A software subscription arrives from Ireland, an advertising invoice from the United States and a consulting bill from Finland. None shows Estonian VAT. That does not make the purchases tax-free. Before approving the month, the company must decide where each service is taxed, whether reverse charge applies and how much input VAT may actually be deducted.
In more than 15 years of Estonian accounting, I have seen these invoices missed because the amount paid to the supplier looks complete. The practical fix is a short decision chain from supplier and service type to KMD. This guide explains that chain for common B2B services and shows where exceptions require a separate review.
Decide the place of supply before looking at the invoice rate
Under the basic B2B rule in the EMTA guidance on the place of supply of services, a service is generally taxed where the business customer is established. For an Estonian company buying ordinary software, advertising, consulting, legal, accounting or data services from a foreign business, that normally points to Estonia and transfers the VAT calculation to the customer.
The supplier's country does not change that basic result: another EU Member State and a non-EU country can both lead to Estonian reverse charge. The words ‘reverse charge’ on the invoice are useful evidence, but they are not the legal test. Identify the supplier as a business, the customer as the Estonian company and the exact service before choosing the treatment.
| Purchase | Likely starting point | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS from an Irish company | Estonian reverse charge | Supplier VAT number and business use |
| Online advertising from a US company | Estonian reverse charge | Supplier identity and service period |
| Hotel stay in Spain | Spanish place-of-supply rules | Immovable/local-service exception |
| Event ticket in Germany | German event-location rules | Admission-service exception |
Check the Estonian customer's VAT status before payment
A fully registered Estonian VAT payer calculates output VAT and then considers input-VAT deduction. The two entries are not automatically equal: deduction depends on taxable business use and the normal evidence rules. Exempt activity, private use or mixed use can leave VAT payable.
A company below the ordinary registration threshold still needs a separate check. The EMTA guidance on limited VAT registration says that receiving specified intangible services from a foreign trader can trigger limited VAT registration from the date the service is received. A limited VAT payer pays VAT on covered acquisitions but does not add VAT to its own sales and has no input-VAT deduction.
- Confirm whether the company is fully VAT registered, registered with limited liability, or not registered.
- Give a valid Estonian VAT number to the foreign supplier when the registration and transaction require it.
- Do not wait for the EUR 40,000 domestic-supply threshold when a foreign service creates a separate registration trigger.
Worked KMD example: EUR 1,000 of foreign consulting
Assume an Estonian VAT-registered company receives a EUR 1,000 consulting invoice from a Finnish supplier. The service follows the basic B2B rule and the supplier charges no Finnish VAT. At Estonia's 24% standard rate, the customer calculates EUR 240 of output VAT.
The current EMTA VAT return forms and instructions place the taxable value in field 1 and calculated VAT in field 4. Services received from another EU Member State are also shown in informative field 6; other foreign reverse-charge purchases fall under informative field 7. Eligible input VAT is included in field 5.
| Use of the service | Output VAT | Input VAT deducted | Net effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% taxable business activity | EUR 240 | EUR 240 | EUR 0 |
| 50% deductible mixed activity | EUR 240 | EUR 120 | EUR 120 payable |
| Limited VAT payer | EUR 240 | EUR 0 | EUR 240 payable |
The result is cash-neutral only when the company has a full right to deduct. Reverse charge is still a declaration event even when the payable amount is zero.
Build the accounting entry from evidence, not from a bank line
Keep the supplier's legal name and country, VAT number where relevant, invoice date, service period, description, amount, currency and the company's business purpose. For a non-euro invoice, preserve the exchange-rate calculation used for the tax period. A card statement proves payment, not the nature or place of supply of the service.
Route recurring cloud, advertising and marketplace invoices to accounting every month. Review unexpected foreign VAT before booking: it may be correct under an exception, or it may mean that the supplier did not receive the right customer details. Do not deduct foreign VAT as Estonian input VAT.
- Identify supplier country and business status.
- Classify the service and test the place-of-supply rule.
- Confirm the customer's Estonian VAT status and deduction right.
- Calculate output VAT, map the KMD fields and archive the invoice plus calculation.
- Submit and pay the VAT return by the normal deadline on the 20th of the following month.
Stop and review services that do not follow the basic B2B rule
The current Estonian Value-Added Tax Act and EMTA guidance contain special rules for services connected with immovable property, admission to events, passenger transport, restaurant and catering services, work on movable property and short-term hire of transport. The country of the customer is not always decisive.
A foreign-VAT invoice in one of these categories may therefore be correct. Record why the exception applies and whether foreign VAT recovery is possible. If the invoice mixes several services or the supplier has an Estonian fixed establishment involved in the sale, resolve that fact before filing KMD.
The best control is a supplier rule in the purchase process: every new foreign subscription must reach accounting with the contract owner, business purpose and VAT number before the first monthly close.
Reverse charge becomes manageable when the order is fixed: service type, place of supply, registration status, output VAT, deduction right and KMD fields. The invoice amount alone never answers all six questions.
If your company buys foreign software, advertising or professional services, compare the process with our accounting support in Estonia or contact AccRes before the next KMD deadline.