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V2514-19 17 September 2019 · SG de Impuestos sobre el Consumo Criterion in force
IVA · condena en costas

Legal costs awards are not subject to VAT due to their compensatory nature

A lawyer inquired whether VAT should be applied to the amount of legal costs awarded following a successful lawsuit. The DGT ruled that the payment of legal costs constitutes compensation rather than consideration for a service, and therefore is not subject to VAT.

The question raised

Issue raised: VAT treatment of the award for legal costs.

The DGT's ruling

The payment of the award for legal costs implies compensation for the expenses incurred by the prevailing party. Given its compensatory nature, it does not constitute consideration for services, and the imposition of VAT by the prevailing party upon the losing party is not applicable. The recipient of the professional service is the prevailing party, not the party ordered to pay the costs.

Apply this to a real case

What is published here, applied to a company or a specific case. The first meeting is free.

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