In this article, the features of the Luxembourg corporate tax rate will be explained. What kind of tax it is, who and when it should be paid, and go into the details about the basic and combined rates. In addition, a step-by-step algorithm for the actions to be taken for filling a tax return and paying income.
Corporate tax, one of the most important income taxes for the budget in Luxembourg. Who and when is obliged to pay it, what is the basic rate and is it possible to reduce the tax amount.
Сorporate tax, is a tax levied on the profits earned by companies during the financial year. This tax is paid on net profits minus any allowable business expenses. For example, in addition to standard expenses such as wages, equipment and office expenses, it is possible to deduct the cost of any gifts or donations, as well as tax losses from previous years.
Revenue from the corporate tax rate is one of the most important sources of income for the budget of the Grand Duchy. For companies, the Luxembourg corporate tax is also quite attractive.
The standard tax rate is relatively low compared to other European countries.
Companies can receive certain benefits and even exemptions if certain conditions are met.
According to legal requirements, only resident companies have unlimited tax liability in Luxembourg. They are required to pay corporate tax on all their income, including income abroad. The Luxembourg net worth tax is not equal to the Luxembourg corporate income tax.
Non-resident companies are taxed only on local income in Luxembourg.
Tax-transparent entities such as general or limited partnerships or European Economic Interest Groupings are not subject to tax. Luxembourg company tax rates are determined based on the amount of income of the company.
Rate | Comment |
15% | For profits up to €175,000 |
€26,250 + 31% of the tax base above € 175,000 | For profits between €175,000 and €200,001 |
17% | For profits more €200,001 |
From the 2025 tax year, Luxembourg will reduce its basic corporate tax rates by 1%. They will amount to 14% and 16%.
In addition to the corporate income tax in Luxembourg, there are two additional taxes: solidarity and municipal business tax.
Solidarity surtax at a rate of 7%. Taking into account the solidarity tax, the aggregate CIT rate is 18.9% for companies with an income of more than 200,001 euros.
Luxembourg’s municipal business tax is levied by communes; its rate depends on the municipality of the Grand Duchy in which the company operates. For example, the tax rate in Luxembourg City is 6.75%.
The effective final rate of the combined corporate tax for Luxembourg City (taking into account corporate tax, solidarity and municipal business tax) for companies with a high income level is 24.94%, for companies with an income of less than 175,000 euros - 22.8%.
As in most countries, Luxembourg has some exemptions and credits for Corporate tax.
In addition, a company can receive a 25% tax exemption on profits for up to 8 years, provided that it contributes to the development and improvement of the economy. The benefit applies to new companies or new processes.
In order to compare corporate tax rates in Luxembourg and the European countries closest to it, corporate tax rates of the major European countries, the following table is available.
Country | Tax rate |
Luxembourg | 15-17% (without taking into account solidarity and municipal business taxes) |
Germany | 15,825% |
France | 25% |
Belgium | 25% |
Netherlands | 25,8% |
Even taking into account solidarity and municipal business taxes, the corporate tax rate in Luxembourg remains lower than in most countries of the European Union.
Filing and paying tax is the responsibility of the company. To declare taxable income, contact Luxembourg Inland Revenue (ACD) The tax office will calculate the tax amount.
The tax year in Luxembourg runs from 1 January to 31 December. The tax return for the past year must be filed no later than 31 December of the current year. For example, the declaration for 2023 must be filed no later than 31 December 2024.
Legal entities are required to file corporate tax returns via the online assistant on the MyGuichet.lu website. The fields in the assistant are filled in automatically based on the imported XML file.
Depending on the type of company activity and tax scheme, the declaration will require the attachment of accounting documents that were used to calculate the company's financial results.
The peculiarity of corporate tax is that it is paid in advance. Companies pay it in advance and quarterly on the billing dates, starting in March. The amount of the payments is calculated on the basis of the tax return from the previous tax year.
Since payments are made in advance, sometimes there may be an overpayment or, conversely, an underpayment. In case of underpayment, the company is obliged to pay the remainder within one month from the date of receipt of the confirmation of the corporate tax return. In case of overpayment, the overpaid amounts can be returned to the company's account or deducted from the amount of another tax, for example, from the amount of net property tax.
In general, Luxembourg is considered a very attractive country in terms of corporate taxation. The Grand Duchy has managed to develop its own tax regime, which at the same time does not conflict with the EU tax policy as a whole, but makes the country a tax haven among other European countries.
Source: Guide to the corporate tax rate in Luxembourg | Expatica , Luxembourg - Corporate - Taxes on corporate income , Luxembourg proposes reduction in corporate income tax rates and other changes | EY - Global, Corporate income tax - Guichet.lu - Luxembourg, Luxembourg Country Profile - KPMG International, Luxembourg Corporate Tax Rate, Corporate income tax (CIT) rates
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