HOW TO: SPANISH TAX ID NUMBER (NIF)

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Any person that has moved or thought about moving to Spain has no doubt heard about the all-important NIE number. However, in the corporate world, the NIF number has a place of its own and is just as vital.

Here we present the basics and the most frequently asked questions related to the NIF number.

First of all, what is a NIF?

N.I.F is the acronym for “Número de Identificación Fiscal” in Spanish, which, when translated to English, is Tax Identification Number or Tax ID.

Who needs a NIF?

Companies with legal personality
Entities without legal personality

That’s if they have an economic or professional interest in Spain. This number is needed in order to carry out any activities with Tax relevance.

Just to be clear, if you intend to carry out any business activities in Spain, such as providing services, the acquisition or deliveries of goods or hiring personnel, then you surely will need to obtain a NIF.

Basically, if you have a business in Spain, or with any operations in Spain, then you will need this number to get things done.

What is the process?

The process of getting a NIF number is through the completion of a census declaration (Model 036) at the Tax Agency. The forms can be found online at the Spanish Tax Agency website and the process does not carry any cost.

Model 036 must be submitted before performing services, such as carrying out an acquisition of goods, receiving or making payments or hiring personnel.

What documents are needed when submitting Model 036?

At the time of submitting the declaration, the following documents have to be presented:

The company´s information (date of incorporation and certificate of registration, share capital information, shareholders’ identification)
All documents must be submitted in original form (legalised and translated into Spanish) accompanied by their respective copies

After submitting the form, the NIF number will be assigned.