Deferred VAT clearance is a procedure where the importer is not required to pay VAT at the time of customs clearance but instead during the VAT settlement for the given accounting period, specifically by the 25th of the following month.
The legal basis for deferred VAT clearance is Article 33a of the Polish Value Added Tax Act.
Deferred VAT is applied in the case of importing goods from countries outside the European Union. It involves shifting the VAT payment from the time of import declaration to the time of filing the tax return. In practice, this means that instead of paying VAT at the time of declaring the goods, the entrepreneur accounts for it in their VAT-7 return.
Deferred VAT clearance is beneficial for the cash flow of businesses, as it allows them to postpone the VAT payment until the goods are sold or enter circulation.
The client must submit a statement according to the template available on the GOV.pl website to the relevant tax office. The statement is valid for a period of 6 months.
The required documents include: VAT-7 returns for the previous 6 months along with proof of tax payment, a completed questionnaire on the 3CARGO form, a balance sheet or profit and loss statement, and current certificates from the Tax Office and Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) confirming no arrears. Based on these documents, an analysis is conducted. Upon positive verification, it is possible to sign the agreement along with a promissory note declaration and a blank promissory note.
