Liberia tax system: audit, reporting and optimization of taxation of Liberian companies and individuals: VAT, income tax and capital gains. Tax treaties of Liberia.

Tax residents pay tax on their worldwide income and non-residents on income sourced in Liberia.

The tax rates are progressive. With regard to the income of residents, they are as follows:

• Income up to LRD (Liberian dollar) 70,000 – 0%;
• From LRD 70,000 to 200,000 – 5%;
• From LRD 200,000 to 800,000 – 15%;
• Over LRD 800,000 – 25%.

The income of non-residents is taxed at 15%.

Gains from the sale of assets are included in the general tax base.

Corporate income tax is levied at the rate of 25%. A minimum tax of 2% may also apply on gross income.

Mining companies and oil sector companies are taxed at 30% (however, there are various benefits).

Gains from the sale of assets are taxed at the normal corporate tax rate.

Vessels registered in the Liberian Registry are subject to an annual fee based on their net tonnage. Shipping companies do not pay corporate income tax in Liberia. Liberian corporate income tax is paid by tax resident companies. Companies engaged in the following activities are not regarded as tax residents of Liberia: owning a Liberian flag vessel, conducting in Liberia activities related to the operation, chartering or disposition of a ship other than for transportation exclusively within Liberia. Nor do Liberian companies engaged in these activities withhold any Liberian tax on payments to non-residents.

Nor do Liberian companies regarded as non-residents pay Liberian corporate income tax if certain conditions are met.

None.

Withholding tax on dividends, interest, and royalties is usually levied at the rate of 15%.

Withholding tax may also be levied on other payments.

GST is levied at the rates of 7% and 10%; a 15% rate applies to telecommunication services.

Social security contributions are paid by the employee and the employer at the rates of 4% and 6% respectively on the sum of the remuneration.

The tax is levied at the rate of 0.25% on residential property and at the rate of 1.5% on commercial property.

Vacant land within the city boundaries attracts the tax of 5%.

There are other tax rates for farmland, buildings on public land, etc.

Stamp duty is levied on various transactions and documents (agreements, bills of exchange and promissory notes, leases, etc.) at the rates ranging from 1% to 12.5%.

Liberia has 1 Double Tax Treaty (DTC) and 12 Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA) with the following jurisdictions:

1 DTC: Germany.

12 TIEAs: Netherlands, United Kingdom, Denmark, Ghana, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, France, Finland, Faroe Island, Greenland, Portugal.

There are certain currency exchange controls in place, these include the obligation to repatriate the revenue and certain rules for transfers abroad.