When your place of supply is abroad, that doesn't automatically mean you have to register there. A registration obligation only arises if the country in question requires one – and that depends on the type of service, the type of customer, and sometimes on your sales volume.
This article gives you a structured overview: when does foreign registration become an issue, which countries have which rules, what does registration practically involve – and what happens if you miss a registration obligation?
Disclaimer: This article provides general guidance only. Every foreign registration is an individual case – if in doubt, get support from a tax professional or a local service provider in the target country.
For a complete overview, see our pillar article: Sales to customers in third countries: your overview
Place of supply ≠ registration obligation
The most important principle first: just because your transaction is not taxable in Germany doesn't mean it's automatically taxable abroad or that it triggers a registration obligation there. There are three possibilities for how such a transaction can be treated:
Taxable abroad, customer takes over the tax liability – the classic reverse charge scenario for B2B sales. You don't need to register in this case. More on this in our article B2B invoices to third countries.
Taxable abroad, you have to remit the tax there yourself – typical for B2C constellations, real estate-related services, events, or digital services. A registration obligation often applies here.
Not taxable in the target country at all – some countries have no VAT for certain services or grant exemptions, so no registration is needed.
Which of these three variants applies to you can only be determined by looking at the national law of the target country.
When does foreign registration become relevant?
In practice, three constellations are most likely to trigger a registration obligation abroad:
1. B2C sales of digital products to third countries. The classic case: you sell e-books, online courses, apps, or SaaS subscriptions to private customers in countries like Switzerland, the UK, or Norway. Because the place of supply is at your customer's residence and the OSS doesn't help outside the EU, local registration is often unavoidable. Details in our article on digital products to third countries.
2. B2C catalog services to third countries. Advertising, consulting, translations, licensing of rights to private customers abroad. Registration obligations are less common here than with digital products, but possible depending on the country and volume. More in our article B2C sales and catalog services.
3. Services with a special place of supply. Real estate-related services, event services, restaurant services, passenger transport. Registration often takes place in the country of activity – for example, if you plan a building in Dubai as an architect or speak at a conference in Tokyo.
A registration obligation can also arise if you have a physical presence abroad – e.g. a warehouse, a permanent establishment, or regular on-site activity. This is rarely an issue for digitally working freelancers but plays a role in trade.
The most important third countries at a glance
Here's an updated overview with a focus on registration (status 2026 – details may change, please verify before relying on this):
Switzerland
Threshold: CHF 100,000 in worldwide annual turnover (not just Swiss turnover!)
Authority: Swiss Federal Tax Administration (ESTV)
Fiscal representation: Yes, a Swiss fiscal representative is mandatory for foreign companies
VAT rate: 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced), 3.8% (accommodation)
Note: The worldwide turnover threshold surprises many people – as soon as you make more than CHF 100,000 internationally and serve Swiss private customers, you become subject to registration, regardless of how small your Swiss share is.
United Kingdom
Threshold: None for digital services to UK private customers – registration is required from the very first pound of turnover. Other services have applicable thresholds.
Authority: HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue and Customs)
Fiscal representation: Often required, especially without a UK establishment
VAT rate: 20% (standard), 5% (reduced)
Note: Since Brexit, many EU companies that previously used the Mini One-Stop Shop have to register separately in the UK. The administrative effort is often underestimated.
Norway
Threshold: NOK 50,000 in annual turnover with Norwegian customers
Authority: Skatteetaten (Norwegian Tax Administration) – the simplified VOEC system is available for digital services
Fiscal representation: Required for regular registration, not for the VOEC system
VAT rate: 25% (standard), 15% and 12% (reduced)
Note: The VOEC system ("VAT On E-Commerce") is specifically designed for digital services and low-value goods and significantly simplifies registration.
United States
Thresholds: Vary by state, often USD 100,000 in turnover or 200 transactions per year (Economic Nexus)
Authorities: Each of the 45 states with sales tax has its own authority (Department of Revenue or similar)
Fiscal representation: Not in the European sense, but specialized service providers (TaxJar, Avalara, Stripe Tax) help with compliance
Tax rates: 0% to about 10%, depending on state and locality
Note: The US has no federal VAT but rather 45 individual sales tax systems plus local surcharges. For digital products, each state has its own rules on what is taxable – some tax digital products only to a limited extent, others not at all.
Canada
Threshold: CAD 30,000 in turnover with Canadian customers within 12 months
Authority: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for nationwide GST, plus provinces with their own systems (QST, PST, HST)
Fiscal representation: Required in many cases
Tax rates: 5% (GST) plus additional taxes depending on the province
Australia
Threshold: AUD 75,000 in annual turnover with Australian customers
Authority: Australian Taxation Office (ATO) – simplified system available for foreign providers of digital services
Tax rate: 10% GST
United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and others
Almost all major economic regions now have their own VAT/GST rules for foreign providers. Thresholds and procedures vary – if you regularly sell to one of these countries, it's worth doing targeted research for the country in question.
How does registration abroad work?
The process varies from country to country but usually follows a similar pattern:
Check the registration obligation – ideally with a tax professional in the target country.
If applicable, appoint a fiscal representative – a local representative who acts on your behalf vis-à-vis the local tax authority.
File the application with the responsible authority – often online, often in the local language.
Receive a local VAT/GST number – which then has to appear on every invoice to customers in that country.
Ongoing compliance – regular VAT filings and payments in the target country, often monthly or quarterly.
Depending on the country, the registration process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Plan enough time if you anticipate crossing a threshold soon.
What does it cost?
The costs of foreign registration vary significantly. Typical expenses include:
Registration fees (often one-off, sometimes free)
Costs for fiscal representation (depending on the country, €500–€5,000 per year)
Costs for ongoing filings (local tax advisor or specialized providers like Avalara, TaxJar, Stripe Tax, Quaderno, Hellotax)
For digital products, there is now a whole range of tools that automate compliance – including country-specific tax calculation, invoicing, and reporting. These can be a major relief, but they also come with ongoing costs.
What happens if I miss a registration?
Missed registrations can have unpleasant consequences:
Back payment of VAT for the entire period the registration obligation existed
Late fees and interest on the back payments
Fines for intentional or grossly negligent disregard
In some countries: suspension of registration eligibility until outstanding amounts are settled
Reputational damage with customers if it becomes clear that invoices don't comply with local requirements
Most countries now have reporting systems that capture cross-border digital sales effectively – the chance of a missed registration going undetected for long has decreased significantly in recent years.
The role of fiscal representation
In many third countries – particularly Switzerland and the UK – foreign companies are required to appoint a local fiscal representative. This person or service takes on:
communication with the local tax authority
filing of VAT returns in the target country
in some cases also liability for timely tax remittance
Choosing a reliable fiscal representative is important – if their service is poor, you ultimately bear the consequences. There are specialized firms in individual countries, but also pan-European service providers that bundle multiple target countries.
Practical tips
A few recommendations from experience:
Set up monitoring. Keep track of which countries you make which sales in. Many freelancers don't notice they've already crossed a threshold months ago. A simple Excel sheet or reporting tool is often enough.
Choose target countries deliberately. If you sell digital products globally, you can also exclude countries via your terms and conditions and shop settings. This is legally permissible and can save effort if individual countries aren't economically relevant enough for you.
Use tools. For digital products, there are now very good automation tools. They become worthwhile from a mid four-figure monthly turnover in registration-relevant countries onwards.
Get advice early. A visit to a local tax professional or a specialized service provider is almost always cheaper than retroactive remediation after a missed registration.
Keep documentation clean. Customer location records, invoices, payment flows – all of this should be filed in a structured way so that you can demonstrate how you arrived at your assessments in the event of an audit.
Your roadmap
Identify the target countries in which you regularly generate sales.
Check the local rules on registration obligations and thresholds for each of these countries.
Set up monitoring that alerts you early when you're approaching a threshold.
Decide per country whether you want to register, use a simplification system (where available), or restrict your sales.
Engage fiscal representation or a service provider in time if registration is on the horizon.
Integrate ongoing compliance into your accounting and invoicing processes – tools and local tax professionals are the best investment here.
Conclusion
The question of foreign registration may seem intimidating at first – but it's manageable once you've set things up systematically. The key: be aware of which countries you have customers in, know the relevant thresholds and obligations, and build processes that warn you in time before a threshold is crossed.
Especially for freelancers with digital products, foreign compliance isn't a side issue – it's an essential part of business risk management. The earlier you tackle it, the fewer surprises you'll encounter later.
For questions about your individual situation – including the choice of fiscal representatives or compliance tools – our Tax Coaches and the Accountable network of partner tax advisors are happy to help.