IOSS number

If your IOSS number is canceled or expires, you should immediately contact the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Understand the reason for cancellation or expiration.

Find out how to reapply or renew your IOSS registration. Continuing to sell goods in the EU without a valid IOSS number could lead to non-compliance with VAT regulations.

It may also result in potential penalties.

The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is an EU-wide electronic system.

The IOSS platform enables suppliers and electronic interfaces that sell imported goods to buyers in the EU to collect, declare, and pay VAT to the relevant tax authorities. This eliminates the need for buyers to pay VAT at the moment the goods are imported into the EU, which was previously required for goods valued over 22 EUR.

Launched on to simplify VAT compliance for businesses involved in distance sales of imported goods to EU consumers.

Through the IOSS, sellers and online marketplaces can collect, declare, and pay VAT for goods imported into the EU—directly to the relevant tax authorities—at the point of sale. This eliminates the previous requirement for buyers to pay VAT upon importation (which applied to goods valued over €22).

Benefits for sellers:

• Centralised VAT registration for all EU countries.

• Simplified VAT reporting and payment.

• Improved customer experience by avoiding customs delays and unexpected charges.

Benefits for buyers:

• VAT is included upfront in the purchase price.

• No hidden fees or customs handling charges at delivery.

• Faster and smoother shipping process.

If a seller is not registered with the IOSS, the buyer must pay VAT upon delivery, and may also face customs clearance fees from the courier or postal service.

The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) number is designed to simplify VAT payments for cross-border e-commerce transactions within the EU. Estonian businesses can apply for an IOSS number through the Estonian Tax and Customs Board website. This registration allows businesses to manage VAT collection more efficiently when selling goods to other EU member states.

Companies using the IOSS number must maintain accurate records of all eligible sales for ten years. They need to make these records available upon request by any EU member state. Businesses are also required to ensure that the VAT charged at checkout is correctly calculated based on the buyer’s location. Compliance with these requirements is crucial for maintaining the validity of the IOSS registration.

The IOSS number helps Estonian companies streamline the VAT collection process. It simplifies the declaration process when selling goods to other EU countries. It helps avoid double taxation. It simplifies administrative procedures. This is achieved by allowing businesses to report and pay VAT in a single monthly return, regardless of the EU countries to which they ship.