The Netherlands is one of the leading countries striving to switch to energy production from renewable sources. One of the steps in this direction is the VAT refund for individuals when purchasing and installing solar panels on the roof of their homes. How does it work and what is needed for it?
What are the advantages of having solar panels?
The first and most pleasant one - you generate energy yourself and supply surplus to the general grid, thus, you save on electricity. Second, you are making an invaluable contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and ensuring a sustainable future for future generations. Third - Having solar panels improves the assigned energy efficiency label of your property, which increases the market value of your home.
In the case of buying and installing solar panels and selling electricity to the public network, the tax office may consider you as an entrepreneur for VAT reporting. It is thanks to this point of view that you can get a VAT refund for the purchase and installation. At the same time, there are conditions for obtaining such a return:
- you are not a registered entrepreneur in the Netherlands
- the invoice for the purchase and installation, as well as the current contract with the energy supplier, are in your name
What do I need to do to get a refund?
You need to register yourself with the tax office as an electricity supplier. This is done by submitting a special form Opgaaf zonnenpanelen. In this case, you need to send it to the inspection within 6 months after the end of the calendar year in which the purchase and installation took place. That is, if you bought and installed panels in November 2020, you need to register yourself as an electricity supplier by July 1, 2021. What if you did not do it on time? We still recommend that you send the form: in this case, the period for consideration of your application is increased to 5 years and the decision that the inspector makes is not subject to appeal.
You can leave a request for a VAT refund using our software REFERENCE
Publication Date: 20.11.2020
