Hi All

I wonder if someone can help me with a Vat query. I own a business in Spain and have and accountant. My problem is that I have been trading for 2 and a half years now and still have no vat number. I have been paying tax in Holland, UK and also Spain all this time. My accountant tells me that it is normal to wait years for a tax number as the tax office in Alicante is very slow, she applied to the Murcia office in September but thay are also processing applications slowly. I find this hard to believe, should I get another accountant?

Any info would be gratefully received.

geol - 17 January 2010 05:53 AM

Hi All

I wonder if someone can help me with a Vat query. I own a business in Spain and have and accountant. My problem is that I have been trading for 2 and a half years now and still have no vat number. I have been paying tax in Holland, UK and also Spain all this time. My accountant tells me that it is normal to wait years for a tax number as the tax office in Alicante is very slow, she applied to the Murcia office in September but thay are also processing applications slowly. I find this hard to believe, should I get another accountant?

Any info would be gratefully received.

You should go to Hacienda and find out if your accountant DID request the CIF and VAT number. The CIF identifies you as an enterprise and the VAT comes right after. Unless you’re an “autonomo” in which case the NIE is your CIF and VAT number.
If you have any doubt about your accountant, you’d better look for another one right away.

As far as I was aware your company CIF number is all an SL (Ltd) company has - there is no separate VAT (IVA) number and for non SL it is all done on NIE for foreigners or DNI for Spanish.

I think your accountant has lost the plot, suggest you sort it you ASAP.

Rob is right.  I am an autonomo and my CIF is my NIE and my “VAT number” (i.e. what I put on IVA invoices).  Registration from IVA was pretty well instant from what I recall.  They want their money!