The amendments revise VAT exemptions, mandatory registration periods, deregistration filing deadlines, ex officio returns, and rules for correcting prior-period errors, with most changes applying from 1 January 2027.
Serbia’s Parliament has enacted amendments to the Value Added Tax Law, published in Official Gazette No. 80/2026. The amendments entered into force on 8 September 2026 and will generally apply from 1 January 2027, unless otherwise specified in the law.
The amendments to the Value Added Tax (VAT) Law adjust regulatory obligations regarding exemptions, mandatory registration periods, tax return deadlines, ex officio filings, and error corrections. Additionally, the legislation specifies transitional provisions for ongoing procedures and sets clear implementation dates for different sections through 2027.
The key amendments are as follows:
Tax exemption for public postal operators
The VAT exemption without input VAT deduction has been revised to apply specifically to postal services and related supplies provided by a public postal operator, replacing the previous reference to public enterprises.
Mandatory period remaining in the VAT system
The amendments revise the minimum VAT registration period for small taxpayers, voluntarily registered farmers, and taxpayers required to register after exceeding the RSD 8 million turnover threshold. Instead of the previous fixed two-year period from the registration date, taxpayers must now remain in the VAT system for the current calendar year and the following calendar year.
The amendments also change the rules for tax-period changes, with an approved new tax period generally continuing until the end of the calendar year following the year in which the request was submitted.
Deadline for VAT return filing upon deregistration
The amendments extend the deadline for filing a final VAT return following the cessation of VAT activities to 15 days from the date of cessation, replacing the previous requirement to file on the date of the deregistration request.
For VAT activities ending in January 2027, returns must be filed between 1 and 15 February 2027.
Deregistration procedures initiated by 31 December 2026 will continue under the previous rules, while commercial entities must obtain a valid VAT deregistration certificate before being removed from the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR) or other official registers.
Ex officio tax return submission
The amendments empower the tax authority to file a VAT return ex officio if a taxpayer fails to submit it within the prescribed deadline. The return will be based on a preliminary tax return and will include only information on calculated output VAT.
Prior-period errors & late registration adjustments
Errors relating to prior tax periods generally require filing an amended VAT return rather than adjusting figures in the current period.
The amendments provide a special mechanism for taxpayers who exceeded the RSD 8 million turnover threshold but failed to register for VAT on time.
Such taxpayers may correct VAT liabilities from earlier periods in their first VAT return after registration, with the adjustment legally treated as rectifying the relevant tax liability. Applicable misdemeanour and criminal liability provisions under the Law on Tax Procedure and Tax Administration also remain relevant.
