Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)

Value-added tax (VAT)

VAT is a non-cumulative tax levied on the sale of goods and services at the rate of 18%. Subject to certain restrictions, VAT is recoverable.

The rate is reduced to 9% for milk (excepted yogurt and other dairy products), infants milk and homogenised and composite preparation foods for infants, luxury rice, meat imported outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), pasta products that contain 100% durum wheat semolina, and equipment designed for the production of solar energy.

Customs duties

Customs duties rates range from 0% to 35%, depending on the classification of the imported goods according to the customs tariff.

Upon import, goods are also subject to the statistical duty (1%), to the community solidarity levy (0.8%), to African Union import tax (0.2%), to community levy (0.5%), and to VAT (18%).

Special taxes, depending on the nature of the imported goods, may apply, such as excise duties.

The economic partnership agreement between Côte d’Ivoire and the European Union (EU) for customs tariffs dismantling is effective since January 2019.

According to this economic agreement, the products from the European Union covered by the tariff lines concerned are duties free when imported in Côte d’Ivoire.

The exemption only concerns the customs duties, excepting the community levies, statistical duty, and domestic consumption taxes due on importations.

Statistical duty

The statistical duty is levied together with the customs duties during the customs clearance procedures of imported goods.

The rate of the statistical duty is 1% on the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value of the imported goods.

Community levy

The community levy is due together with the customs duties during the customs clearance procedures of imported goods.

The rate of the ECOWAS community levy is 0.5% on the CIF value of the imported goods.

Products imported from outside the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) remain subject to the community levy at 0.8% for five years from January 2015.

The community levy does not apply to goods imported from member countries of the WAEMU, which includes Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Togo, Niger, and Bissau Guinea.

African Union import duty

A duty called the African Union import tax applies on imports of items outside the African Union at the rate of 0.2%.

Excise duties

Excise duties apply on cigarette imports, alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, and oil products. 

Excise duties on tobacco are extended by the FY22 Financial Law to electronic cigarettes, pipes and their parts, preparations for pipes, and products and materials for shisha and electronic cigarettes. Under the FY23 Financial Law, the rate was raised from 40% to 41%.

The FY19 Financial Law has extended excise duties (10%) to tourism vehicles with at least 13 horsepower. 

Under the FY21 Financial Law, excise duties (10% or 50%) are applied to perfume and cosmetic products. The 50% rate has been reduced to 15% under the 2022 tax schedule.

Real estate tax

A real estate tax is imposed at the following rates:

• 1.5% for undeveloped lands.
• 4% on land revenue.
• 11% on developed land or 15% when the built property is used by the company itself. The rate is reduced to 4% for unoccupied buildings. The rate is 10% for unfinished constructions entered in the balance sheet of companies and legal persons.

Transfer taxes

In the case of the transfer of property through a direct sale, taxes are assessed at the following rates:

• 10% for lease transfers.
• 4% for sales of real estates.
• 10% for sales of businesses.

For mortgages, the rate is 5% for the financial lessor at the acquisition of the good and 1% for acquisition of the immovable property by the lessee from the exercise of the option.

Stamp duty

A direct tax is paid for any document subject to a registration procedure, for an acknowledgement of a cash payment, and for bills of exchange.   

Current account agreements are subject to a proportional stamp duty.

current account agreements are subject to proportional stamp duty

Payroll taxes

Taxes are levied at the rates of 2.8% for local employees and 12% for expatriate employees on the total taxable remuneration, including salaries, benefits, and benefits in kind.

Social security contributions

Employers must contribute to the social security system (CNPS) at the following rates:

Special tax for equipment

A special tax is paid by all taxpayers for the purpose of the equipment of the government. The tax is calculated on 0.1% of total turnover and is paid monthly. This tax, which was originally scheduled to end on 31 December 2019, is now a permanent tax since the FY20 Financial Law.

Business franchise tax

The business franchise tax includes a turnover tax and a proportional tax. The turnover tax is calculated on turnover at the rate of 0.5%, with a minimum tax of XOF 300,000 and a maximum tax of XOF 3 million. The proportional tax rate is 18.5% and is based on the rental value of the professional office location (based on general office rents).

Tax on banking operations

A cumulative tax of 10% is levied on bank services rendered. Tax on banking operations charged by banks to companies is fully deductible from output VAT.

Registration taxes

Registration of capital contributions is taxed, whether the capital contribution or increase in capital is made in cash or in kind. The rate is 0.3% for contributions exceeding XOF 10 million to XOF 5 billion and 0.1% for contributions over XOF 5 billion, with a minimum tax of XOF 18,000. Increases in capital by incorporation of reserves are taxed at 6%.

In the event of a capital increase through a merger, the increase in the share capital of the acquiring company is taxed at half of the rates above.

The transfer of shares held in a company located in Côte d'Ivoire is liable to a 1% registration duty on the sale price or market value of the shares when the transfer does not trigger the disappearance of the company or the creation a new legal entity.

Tax on insurance premiums

Insurance premiums are subject to tax as follows:

Premiums paid under commercial shipping insurance policies for maritime risks are exempt. The tax may be paid by the insurance company, its agent, or the subscriber in cases where the subscriber had to pay the premium to a foreign insurance company.

The insurance tax rates are reduced by half for insurance of religious buildings.

The above rates are also halved for microinsurance contracts under the FY22 Financial Law.

Tax on telecommunication companies

A specific tax of 5% is applicable on the turnover of mobile telecommunication, information technology, and communication companies.

Companies renting passive infrastructures and telecom towers to telecom companies are not within the scope of this tax.

The FY19 Financial Law has extended the application of this tax to money transfer companies via mobile networks.

Companies operating in the telecommunication, information technology, and communication sector must also invest 20% of the amount of dividends transferred abroad in bonds of the public Treasury or any borrowing instrument issued by the government of Côte d'Ivoire.

Tax on telecommunication services

A special tax of 3% is applicable on telecommunication services provided to the public. The tax is invoiced and collected by companies operating mobile or land telecommunication and Internet services in Côte d'Ivoire.

Surtax on rent

A special tax of 300% is applicable to the amount of rent on accommodation or professional premises that exceeds the two-month guarantee and one-month upfront payment at the beginning of the lease. The special tax is borne by the lessor.

Tax on audiovisual communication

The 2022 tax annex established a tax on audiovisual communication. The tax is due on advertising messages from non-resident companies that broadcast them.

The scope of the tax on audiovisual communication is reserved solely for advertisements broadcast by foreign channels belonging to the same group of companies as the operator installed in Côte d’Ivoire that distributes it. It is therefore irrelevant whether this link is direct or indirect.

The tax is payable by companies of the same group that broadcast in Côte d'Ivoire, whatever the means, advertising through television or radio channels of companies not resident in Côte d'Ivoire. The rate of the tax is set at XOF 20,000 per hour or fraction of an hour of advertising broadcast.