VAT and excise module
VAT and excise refund detection
A haulier driving through Poland, Germany and the Netherlands pays foreign VAT every day on fuel, tolls and repairs. Part of that VAT is refundable — but only when the documents are valid and the claim is filed on time. The module recognises foreign VAT in your documents, accumulates amounts by country, and warns you as the threshold or the deadline approaches.
The same documents are useful for something else too — the fuel receipts you already upload for cost analysis in the Fuel module contain foreign VAT. This add-on uses the same documents, with no new upload step.
Three things the module notices
A document that won't be accepted
A till receipt without buyer identification isn't valid for a refund claim in most countries. That only becomes clear four months later, when it's too late to fix. The module flags it at upload time — while you can still ask for an invoice.
A Polish receipt without a NIP
In Poland, a receipt (paragon) without the buyer's tax number (NIP) can never later be converted into an invoice. It's the one case where the mistake becomes irreversible the same minute it's made. The warning reaches the driver while still at the till.
The €400 threshold and 30 September
A quarterly claim is possible from €400 per country; an annual claim from €50. A claim for the previous year is filed by 30 September of the following year; for Norway and Switzerland, by 30 June. The module shows how far you are from the threshold and how much time is left before the deadline.
What the module does and doesn't do
The module recognises foreign VAT in your uploaded documents, classifies documents by their eligibility for a refund claim, accumulates amounts by country, and tracks deadlines.
The module does not provide tax advice, does not assess whether a specific expense is refundable under a given country's rules, and does not file the claim with the tax authority. You file the claim yourself, through your own tax portal, or through your chosen agent.
The list of non-deductible expenses differs by country. The module shows that a document contains foreign VAT, but does not decide whether it will be refunded.
Price
Monthly add-on
+€49/month on top of any Cargo plan
Includes up to 500 documents per month. Selected as a checkbox in the order form (requires the Fuel module), activated immediately — no separate approval needed.
Annual check before 30 September
€490 one-off
A review of the previous calendar year's archive with a country-by-country report.
Prices exclude VAT. Reverse charge applies to clients from other EU member states with a valid VAT number.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file the claim myself, without an agent?
Yes. In most EU countries, claims are filed through your own national tax authority's online portal. An agent is useful for language, for handling queries from a foreign tax administration, and for knowing each country's list of non-deductible expenses — but is not legally required.
Does the module file the claim with the tax authority itself?
No. The module recognises and classifies documents and tracks amounts and deadlines, but the claim is always filed by you, through your own tax portal, or by your chosen agent.
How many documents are included in the €49/month price?
Up to 500 documents per month.
What is the Annual check before 30 September?
A one-off, €490 review of the previous calendar year's archive with a country-by-country report — for clients who want to confirm nothing was missed before the deadline.
What happens if the annual threshold in one country isn't reached?
If less than €50 of VAT accumulated in one country over the year, no claim can be filed — the amount simply remains a cost. The module shows this threshold in real time, by country.
Related articles:
30 September: the one date after which foreign VAT stops coming back →
Till receipt or invoice: why half of documents never come back as money →
Other Cargo Intelligence modules: