EU VAT Refund and 13th Directive VAT Reclaim Services

Get your VAT refunded - even if you’re not registered for VAT in the EU - without dealing with the bureaucracy.

Paid VAT on business expenses in Europe? SimplyVAT helps eligible businesses reclaim EU VAT through the right refund route, including 13th Directive VAT reclaims for non-EU businesses and EU VAT refund claims for eligible companies.

Can I get a VAT refund?

If your business has made a purchase in the EU in the last 12 months you may be able to get the VAT refunded.
You can only get a refund on Input VAT (unless you’ve incorrectly verpaid Output VAT). Input VAT is the amount that your business pays when it purchases something or imports goods into the EU.

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We’ve helped businesses get millions in refunds

Our team has been working with tax authorities all over Europe for decades. We’ve helped our clients recover millions of Euros from across the EU.

The 1 million Euro case study

I help businesses navigate VAT regulations and simplify customs procedures, ensuring full compliance with UK and EU laws.

Sarah Bennett

Senior VAT Consultant - 12+ years of experience in VAT and Customs Compliance

How do I get a VAT refund Europe?

Get your VAT refunded through a 13th Directive VAT Reclaim in three steps:

Initial Assessment

Each EU country has specific rules for who’s eligible for a refund. We’ll go over your situation and make sure we’re not wasting your time.

Submitting your Claim

Next, we’ll sort out all the paperwork and process your refund claim. Don’t speak the language? Between us we speak more than 20, so don’t worry - we’ll liaise with the tax authorities on your behalf.

Receive your Refund

Once the tax authority is satisfied they have all the evidence they need, you’ll get back your money.

13th Directive VAT Reclaims

Businesses that aren’t registered for VAT in the EU are still entitled to a VAT refund through a mechanism called a “13th Directive VAT Reclaim”.

unlocking the EU 13th directive and best practices for VAT recovery

EU 13th VAT Directive:
Recovery Made Simple

Learn the essentials of the EU 13th VAT Directive and best practices for effective VAT recovery—gain the confidence to manage compliance independently.

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To use the 13th Directive to get a refund you must:

Not be established in the country where the VAT was paid
Not be registered for VAT in the country where the VAT was paid
Have paid the VAT on professional expenses or purchases
Have purchased goods or services that qualify for a VAT refund in the country where the VAT was paid
Be established in a country that has tax reciprocity with the country where the VAT was paid

There are other requirements, like some countries will require you to have a fiscal representative. There are deadlines, limits on claim submissions and minimum amounts you can claim for, and each EU Member State sets its own rules. 13th Directive Reclaims are complicated, even if you know what you’re doing. They need a lot of paperwork and often happen in multiple languages. But we’ve done this all before, so leave it to us to get it sorted.

Get Your VAT Refund

Text of the title of the blog "How to Get a Refund in Europe" and an image of a person filling out tax paperwork. On the desk in front of them is a laptop.

How to Get an EU VAT Refund

Getting a refund can be complicated. We've explained the three methods for getting a refund and answered the most commonly asked questions in this article.

Get the Answers

Your Questions Answered

Can I reclaim EU VAT after Brexit?

Yes! If you’re based in the UK and have made purchases in the EU in the last 12 months you might be eligible for a refund. When the UK was in the EU this was done through the 8th Directive. Now, as a non-EU country, this refund is available via the 13th Directive.

Can I reclaim VAT on EU purchases/expenses?

If you don’t have any obligation to pay VAT in the EU, you might be able to reclaim the VAT you paid on your purchases. We can help you do this through the 13th Directive.

How to reclaim VAT from EU?

There are three ways you can reclaim VAT you’ve paid in the EU. If you’re registered for VAT in an EU country you can reclaim VAT you’ve paid there on your VAT return. If you’re based in the EU but not registered there you can use the EU Refund Scheme. Non-EU companies not registered for VAT can use the 13th Directive.

Who can reclaim EU VAT?

Any taxable person who has made qualifying purchases is eligible for a VAT refund. In the EU a taxable person is a business, sole trader or professional, responsible for VAT.

What is a VAT refund?

A VAT refund is the way you can reclaim VAT which you paid to an EU member state.

How long does a VAT refund take?

It varies from country to country, and depending on how complex your claim is. Some cases can take several months, some several years.

What’s the 13th Directive Deadline?

Depending on the country you’re claiming a refund from, the deadline for submitting a claim is usually either the 30th of June or the 30th of September of the year following your purchase. For example, you order packing materials in July 2024. You have until the 30th of June or September 2025 to claim the VAT on that transaction.

Customer Reviews

Farha’s Client ( SimplyVAT customer)

“Farha resolved my HMRC repayment issue with exceptional follow-up in the UK.”

I’ve had a great experience with SimplyVAT. The team is knowledgeable, responsive, and incredibly helpful. Farha, in particular, went above and beyond to assist me

I’ve had a great experience with SimplyVAT. The team is knowledgeable, responsive, and incredibly helpful. Farha, in particular, went above and beyond to assist me with a repayment issue from HMRC — she followed up promptly, kept me informed throughout the process, and ensured everything was resolved smoothly. It’s rare to find such a high level of customer service these days. I truly felt supported and well taken care of. I can wholeheartedly recommend SimplyVAT to anyone looking for reliable and professional VAT services. Thank you again for your outstanding support!

SimplyVAT customer

“SimplyVAT recovered overpaid VAT from multiple European tax authorities.”

Excellent qualified service! SimplyVAT has helped us enormously and successfully in recovering the overpaid VAT from various European tax authorities.

Excellent qualified service! SimplyVAT has helped us enormously and successfully in recovering the overpaid VAT from various European tax authorities. Communication from start to finish was excellent and we could not have trusted this to any other company.

Reviewer: Chris

“Hannah’s expertise saved us £7k during a UK HMRC audit.”

They helped me set up and register my Hong Kong Company for VAT (and got my company an EORI) - I'm based in Australia so it's a complicated set up.

They helped me set up and register my Hong Kong Company for VAT (and got my company an EORI) - I'm based in Australia so it's a complicated set up. The support is first class and extremely proactive (thank you Hannah!) I was just audited by the HMRC and the team helped navigate the waters effortlessly (came out unscathed - phew!) The HMRC claimed I owed them over £7k - Hannah was able to demonstrate the company only owed £119 - hence this review - they deserve it. Quarterly activity and EOFY submissions are reasonably priced.

Paul

“SimplyVAT’s persistence secured a substantial VAT refund from UK HMRC.”

My business has been working with SimplyVAT for about 3 years. We've been very impressed with their customer service. One item to call out in particular

My business has been working with SimplyVAT for about 3 years. We've been very impressed with their customer service. One item to call out in particular - we had a substantial VAT refund due to us from UK HMRC. The SimplyVAT team helped identify that we could obtain this refund. Then, over the subsequent six months, they repeatedly interfaced with Tax Authorities to push to get this processed and refunded. It was an exceptional effort on their part to regularly call and push to get this handled. I'm grateful for their hard work and effort.

SimplyVAT customer

“SimplyVAT recovered overpaid VAT from multiple European tax authorities.”

Excellent qualified service! SimplyVAT has helped us enormously and successfully in recovering the overpaid VAT from various European tax authorities.

Excellent qualified service! SimplyVAT has helped us enormously and successfully in recovering the overpaid VAT from various European tax authorities. Communication from start to finish was excellent and we could not have trusted this to any other company.

Paul

“SimplyVAT’s persistence secured a substantial VAT refund from HMRC.”

My business has been working with SimplyVAT for about 3 years. We've been very impressed with their customer service. One item to call out in particular

My business has been working with SimplyVAT for about 3 years. We've been very impressed with their customer service. One item to call out in particular - we had a substantial VAT refund due to us from UK HMRC. The SimplyVAT team helped identify that we could obtain this refund. Then, over the subsequent six months, they repeatedly interfaced with Tax Authorities to push to get this processed and refunded. It was an exceptional effort on their part to regularly call and push to get this handled. I'm grateful for their hard work and effort.