VAT - Real estate

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The application of Luxembourg VAT varies depending on whether a company:

  • purchases a building to be constructed or an existing building;
  • or decides to lease it.

The purchase of buildings to be constructed is subject to Luxembourg VAT.

In principle, the rental and purchase of existing buildings are exempt. In such cases, the business has the right to opt for VAT, which allows it to waive the exemption in order to then deduct input VAT.

Who is concerned?

Any natural person or legal entity that purchases or leases a building may be liable for VAT on real estate.

How to proceed

Purchase of buildings

VAT on real estate purchases may be applied differently depending on whether the buildings in question are buildings to be constructed or pre-existing buildings.

Buildings to be constructed

"Buildings to be constructed" refers to the land on which the construction company will construct the building: the constructions therefore do not exist at the time the contract is concluded. In such cases:

  • the purchase of land is only subject to registration fees of 7 % or 10 % depending on the use of the land;
  • the construction of the building is not subject to registration fees but will always be subject to VAT at the normal rate.

Input VAT may be recovered by the business, up to the limit of its recovery rate (100 % for a business whose total turnover is subject to VAT).

Existing buildings

The purchase of existing buildings is in principle exempt from VAT.

The buyer may however waive this exemption, thereby asserting the right to opt for VAT.

Leasing

In principle, the leasing of buildings is exempt from VAT.

However, in some cases the leasing of real estate remains subject to VAT: providing temporary accommodation for persons, leasing of holiday camps/campsites, leasing of sites adapted for temporary parking of vehicles, leasing of operating facilities or leasing of safety deposit boxes.

It is however possible to opt for the application of VAT to rental payments and thus waive the VAT exemption usually provided for.

Right to opt for VAT

When existing buildings are purchased or buildings or parts of buildings are leased, the right to opt for VAT, which consists in waiving the VAT exemption that would normally apply, is available.

Principle

The reason behind this right results from the principle of neutrality of VAT established by the recovery mechanism of input VAT.

Indeed, when the lease (or sale) of real estate is exempt, the lessor (or seller) may not recover input VAT paid on goods and services used for this activity.

As such, unrecoverable input VAT becomes a cost for the lessor (or seller) that is passed on in the rental price (or sale price). Ultimately, this cost is borne by the lessee (or buyer), because even if he were entitled to the right of deduction, this hidden VAT cost cannot be reclaimed.

By waiving the exemption and subjecting the rental to VAT:

  • the lessor/seller:
    • allows himself the possibility to recover the input VAT incurred on the activity;
    • avoids a cost of non-recoverable VAT;
    • may readjust the rental price or sale price requested;
  • the lessee/buyer may thus recover the VAT paid on the rent/acquisition price, within the limits of the right to deduction.

Conditions

The right to opt for VAT may be exercised under certain conditions:

  • the transaction must either occur between taxable persons, or involve the lease of a building by anyone to a taxable person;
  • the transaction must involve a building dedicated to the exercise of activities that allow the following to be deducted:
    • 100 % of input VAT, in the case of businesses for which the total turnover is subject to VAT;
    • at least 50 % of input VAT, in the case of:
      • mixed-use buildings, meaning buildings that are not solely dedicated to the exercise of activities that enable input VAT to be deducted. In such cases, the right to opt for VAT may only be exercised for the majority portion that is dedicated to the pursuit of such activities;
      • partially taxable persons, for whom the recovery rate exceeds 50 %.
    In such cases, input VAT may be recovered by the business within the limits of its recovery rate.
  • the Registration Duties, Estates and VAT Authority (Administration de l'enregistrement, des domaines et de la TVA - AED) must first have given its approval before VAT can be applied.

Examples:

  • a bank whose VAT recovery rate is 40 % cannot opt to subject the purchase of its administrative building to VAT;
  • a grocer rents the ground floor of a 3-storey building. The grocer uses part of the ground floor for their trade (70 %) and lives in the other part (30 %). The lessor can opt for VAT on the rent, since the business use of the property (building with mixed use) accounts for more than 50 %;
  • a grocer rents a 3-storey building and uses the 2 first floors for business activities, and the third floor is used as a residence by the grocer and his family. As the 3rd floor constitutes a 'separate unit that can be occupied for private use', it shall be considered to be a separate building for VAT purposes. Therefore, this cannot be regarded as mixed use of a building, but rather the simultaneous use of two buildings, one for business use and the other for private use. Because of this, VAT will be fully deductible in respect of the two lower floors. The VAT due as a result of occupying the 3rd floor, which constitutes an act of private use, may not be deducted.

Application

The business must file a declaration of option with the AED, which will differ depending on whether it concerns a rental or a sale (see under 'Forms / Online services' below). After reviewing the application and within one month of its receipt, the administration will either approve the possibility to waive the VAT exemption or not.

If the AED grants its approval, VAT is then applicable as of the first day of the month following the decision.

In the case of a sale, the administration's approval must have been obtained before recording the notarial deed.

In the case of a lease, the lease contract must have been approved by the tax authorities, which also requires the lease to be registered (registered at the fixed rate) with the AED within 3 months. Th registration deed is then submitted to the lessor's tax office which ultimately approves the application of VAT on the rent.

The possibility to opt for VAT presents advantages for:

  • the owner, who can benefit from the refund of VAT on the construction and for whom the amount of rent is not affected;
  • the lessee, for whom the VAT on the rental payments constitutes deductible input VAT.

Online services and forms

Downloadable forms

Note: view tips for using PDF forms.

Option declaration VAT application in respect of real estate leasing

Pdf

Other language(s)

Option declaration VAT application in respect of real estate purchase

Pdf

Other language(s)

Who to contact

Diekirch - Tax Office 2 (7)

Related procedures and links

Procedures

Purchase or lease of fixed assets - Fiscal implications Input VAT - Deduction Creating a business eSpace Registration for VAT eTVA – Registration and access to the system Recapitulative statements for goods and services VAT - Supply of goods VAT - Supply of services VAT Refunds - Intra-EU transactions

Links

Further information

Taux de TVA applicables au Luxembourg

sur le Portail de la fiscalité indirecte

Legal references

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