When can you deduct VAT on a car?
If you use a car for your business, you may deduct the VAT on costs such as maintenance, fuel and use, insofar as the car is used for taxed turnover. In doing so, you make an important choice:
- you count the car as business assets, or
- you keep the car in private assets.
If you opt for company assets, you may deduct the VAT on purchase (if applicable), maintenance and use. If you also use the car privately, you must make an adjustment for private use at the end of the year. If you keep the car privately, you may not deduct the VAT on the purchase and the deduction on running costs is limited.
Is commuting business or private for VAT purposes?
For VAT purposes, the tax authorities regard commuting as private use. This refers to the kilometres from your home or residence to a fixed workplace and back again. This is an important difference from income tax, where commuting is often classified as business. Because commuting is private for VAT purposes, it counts when determining the private use of the car and affects the VAT correction you have to apply.
Calculating private use with mileage records
Do you keep comprehensive mileage records? Then you can accurately calculate the private use of the car. In these records you record, among other things:
- starting and ending mileage
- date and purpose of the trip
- whether the journey is business or private
On this basis, you determine the ratio of business to private mileage. The VAT correction is then calculated based on this actual private use. This is often the fairest method, but requires proper administration.
Calculating private use without mileage records
Don't have mileage records? Then you may use a flat-rate scheme. Here, you assume a fixed percentage of the list price of the car (including VAT and bpm):
- 2.7% of the list price if you deducted the VAT at the time of purchase and this was less than 5 years ago
- 1.5% of the list price if you did not deduct VAT at the time of purchase or if it was more than 5 years ago
You declare this flat rate as VAT due in the last VAT return of the year. Do you only use the car for part of the year or also for exempt turnover? Then you may reduce the amount proportionally.
Maximum VAT correction for private use
The VAT correction for private use may never exceed the VAT you actually deducted. The tax authorities therefore apply a maximum:
- VAT on maintenance and use in that year, and
- possibly 1/5 part of the VAT deducted when purchasing the car
This prevents you from having to repay more VAT than you received. Especially for cars with a high list price, this can be an important limitation.
Which method best suits your situation?
Which method is most beneficial depends on your situation:
- Mileage records are accurate and often more beneficial for low private use, but take more time.
- The flat rate is simple and administratively light, but can be more expensive if you drive little privately.
By assessing annually which method best suits your usage, you will avoid surprises on your VAT return and never pay more than necessary.
