The Author of the VAT Guide
What does this guide contain?
The guide provides you with practical VAT information for Romania:
- Your VAT registration in Romania
- Your VAT obligations TVA in Romania
- The invoicing rules in Romania
VAT REGISTRATION IN ROMANIA
When do you have to register for VAT?
It is mandatory for your company to apply for VAT registration with Romanian authorities before starting your activities. Financial penalties may apply if the application for registration is submitted late.
What documents do I need to provide when I register?
If your company wishes to register for VAT in Romania, it is essential to contact the Romanian tax authorities. There is no need to contact the tax authorities in your country of establishment.
In particular, your company will need to submit the following documents:
- The VAT registration form(s) completed in the language of the country
- A copy of the articles of association
- An extract from the trade register
- A certificate of VAT liability
- Power of attorney (if using a fiscal agent)
- Proof of activity on the territory of the country concerned: a contract, an order form, etc.
The Romanian tax authorities may require some of these documents to be translated into Romanian.
How long does it take to get a VAT number?
If your file is complete, it generally takes one month to obtain the VAT number from the competent Romanian tax office.
Is a fiscal representative necessary?
Romanian VAT authorities may require non-European companies to appoint a fiscal representative. This is a local company that will represent you to the local VAT authorities. He is responsible for the respect of all your VAT obligations, including those of which he was not aware. For this reason, he may require a deposit (e.g. a bank guarantee) from you before accepting the representation assignment.
European companies are not obliged to appoint a tax representative. However, to facilitate their relations with the local tax authorities, they may appoint a proxyholder to carry out the tax formalities on their behalf. In this case, it is not necessary to issue a bank guarantee. The company remains solely responsible for paying its VAT debts.
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VAT OBLIGATIONS IN ROMANIA
Is it necessary to keep VAT accounting ledgers?
Your company must keep ledgers sufficiently detailed to enable the application of VAT and its control by the Romanian tax authorities.
When do you have to file a VAT return?
VAT-registered businesses in Romania generally submit periodic VAT returns (Form 300) electronically.
The VAT reporting period is generally monthly or quarterly, depending on the taxpayer's circumstances. The calendar quarter may apply to qualifying taxpayers whose annual turnover does not exceed the equivalent of EUR 100,000.
Special rules apply where a taxpayer using a quarterly reporting period carries out an intra-Community acquisition of goods. Such an acquisition may result in the VAT reporting period changing from quarterly to monthly.
The VAT return and corresponding VAT payment are generally due by the 25th day of the month following the relevant reporting period.
The VAT expert's eye
Member States set the duration of the taxable period at one, two or three months. However, they may set different periods provided they do not exceed one year. The VAT return must be submitted within a period to be determined by the Member States. This deadline may not be more than two months after the end of each taxable period (Art. 250 of the VAT Directive).
Do I have to submit an annual return?
Your company is not required to file an annual recapitulative VAT return.
The VAT expert's eye
Member States may require the taxable person to file a return containing all the data referred to in Articles 250 and 251 and concerning all transactions carried out during the previous year. This return shall include all the information necessary for any adjustments. They authorize, and may require, the return to be made by electronic means under conditions which they determine (Art. 261 of the VAT Directive).
What is the deadline for paying Romanian VAT?
The company must pay the VAT due no later, no later than the 25th day of the month after the end of the tax period [month/quarter] to which it relates.
Interim payments are not required.
The VAT expert's eye
Every taxable person who is liable for the tax must pay the net amount of VAT when filing the VAT return. Every taxable person who is liable for the tax must pay the net amount of VAT when submitting the VAT return. However, Member States may set a different deadline for the payment of this amount or collect instalments (Art. 206 of the VAT Directive).
When should the intra-EU statement be filed?
VAT-registered businesses carrying out reportable intra-Community transactions may be required to submit Form 390 VIES.
The recapitulative statement is submitted monthly and includes qualifying intra-Community supplies and acquisitions of goods and qualifying intra-Community supplies and acquisitions of services.
Form 390 VIES must generally be submitted by the 25th day of the month following the month in which the reportable transaction takes place.
The eye of the VAT expert
A recapitulative statement is drawn up for each calendar quarter within a period and according to procedures to be determined by the Member States. However, Member States may provide for recapitulative statements to be submitted on a monthly basis. Member States may allow, and may require, recapitulative statements to be submitted electronically under the conditions they determine (Art. 263 of the VAT Directive).
INVOICING RULES IN ROMANIA
Does the invoice have to include VAT? Reverse Charge?
As a supplier of goods or services, your company is normally obliged to issue an invoice with VAT to its customer. This is the general rule. However, there are many derogatory situations which transfer this obligation to pay tax to the customer himself. These situations are known as "reverse charge" situations.
The special reverse charge rules have been introduced in Romania for foreign companies:
For supplies of goods:
Reverse charge mechanism is applicable to all domestic supplies of goods made by a business not established in Romania, provided that the customer is established and VAT registered in Romania or, not established but VAT registered through a tax representative.
For supplies of services:
Reverse charge mechanism is applicable to all domestic supplies of services made by a business not established in Romania, provided that the customer is established and VAT registered in Romania or, not established but VAT registered through a tax representative.
What are the mandatory mentions on an invoice?
The VAT Directive lays down the minimum information that you must include on your invoice. In some cases, countries may add additional compulsory information. Particular attention should be paid to the conversion rates when the currency used on the invoice is not that of the country in which the transaction takes place, and to the specific statements justifying the legal reason why VAT is not charged.
What VAT rate should be mentioned on an invoice?
The standard VAT rate in Romania is 21%.
A reduced VAT rate of 11% applies to specified categories of goods and services, including certain food products, medicines, books, water supplies and other transactions specifically provided for by Romanian VAT legislation.
The 21% standard rate and 11% reduced rate have applied since 1 August 2025.
The applicable VAT rate should be determined according to the nature and classification of the goods or services supplied.
Should the invoice be sent to your customer in paper form or electronically?
Romania operates a mandatory electronic invoicing system known as RO e-Factura.
Invoices falling within the scope of the Romanian e-invoicing rules must be transmitted electronically through the RO e-Factura platform in the required structured format.
The scope of RO e-Factura has been progressively extended and covers a broad range of transactions. The application of the system to foreign businesses depends on factors including their Romanian VAT status, establishment and the nature of the transactions carried out.
Foreign businesses carrying out transactions in Romania should therefore determine whether they are required to issue, transmit or receive invoices through RO e-Factura and ensure that their invoicing systems can meet the Romanian technical requirements.
The VAT expert's eye
Electronic invoicing in SAF-T format (D406 Statement) has been implemented on January 1st, 2022.
The Romanian National Tax Administration Agency (ANAF) has published a phased compliance schedule based on the annual amounts invoiced by companies: large taxpayers will be the first to be required to file the SAF-T file (using form D406) in February 2022, followed by medium-sized taxpayers in 2023 and small taxpayers in 2025.
VAT REFUNDS IN ROMANIA
How can I recover VAT in Romania ?
There are several methods to obtain refunds of Romanian VAT. The practical formalities for reclaiming foreign VAT will differ depending on whether or not your company is established in Europe and/or is identified for VAT in Romania:
- If your company has a VAT number in Romania, it will have to submit a refund application in the form and within the timeframe required by local regulations. A VAT credit is in principle automatically carried forward to the next period, unless a tax refund has been applied for.
- If your company is established in a European country and does not have a VAT number in Romania, it will have to apply for a VAT refund electronically from its country of residence, in the form and within the time limits required by Directive 2008/9.
- If your company is established outside Europe and does not have a VAT number in Romania, it may have to appoint a tax representative to submit its refund application in the form and within the time limits required by the 13th Directive.
Is Romanian VAT recoverable on all expenses?
VAT incurred on purchases, imports or intra-Community acquisitions of goods and services can be reclaimed by a foreign company provided that these expenses are for taxable activities and provided that the appropriate documentation is available.
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