VAT rules aren't the same in every country.
Every EU country sets its own standard VAT rate and reclaim thresholds. Here's how the reclaim actually works, and a quick way to check whether your last trip qualifies.
Two reclaim routes
Businesses established in the EU reclaim VAT paid in another member state through their home country's tax portal (EU Directive 2008/9/EC). Businesses established outside the EU use the 13th Directive instead, which depends on a reciprocity agreement between the two countries.
Minimum claim size
Under the EU-wide directive, claims must total at least €400 for a quarterly claim, or €50 for a full calendar year. Below that, a claim usually isn't worth filing.
Filing deadline
EU cross-border claims for a given year must officially be submitted by 30 September of the following year, and Rebound Nordic files by 30 June to be safe. Miss the deadline, and that VAT is gone for good. This is the single biggest reason companies leave money on the table.
General guidance, not tax advice. Exact thresholds and eligible expense categories can vary by country and by your company's specific setup. Rebound Nordic checks the current rules for you automatically before filing anything.
Where you apply depends on where your company is.
Swedish companies reclaim VAT from other EU countries through one place, and each country's own rules decide what you get back.
- How you apply
- Every EU country through Skatteverket's e-service, which forwards each claim. Norway (form RF-1032) and the UK are separate applications to their own tax authorities.
- What's refundable
- Decided by the country you travelled to, not by Swedish rules, as long as the costs belong to your VAT-registered business in Sweden.
- Deadlines
- We file EU claims by 30 June the year after the trip (officially 30 September). Norway: 30 September. UK: 31 December after the UK VAT year (July–June).
- Minimum per claim
- EU countries: €400 for 3–11 months, €50 for a full year. Norway: NOK 5,000.
- You'll need
- Invoices issued to your company's name. Some countries ask for copies of invoices over €1,000 (€250 for fuel).
Click a country for its form, minimum, language and requirements. General guidance, not tax advice.
Is your trip refundable?
Pick the country and roughly what you spent, and we'll estimate the VAT you could reclaim on the spot.
Standard VAT rates, at a glance.
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