Líbano: Ambiente de negócios
Employees’ life insurance premiums are deductible as long as they are included in the employees’ benefits subject to payroll tax. Other deductible expenses include: rent of business premises or their depreciation if the premises are owned by the taxpayer; reserves for severance payments, pensions, and disability payments; advertising and publicity expenses (within certain limits); travel, telephone, and vehicle expenses; etc.
Charitable contributions are deductible when made to certain organisations.
Net operating losses can be carried forward up to three years (extended to four years for taxable losses related to 2020, indefinitely for oil and gas companies). The carryback of losses is not permitted.
Payments to foreign affiliates are typically subject to withholding tax. According to guidance from the Ministry of Finance, recharges, including advertising, from the head office located abroad are deductible up to a specific limit. This limit is determined by the following formula: (Assets of the branch in Lebanon / Consolidated assets) x Central administrative expenses. However, there is a cap of 3% of the branch’s revenues applied to these deductions.
With the exception of the corporate income tax, taxes and duties incurred in the course of business are deductible.
A built property tax is levied on rental income from Lebanese real property, at rates ranging between 4% and 14%. The 2024 Budget Law introduced amendments to the net income brackets subject to built property tax, which now range from LL 1.2 billion to LL 6 billion starting from 2024.
When transferring ownership of real estate, registration fees of approximately 6% are applicable. A 5% transfer tax is imposed on the fair value of real estate transferred.
A 0.4% stamp duty is levied on most contracts. A fixed stamp duty ranging between LBP 1,000-2 million is applicable on documents in accordance with schedules appended to the stamp duty law. Stamp duty is also levied on the capital subscription and capital increase. Fixed stamp duty of LBP 5 million is levied on oil and gas companies for exploration and production agreements. The 2024 Budget Law raised the fixed stamp duty amount to LL100,000 for contracts lacking a specified amount, and LL20,000 for unpaid invoices.
Offshore companies are subject to an annual lump-sum tax of LBP 50 million, the same as for holding companies.
Lebanon | Middle East & North Africa | Estados Unidos | Alemanha | |
Number of Payments of Taxes per Year | 20.0 | 20.8 | 10.6 | 9.0 |
Time Taken For Administrative Formalities (Hours) | 181.0 | 204.0 | 175.0 | 218.0 |
Total Share of Taxes (% of Profit) | 32.2 | 32.1 | 36.6 | 48.8 |
Source: Doing Business, Latest available data.
Individual income tax rates | 2024 rates |
From LBP 0 to 360,000,000 | 2% |
From LBP 360,000,000 to 900,000,000 | 4% |
From LBP 900,000,000 to 1,800,000,000 | 7% |
From LBP 1,800,000,000 to 3,600,000,000 | 11% |
From LBP 3,600,000,000 to 7,200,000,000 | 15% |
From LBP 7,200,000,000 to 13,500,000,000 | 20% |
Above LBP 13,500,000,000 | 25% |
Non-resident tax (withholding) | 3.4% of the revenue from sale of materials and equipment 8.5% of the revenue in the case of sale of services |
Income derived from foreign shares and bonds | 10% |
Income from disposal of shares | A 10% movable capital tax applies when shares being disposed of are from Lebanese or foreign Limited Liability Companies, while a 17% Corporate Income Tax is levied when the share disposal constitutes a commercial transaction for the resident individual. Shares from foreign Joint Stock Companies are exempt from taxation, as are shares not falling into any of the aforementioned scenarios. |
Certain expenses are tax-deductible: payments to pension schemes; scholarships or payments granted by an employer on the birth of a child, on marriage, or death, provided they are granted to all employees and have been approved by the Ministry of Labour; end-of-service indemnities paid in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations; transportation allowances of LBP 250,000/day (LB 450,000/day for the private sector as of 2024); annual schooling allowance of a maximum total amount of LBP 6 million and for a maximum of three children; reimbursements for expenses and representation allowances below 10% of the basic salaries of managerial staff.
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Últimas atualizações em July 2024