Requesting or amending a tax card as a resident employee or pensioner

A tax card is a necessary document for the employer or the pension fund in order for them to withhold taxes at source on salaries or pensions. It provides information about:

  • the tax class of the employee or pensioner (for the main card); or
  • the tax rate for the additional card; or
  • a projected rate for married taxpayers who have chosen an individual with reallocation taxation.

The multi-annual tax card is issued by the competent tax office (RTS office) of the Luxembourg Inland Revenue (Administration des contributions directes - ACD) for resident employees or pensioners. As a general rule, the taxpayer's current commune of residence determines which RTS office is competent.

Who is concerned

Individuals employed in Luxembourg or pensioners who receive a statutory retirement pension taxable in Luxembourg must, in principle, have a tax card because incomes from a salaried occupation and pensions paid by a Luxembourg pension fund are subject to tax withholding.

The tax withheld by the employer or the pension fund is in accordance with the scale or rate indicated on the tax card.

The withholding tax on salaries or pensions is determined by taking into account the tax reductions (deductions and allowances) mentioned on the tax card.

How to proceed

Issuing of tax cards

For employees who start work in Luxembourg, the tax card is automatically issued by the Luxembourg Inland Revenue (ACD) following their affiliation with the Luxembourg Joint Social Security Centre (Centre commun de la sécurité sociale - CCSS) within, on average, 30 working days. Depending on the type of change in personal circumstances of the employee or the employer, a new tax card will be issued.

In the case of a first-time request for a tax card, the following, among others, must always use form 164:

  • employees taxable in Luxembourg and affiliated as a non-salaried worker with the CCSS; or
  • employees taxable in Luxembourg and not affiliated with the CCSS.

Since 1 January 2022, temporary agency workers no longer need a tax card. These salaries are subject to a 10 % flat tax on the gross amount, less the social contributions. Temporary agency workers with a gross hourly wage in excess of EUR 25 have to request their tax card by submitting the form 162 F to the competent RTS office. For these workers, the tax withheld will be determined according to the common tax scheme

Tax cards are sent directly to recipients by post. It cannot be picked up directly from the issuing RTS office.

Taxpayers who have not received their tax card within 30 working days of their first day of employment with their new employer should contact the competent RTS office and inform their employer that the application is still pending.

The competent RTS office is determined depending on the taxpayer's current commune of residence.

Submission of the withholding tax card by electronic means

The Luxembourg Inland Revenue (ACD) offers the activation of the eDelivery feature for the withholding tax card. Doing so allows taxpayers to receive this document in electronic format in their Private eSpace on MyGuichet.lu.

Please note: only documents sent from the moment of subscription to this service are available.

To benefit from this service, the taxpayer must first subscribe to the eDelivery function for official documents sent by the ACD. The subscription can be made in their private eSpace on MyGuichet.lu, under 'My data' in the 'Taxation' section, under 'Subscription to ACD documents'.

This step is essential in order to receive the documents in the private eSpace.

The taxpayer receives an email as soon as a new document is posted in their private eSpace. The document can be consulted in PDF format.

Changes in personal or professional circumstances

The tax card is automatically updated by the ACD within an average of 30 working days if the following events occur:

  • a change of employer;
  • a change in the employer's company name or address;
  • the employee is deregistered from the Joint Social Security Centre (CCSS) by the employer;
  • retirement, in accordance with the social security laws;
  • a change in the composition of a taxpayer's household as reported to the Children's Future Fund (Caisse pour l'avenir des enfants - CAE).
  • any change of address and/or marital status of a resident taxpayer as reported to a "Biergercenter" of a Luxembourg communal administration.

Tax cards are not affected by civil partnerships.

A taxpayer getting married during the year will have the marital status changed and is taxable according to the scale of the tax class 2. However, as of the 2018 fiscal year, they may choose to be taxed separately and can, upon request, select individual taxation (pure individual taxation or with reallocation). They can also calculate the estimated tariffs in an online simulation.

The taxpayer who becomes a parent during the year changes tax class: in the case of the birth or adoption of a child, the taxpayer may, on request, benefit from a tax reduction for that child and obtain tax class 1a, unless they benefit from tax class 2.

These tax class changes on the tax card take effect from the date of marriage, of the processing of the application for individual taxation, or of the birth of the child. The amount of withholding tax can be rectified following the submission of the new tax card to the employer or the pension fund.

Tax deducted at source may also be adjusted for the entire year, from 1 January to 31 December, either by:

Checking and submission of tax cards

The taxpayer must check the information printed on the card upon receipt.

Since 1 January 2022, employees are no longer required to submit their original tax card to their employer or to the body responsible for granting unemployment or re-employment benefit. An electronic copy of the tax card is made available to the employer by the ACD.

In principle, pensioners only receive a copy for information purposes, while the original is sent directly to the pension fund. The tax card is established based on data from the last card issued when the taxpayer was employed.

If any of the information on the card is incorrect, the changes must be requested from the Luxembourg Inland Revenue  using the form 164 R and attaching the required supporting documents.

The Luxembourg Inland Revenue reserves the right to request supporting documents as part of the process of verifying any information, statements, applications, declarations, claims or appeals submitted to its offices.

The different types of tax cards

Taxpayers who simultaneously receive several taxable salaries or pensions in Luxembourg receive a tax card for each respective employer and pension fund.

The withholding tax is levied on the most stable and highest salary in accordance with the the main tax card (the '1st tax card'), by applying the tax scale on salaries or pensions and the tax class indicated on the card. The main tax card is allocated to the most stable and highest salary or pension.

For married taxpayers who have opted for joint taxation, individual pure, or individual taxation with reallocation, the withholding is made in accordance with an estimated tax rate which they can find out about in an online simulation.

In all other cases, the withholding is made on the basis of an additional tax card (second, third, etc., tax card), with the application of a fixed withholding tax rate of:

  • 33 % for tax class 1;
  • 21 % for tax class 1a;
  • 15 % for tax class 2.

However, this fixed rate can be reduced on demand. Taxpayers applying for a reduced rate must attach copies of their payslips for the last 3 months with the annotation, 'Prière de reconsidérer mon taux au plus bas' (Please reconsider my lowest tax rate). This change has no influence on the tax due at the end of the year, but only on the amount of tax withheld at source.

If the main tax card does not apply to the most stable and highest income, taxpayers may file a request with the relevant RTS office, using form 164 R, to have the main card changed to an additional card.

Taxpayers must provide the necessary supporting documents (copies of the salary slips of both spouses for the last 3 months) attesting their income.

Taxpayers must specify that they wish to have the main card changed to an additional card by including the annotation, 'Prière de reconsidérer la fiche principale' (Please reconsider the main card). This change has no influence on the tax due at the end of the year, but only on the amount of tax deducted at source.

Registration of tax reductions on the tax card

The employee or pensioner can request the registration of certain tax reductions (deductions and allowances) and certain tax credits on their tax card (using the form 164 R) so that employers or the competent pension fund can take these into account for the calculation of the net income.

For example, a taxpayer may request the registration of:

Interest expenses relating to the purchase of a residential property may not be included on the tax card, and will only be taken into account as expenses upon the filing of an income tax return (form 100, sheet L).

The registration of a tax reduction and certain tax credits on a tax card is valid only for the year for which it was requested. Requests must be renewed each year to ensure that the required conditions are still met.

The advantage of registrations on tax cards is that they enable tax reductions (deductions and allowances) and tax credits to be taken into account when calculating the net salary without having to wait for the income tax assessment notice resulting from the tax return.

These registrations only have an effect on the amount of tax deducted at source, the tax due at the end of the year will not be affected.

The amount of tax deducted at source during a fiscal year may occasionally be too high or too low. The remainder may be reimbursed or collected retroactively, in the course of the year following the tax year concerned:

Supporting documents to be submitted

The supporting documents to be attached to the application for registration of a tax deduction are listed on the last page of form 164.

The Luxembourg Inland Revenue reserves the right to request additional supporting documents as part of the process of verifying any information, statements, applications, declarations, claims or appeals submitted to its offices.

Requesting a duplicate tax card

Employees/pensioners who are Luxembourg residents and who have lost their tax card can file a request for a duplicate with the relevant RTS tax office, preferably using the form 164 R provided for that purpose.

Please note: the withholding tax card is not to be confused with:

No tax card

If no tax card is submitted, the tax deducted at source on the salary or pension is determined on the basis of tax class 1, and the tax cannot be lower than 33 %.

This tax deduction may be corrected once the tax card has been submitted to the employer, or by adjustment through:

Forms / Online services

Demande en établissement, rectification, inscription d'une modération ou établissement d'un duplicata d'une fiche de retenue pour contribuables résidents (Modèle 164 R F)

Les informations qui vous concernent recueillies sur ce formulaire font l’objet d’un traitement par l’administration concernée afin de mener à bien votre demande.

Ces informations sont conservées pour la durée nécessaire par l’administration à la réalisation de la finalité du traitement

Les destinataires de vos données sont les administrations compétentes dans le cadre du traitement de votre demande. Veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée par votre demande pour connaître les destinataires des données figurant sur ce formulaire. Conformément au règlement (UE) 2016/679 relatif à la protection des personnes physiques à l'égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données, vous bénéficiez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et le cas échéant d’effacement des informations vous concernant. Vous disposez également du droit de retirer votre consentement à tout moment.

En outre et excepté le cas où le traitement de vos données présente un caractère obligatoire, vous pouvez, pour des motifs légitimes, vous y opposer.

Si vous souhaitez exercer ces droits et/ou obtenir communication de vos informations, veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée suivant les coordonnées indiquées dans le formulaire. Vous avez également la possibilité d’introduire une réclamation auprès de la Commission nationale pour la protection des données ayant son siège à 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

En poursuivant votre démarche, vous acceptez que vos données personnelles soient traitées dans le cadre de votre demande.

Antrag auf Ausstellung, Berichtigung, Eintragung einer Ermäßigung oder Ausstellung eines Duplikates einer Steuerkarte für ansässige Steuerpflichtige (Vordruck 164 R D)

Ihre in diesem Formular erfassten personenbezogenen Informationen werden von der zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörde verarbeitet, um Ihren Antrag erfolgreich abzuschließen.

Diese Informationen werden von der Behörde für den zur Verarbeitung erforderlichen Zeitraum gespeichert.

Die Empfänger Ihrer Daten sind die im Rahmen Ihres Antrags zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörden. Um die Empfänger der in diesem Formular erfassten Daten zu erfahren, wenden Sie sich bitte an die für Ihren Antrag zuständige Behörde.

Gemäß der Verordnung (EU) 2016/679 zum Schutz natürlicher Personen bei der Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten und zum freien Datenverkehr haben Sie das Recht auf Zugang, Berichtigung und gegebenenfalls Löschung Ihrer personenbezogenen Informationen. Sie haben zudem das Recht, Ihre erteilte Einwilligung jederzeit zu widerrufen.

Weiterhin können Sie, außer in Fällen, in denen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten verpflichtend ist, Widerspruch einlegen, wenn dieser rechtmäßig begründet ist.

Wenn Sie diese Rechte ausüben und/oder Einsicht in Ihre Informationen nehmen möchten, können Sie sich unter den im Formular angegebenen Kontaktdaten an die zuständige Verwaltungsbehörde wenden. Sie haben außerdem die Möglichkeit, bei der Nationalen Kommission für den Datenschutz Beschwerde einzulegen (Commission nationale pour la protection des données, 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux).

Wenn Sie Ihren Vorgang fortsetzen, akzeptieren Sie damit, dass Ihre personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihres Antrags verarbeitet werden.

authentic sources

National Registry of Natural Persons

Consult your personal data in the National Registry of Natural Persons

To complete your application, the information about you collected from this form needs to be processed by the public administration concerned.

That information is kept by the administration in question for as long as it is required to achieve the purpose of the processing operation(s).

Your data will be shared with other public administrations that are necessary for the processing of your application. For details on which departments will have access to the data on this form, please contact the public administration you are filing your application with.

Under the terms of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, you have the right to access, rectify or, where applicable, remove any information relating to you. You are also entitled to withdraw your consent at any time.

Additionally, unless the processing of your personal data is compulsory, you may, with legitimate reasons, oppose the processing of such data.

If you wish to exercise these rights and/or obtain a record of the information held about you, please contact the administration in question using the contact details provided on the form. You are also entitled to file a claim with the National Commission for Data Protection (Commission nationale pour la protection des données), headquartered at 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

By submitting your application, you agree that your personal data may be processed as part of the application process.

Registre national des personnes physiques

Consultez vos données inscrites au Registre national des personnes physiques (RNPP)

Les informations qui vous concernent recueillies sur ce formulaire font l’objet d’un traitement par l’administration concernée afin de mener à bien votre demande.

Ces informations sont conservées pour la durée nécessaire par l’administration à la réalisation de la finalité du traitement

Les destinataires de vos données sont les administrations compétentes dans le cadre du traitement de votre demande. Veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée par votre demande pour connaître les destinataires des données figurant sur ce formulaire. Conformément au règlement (UE) 2016/679 relatif à la protection des personnes physiques à l'égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données, vous bénéficiez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et le cas échéant d’effacement des informations vous concernant. Vous disposez également du droit de retirer votre consentement à tout moment.

En outre et excepté le cas où le traitement de vos données présente un caractère obligatoire, vous pouvez, pour des motifs légitimes, vous y opposer.

Si vous souhaitez exercer ces droits et/ou obtenir communication de vos informations, veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée suivant les coordonnées indiquées dans le formulaire. Vous avez également la possibilité d’introduire une réclamation auprès de la Commission nationale pour la protection des données ayant son siège à 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

En poursuivant votre démarche, vous acceptez que vos données personnelles soient traitées dans le cadre de votre demande.

Nationales Register natürlicher Personen

Rufen Sie die Daten des Nationalen Registers natürlicher Personen auf

Ihre in diesem Formular erfassten personenbezogenen Informationen werden von der zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörde verarbeitet, um Ihren Antrag erfolgreich abzuschließen.

Diese Informationen werden von der Behörde für den zur Verarbeitung erforderlichen Zeitraum gespeichert.

Die Empfänger Ihrer Daten sind die im Rahmen Ihres Antrags zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörden. Um die Empfänger der in diesem Formular erfassten Daten zu erfahren, wenden Sie sich bitte an die für Ihren Antrag zuständige Behörde.

Gemäß der Verordnung (EU) 2016/679 zum Schutz natürlicher Personen bei der Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten und zum freien Datenverkehr haben Sie das Recht auf Zugang, Berichtigung und gegebenenfalls Löschung Ihrer personenbezogenen Informationen. Sie haben zudem das Recht, Ihre erteilte Einwilligung jederzeit zu widerrufen.

Weiterhin können Sie, außer in Fällen, in denen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten verpflichtend ist, Widerspruch einlegen, wenn dieser rechtmäßig begründet ist.

Wenn Sie diese Rechte ausüben und/oder Einsicht in Ihre Informationen nehmen möchten, können Sie sich unter den im Formular angegebenen Kontaktdaten an die zuständige Verwaltungsbehörde wenden. Sie haben außerdem die Möglichkeit, bei der Nationalen Kommission für den Datenschutz Beschwerde einzulegen (Commission nationale pour la protection des données, 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux).

Wenn Sie Ihren Vorgang fortsetzen, akzeptieren Sie damit, dass Ihre personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihres Antrags verarbeitet werden.

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