hold goods in port or airport consignment in Spain until they are delivered to end customers in the EU.
• To sell goods to consumers over the internet or through catalogs (distance selling).
• To apply reverse charge VAT.
• To file intrastat in Spain.
• As a foreign company that installs technical equipment in Spain.
• To provide telecommunication services in Spain.

In order to do any of these, a legal and valid Spanish VAT number is necessary for non-Spanish entities. With our VAT registration service, once you send us the documents, you will receive your Spanish non-resident VAT number in 72 hours.

A non-resident company is required to have a representative in Spain as a point of contact for the tax office. We offer fiscal representation as part of our service.

The terms "VAT number" and "VAT registration" are sometimes used to mean different things. To clarify:

• VAT registration: If you are going to do business in Spain without using a physical space within Spain, then you can apply for a VAT number in Spain for your foreign company, as we call it VAT registration.
• Company formation: If you are going to do business in Spain with an office, warehouse, or any kind of permanent establishment, then you must form a company. The easiest and cheapest is to form a sociedad limitada.
• VIES registration: If you want a European VAT number for your existing resident company (SL) (meaning to register your SL in censo VIES, also called ROI), this is a different service, which we call VIES registration. VIES registration affects whether you need to charge VAT to other VIES-registered companies within the EU but outside Spain.

You may want to get VAT registration in various countries of the European Union. If you do, click to read about this option. It will be more efficient than contacting separate providers to obtain a VAT number in each country.

Once you obtain your Spanish non-resident VAT number, you can hire employees with your foreign company. Click to find out more.

FAQs:

Links:

We have both an American company (from Delaware) and a French company. Does it matter which company documents we send you?

It is generally easier to get the French company registered than to get the Delaware company registered. In order to get a non-resident VAT number in Spain, the foreign company must have a valid tax ID. Some Delaware companies are not fully registered in the USA and therefore don't have a valid tax ID.

Note that EU companies must be VAT-registered in their own country before applying for VAT registration in Spain.