How to complete the Italian Spesometro
Following the recent Italian VAT return changes, we are providing below instructions on how to complete and submit your Italian Spesometro.
The Italian Spesometro - Explained in detail
At Marosa we created a solution to convert your usual book of invoices into a XML file to be submitted at the authorities’ website. If you only have ten seconds and you do not want to continue reading, just send us an email and we will send you the template to be completed for submission at the authorities’ website.
What data is required in the Spesometro return?
The information required in the Spesometro includes the following data:
- Date and invoice number
- Booking date on invoices received
- Type of invoice (see below the different options)
- Net amount, VAT amount and VAT rate applied on the invoice
- Reason for a zero-rated transaction in those cases where no VAT is charged
- Percentage of the deductible VAT, if applicable
- Obligation to pay VAT
Type of information sent to the Tax Authorities
The information must be provided according to the relevant codes that help the Italian tax authorities to interpret the data on each invoice:
- Type of invoice: Depending on the type of invoice you want to report, you will have to complete the "Type of invoice" field with different codes. The codes are as follows:
| TD01 | Invoice |
| TD04 | Credit Note |
| TD05 | Debit Note |
| TD07 | Simplified invoice |
| TD08 | Simplified credit note |
| TD10 | Intra-Community acquisition of goods |
| TD11 | Intra-Community acquisition of services |
- Exemptions and zero-rating: When you report an invoice in which no VAT is charged, you will need to inform the Italian tax authorities about the reason for not charging VAT. To do so, there are several codes that can be used:
| N1 | Exemption according to art. 15 Italian VAT law |
| N2 | Transactions non-subject to VAT |
| N3 | Non-taxable transactions |
| N4 | Exempt transactions |
| N5 | Margin regime/VAT not shown on the invoice |
| N6 | Revere charge (local RC, imports of services and imports of goods with RC) |
| N7 | Invoices received with non-Italian VAT (distance sales and telecommunication services) |
- For all those transactions where VAT is charged, there is one more field to be completed related to the obligation to pay VAT. Last column in our template will include a code depending on when the VAT becomes payable:
| I | Immediate payment |
| D | Deferred payment |
| S | Split payments |
Reporting specific transactions in the Italian Spesometro
We provide below instructions on how to report certain transactions that are often carried out by foreign companies VAT registered in Italy:
Intra-Community acquisition of goods and services: Intra-Community acquisitions of goods are reported as an invoice received. You will need to complete the net and VAT amount and the VAT rate. The difference is that the type of invoice must be TD10. Same rules apply for intra-Community acquisitions of services, but the type of invoice code must be TD11.
Intra-Community supply of goods and services: These transactions do not include VAT amount nor VAT rate, so these two fields must be completed with a zero. As explained above, when there is no VAT on an invoice, the field for the reason of the exemption needs to be filled in. Intra-Community supplies of goods are zero-rated transactions so you will need to use code N4, while intra-Community supplies of services are not subject to Italian VAT hence you will need to use code N2.
Multiple VAT rates: For those cases where you have an invoice with multiple VAT rates, you will need to include in the XML file one line per VAT rate. You will include the same date and invoice number twice, and will change the fields related to the VAT and net amounts.
Imports and exports: Imports are reported as an invoice received. Exports will be completed with zeros in the VAT amount and the VAT rate, and the reason for the zero-rating will be N3.
Distance sales from Italy to another EU country: In distance sales to another EU countries, once the threshold in the destination country is reached, you will charge the VAT of the destination country. You are still required to inform the Italian tax authorities about your sales to these countries. You will complete the net amount and include zeros in the VAT amount and VAT rate. There is a specific code for distance sales zero rated sales: N7.
Distance sales to Italian consumers: These sales are reported as a normal sales invoice issued under type of invoice code TD01. You will need to complete the net and VAT amount and the VAT rate.
How do you submit your data
All data of your Italian Spesometro must be submitted electronically via an XML file uploaded in the website of the Italian tax authorities. This file has specific format and data requirements.
Once the XML file is correctly created, you will need to submit it into the Italian tax authorities’ website. To do so, it is necessary to have an Italian digital certificate. When the information is submitted, you will receive a receipt as submission proof.
Deadlines of your Spesometro return
The due dates for the Italian Spesometro have changed for 2017, and they will also be different in 2018.
Until December 2016 this return had to be submitted annually, and the due date was in April 2017. But in 2017 the Italian tax authorities required the Spesometro to be submitted on a bi-annual basis. In 2018 the due date for the submission will be together with the Italian VAT returns.
The initial deadline for the first semester 2017 spesometro was postponed from 16 September to 28 September at the end of August 2018. The Italian Ministry of Finance published a press release with this information.
Due dates 2017
| First semester | 28 September, 2017 |
| Second semester | 28 February, 2018 |
Due dates 2018
| First quarter | 31 May, 2018 |
| Second quarter | 31 August, 2018 |
| Third quarter | 30 November, 2018 |
| Fourth quarter | 28 February, 2019 |
Penalties for late Spesometro
Penalties will apply in a range from a minimum of €2 and a maximum of €1,000 per quarter.
The penalty for missed or incorrect invoice data submitted is 2€ per invoice, up to a maximum of 1,000€ per quarter. In case the taxpayer regularizes the position in 15 days following the deadline, the penalty can be reduced to a half (1€ per invoice with a maximum of 500€) per quarter.
How to prepare and submit the Italian Spesometro
In Marosa we created a simple template where you can copy and paste your book of invoices issued and received. Based on this template, our software will produce the XML and PDF files with all reporting information. We are also able to produce your VAT return with this software.
We can assist you creating the XML file and sending it back to you for submission (with your certificate or your current tax consultant´s certificate) or we can take care of the entire process including submission of Spesometro and VAT return. Our software will produce both returns automatically based on your book of invoices.
Send us an email to receive the template to be completed and filed so your team can start evaluating the work required to complete the table. We would also organize a conference call to explain steps, timeline and overall project. If required, we may speak to your IT team to explain the content of each data field.
