Austria SME rules

SME Scheme – General features

Exemption

It is possible to opt for the SME scheme in Austria.

Transactions excluded from the SME scheme

The following transactions are excluded from the SME scheme: 

• Occasional transactions, like the supply before first occupation of a building or parts of a building or the supply of building land,
• Exempt cross-border supplies of new means of transport made from one Member State to another.

National annual threshold

The annual threshold in Austria is 55.000 Euro.

The information on the national annual threshold is available on TEDB.

Domestic SME scheme

Simplified VAT obligations

A small enterprise established in Austria who applies the SME scheme in Austria only (domestic SME scheme) is released from the following VAT obligations: 

• to state the beginning of its activity
• to VAT register
• to submit periodical VAT returns

Cross-border SME scheme

The cross-border SME scheme applies in the following situation:

1. The small enterprise applies the SME scheme in other Member States than the Member State of establishment, or;
2. The small enterprise applies the SME scheme both in the Member State of establishment and in other Member State(s).

Simplified VAT obligations

The VAT registration in each Member State where the small enterprise applies the SME scheme is replaced by a single prior notification to be submitted in the Member State of establishment. 

The periodical VAT returns are replaced by a single quarterly report for all Member States to be submitted in the Member State of establishment. 

Currency

The values of supplies of goods and services to indicate in the prior notification, in the update to a prior notification and in the quarterly reports must be in EUR. 

Way of submission

The prior notification, the update to a prior notification and the quarterly reports should be submitted by electronic means on this page.

Additional simplified VAT obligations

Exempt small enterprises applying the cross-border SME scheme in Austria are released from the following VAT obligations:

• to issue full invoices (in other words: the SME can use simplified invoicing)

Transitional period

Austria applies a transitional period in case the national annual threshold is exceeded during the current calendar year. If the national threshold is exceeded by not more than 10%, the exemption remains applicable until the end of the calendar year (see TEDB database).

Practical examples of the application of the transitional period and its consequences are available in the Explanatory Notes.
 

Quarantine

Quarantine period in case of exclusion from the SME scheme

Small enterprises excluded from the SME scheme in Austria are not able to benefit from that exemption during the current year and the following year (see TEDB database).

Practical examples are available in the Explanatory Notes.

Quarantine period in case of voluntary departure from the SME scheme

Small enterprises who decide to voluntarily leave the SME scheme in Austria are not able to benefit from that exemption during a quarantine period of five calendar years (see TEDB database.). A voluntary leave has effect for the whole calendar year.

Appeals

Domestic SME scheme

Appeals should be addressed to your Member State of establishment (MSEST).

Cross-border SME scheme

Member State of establishment (MSEST)

Appeals related to the following topics should be addressed to MSEST:

• Union annual turnover
• other exclusion undertaken by the MSEST (e.g. assumption that taxable activities have ceased)

Member State of exemption (MSEXE)

Appeals related to the following topics should be addressed to MSEXE:

• National annual turnover
• Denial to access the cross-border SME scheme in MSEXE
• Exclusion for exceeding the national annual threshold/sectoral threshold in MSEXE

Calendar

VAT simplified procedures

VAT simplified procedures

• lump sum input VAT deductions