Serbian VAT for businesses in 2027: rates, registration, e-invoices and the new rules

Facts checked 4 November 2026. This guide is general information, not tax advice. Your situation is decided case by case — contact us or your home-country adviser.

VAT is where foreign-owned businesses in Serbia most often slip in their first year. The rates are normal for Europe. What catches people out is that the system is fully electronic, the deadlines are short and an invoice outside SEF can cost the right to deduct VAT. This guide explains how Serbian VAT works for companies, entrepreneurs and foreign businesses in 2027, and where things usually go wrong.

What are the VAT rates in Serbia in 2027?

Serbia has two VAT rates, a zero rate for exports and a list of exempt supplies (VAT Law; PwC, August 2026).

Property is the case that surprises investors most. A new flat bought from a developer carries 10% VAT, new commercial premises 20%, and a resale flat is outside VAT and pays the 2.5% transfer tax. Serbian citizens buying their first home can claim part of the VAT back — see our first-apartment VAT refund guide.

When does a business have to register for VAT in Serbia?

Registration is required once turnover passes RSD 8 million in the previous 12 months. It is a rolling 12 months, not a calendar year. Since 1 January 2025 the registration request is due within five days of crossing the line, and VAT is owed from that point, even if the registration comes later (VAT Law, amended 2024).

A business below the line may register by choice. Many do, because their customers are VAT-registered companies, or because they want to deduct VAT on large start-up costs. A voluntary registration keeps the business in the system for a minimum period.

How the threshold plays out depends on the type of business:

Proposals to raise the flat-rate and VAT limits have been discussed in 2026, but none had been adopted by November 2026, so the RSD 6 million and RSD 8 million figures still apply. Which structure suits a business is covered in our company setup service, and our guide to business incentives covers profit tax and reliefs.

What is a Serbian VAT number?

Serbia does not issue a separate VAT number. Every business gets a nine-digit tax identification number (PIB) when it is registered with the Business Registers Agency (APR). Once it is VAT-registered, it uses that PIB on invoices and returns.

Serbia is not in the EU, so Serbian numbers cannot be checked in the EU’s VIES system. A supplier’s VAT status is checked in the Tax Administration’s public taxpayer search, and its company details in the APR register. Checking both before paying a first invoice to a new Serbian supplier is basic good practice. Our APR services cover registrations and changes on the company side.

When are Serbian VAT returns due?

New businesses and those with turnover above RSD 50 million in the previous 12 months file monthly. Others file quarterly. The return, its detailed breakdown and the payment are all due within 15 days after the end of each period (PwC, August 2026).

Pre-filled VAT returns, built by the Tax Administration from SEF data, were planned for 2026 but were postponed. They now start with tax periods from January 2027.

Why it has to be right: fines for a company that files or pays late run from 10% up to the full amount of the tax due, with minimums of several hundred thousand dinars, plus interest. Failing to register or keep records can cost RSD 100,000 to 2,000,000 (Law on Tax Procedure and Tax Administration).

Is e-invoicing (SEF) mandatory in Serbia?

Yes. Serbia uses a clearance model: invoices between businesses only count for VAT when they pass through the state system SEF (Sistem e-faktura), run by the Ministry of Finance. E-invoicing to public bodies has been required since 2022, and between businesses since 1 January 2023. That includes foreign businesses registered through a representative.

The buyer can only deduct input VAT on an e-invoice it has accepted in SEF. The system keeps growing:

Serbian VAT does not follow EU rules. There is no VIES, no EU one-stop shop and no EU reverse charge between member states. Founders who ran a company in Germany or the Netherlands often expect their old processes to work. They usually have to be rebuilt for Serbia, with bookkeeping and invoicing on the same system.

Does a foreign company need to register for VAT in Serbia?

A foreign company that supplies goods or services in Serbia must register and appoint a tax representative — a Serbian VAT payer — whatever its turnover. The main exception is when all its customers are Serbian VAT payers or public bodies: then the customer accounts for the VAT and the foreign supplier does not register. If a foreign supplier that should have a representative does not appoint one, the Serbian customer is liable for the VAT (PwC, August 2026).

Services sold to Serbian businesses from abroad are, as a rule, taxed where the customer is. That is why many foreign service companies never need a Serbian VAT number. The answer can change once a business sells to Serbian consumers, holds stock in Serbia or performs services on Serbian soil. Foreign sellers of digital services to Serbian consumers have had to register since 2017.

What you’ll usually need for a Serbian VAT registration:

• APR company or entrepreneur registration
• PIB tax number
• Serbian business bank account
• SEF access set up
• turnover records for the last 12 months
• tax representative (foreign companies)

Each item has to match the others: a name, address or activity code that differs between APR, the bank and the Tax Administration is a common reason for delays. Get the free Serbia Relocation Checklist to see what to have ready before you set up.

Where cross-border structures, permanent-establishment risk or two tax systems are involved, our international tax advisory team looks at the whole picture.

Can a business get a VAT refund in Serbia?

Yes, in three main cases. The figures below are the rules as of November 2026.

Large refund claims are often checked by the Tax Administration before money is paid. Clean SEF records are what make a refund quick.

What changes in Serbian VAT on 1 January 2027?

The latest VAT amendments (Official Gazette 80/2026, published 31 August 2026) mostly apply from 1 January 2027 (KPMG, September 2026).

Deregistrations started by 31 December 2026 follow the old rules. Further changes can still be adopted, and rules can change again in 2027. For a company whose processes were built on 2023 rules, 2027 is a year to review them.

What commonly goes wrong with VAT in Serbia?

A related trap is importing goods without planning the import VAT. Our guide to customs and VAT when moving a business to Serbia covers that side, and our guide to accounting for foreign-owned businesses covers the monthly books.

Who decides on VAT registration and refunds in Serbia?

The Tax Administration (Poreska uprava) decides VAT registration, deregistration, audits and refunds, and checks returns against SEF data. The Ministry of Finance runs SEF and drafts VAT law changes, which the National Assembly adopts. The Business Registers Agency (APR) registers companies and entrepreneurs. In recent cases a VAT registration has usually been confirmed within a few working days of a complete request. The Tax Administration sets the timing and we don’t promise a date.

Relocation Serbia, with offices in Belgrade and Novi Sad, is one team for company setup, accounting, tax filings and residence. Start with the €49 Relocation Roadmap (credited toward any package within 90 days — see pricing).

Frequently asked questions

Updated November 2026 · Relocation Serbia. General information, not tax advice. Rates, thresholds and deadlines change, and each business is assessed on its own facts. Your situation is decided case by case — contact us or your home-country adviser.