Tax rates in the Maldives

Tax Rates

Consumption Taxes

Nature of the Tax: Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Tax Rate: 6% (standard rate) - 8% as of 2023
12% (tourism sector) - 16% as of 2023
Reduced Tax Rate: Zero-rated goods and services include rice, sugar, flour, salt, milk, cooking oil, eggs, tea leaves, deep sea fish, reef fish, all types of fish packed in the Maldives, and rihaakuru (fish paste), vegetables such as potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, beans and tomatoes, ingredients used in making curry paste (cumin, fennel, coriander, turmeric, garlic, ginger, chilli, chilli powder, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorn, any other such ingredient), dhiyaahakuru, coconuts (kaashi, kurun’ba, kurolhi), carrots, cabbage, beans and tomatoes among vegetables, all kinds of fruits, bread, buns and faaroshi (rusk), baby and adult diapers, baby food, cooking gas, diesel, petrol.
Some items are exempt, including electricity service, water facilities, postal service (not including courier services), sewerage facilities, education, health services, medical devices and drugs, financial services, rent earned from the lease of immovable property, international transportation services, payments collected as fines, daycare services; flats, land and buildings sold by the Government or by the Government through a third party under social housing schemes in which the Government has the discretion to control the price of the property being sold.
Other Consumption Taxes: Customs duties are levied at rates varying between 0% and 100% of the value of goods). Certain goods can be imported duty-free after receiving an authorisation from the respective Ministry or Authority responsible for granting the duty exemption.

Corporate Taxes

Company Tax

Tax Rate For Foreign Companies

Foreign companies are taxed at the same rates as local ones, in respect of income that is derived from the Maldives.
Non-resident international transport operators are taxed at 2%.

Capital Gains Taxation

No capital gains tax is levied in the Maldives.

Main Allowable Deductions and Tax Credits

Expenses eligible for deduction from business income include:

payment of zakat al-mal paid to a relevant government institution
contribution to the Maldives Retirement Pension scheme
donations to government-approved institutions or a charitable organisation approved by the Commissioner General of Taxation (capped at 5% of the taxable income).

Further deductions are available (subject to conditions) for welfare expenses, interest on loans (up to 6% per year), bad debts included in the corporate’s total income if reasonable steps have been taken to realise the debt; head office expenses (capped at 3% of total income), expenses incurred before the commencement of business.

The loss suffered in a tax year can be carried forward and set off against the taxable income of future years.

Other Corporate Taxes

Corporate taxes levied in the Maldives include a Green Tax (levied on tourists who stay in tourist resorts, tourist hotels, and tourist vessels at USD 6/day); customs duty (from 0% to 100% of the value of goods); and social security contributions (7% of the employee’s pensionable wage payable by the employer).

Other Domestic Resources

Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), Tax guides

Country Comparison For Corporate Taxation

	Maldives	South Asia	United States	Germany
Number of Payments of Taxes per Year	17.0	26.7	10.6	9.0
Time Taken For Administrative Formalities (Hours)	390.5	273.5	175.0	218.0
Total Share of Taxes (% of Profit)	30.2	43.9	36.6	48.8

Source: Doing Business, Latest available data.

Individual Taxes

Tax Rate

Personal income tax	2023 brackets
MVR 0 - 720,000	0
MVR 720,000 - 1,200,000	5.5%
MVR 1,200,000 - MVR 1,800,000	8%
MVR 1,800,000 - MVR 2,400,000	12%
Above MVR 2,400,000	15%

Allowable Deductions and Tax Credits: No specific expense in relation to employment is allowed as a deduction from employment income. Zakat payments and contributions to the Maldives Retirement Pension Scheme are deductible.
Life insurance premiums can be deducted if several conditions are respected. Donations to a State institution or a charitable organisation approved by the Commissioner General of Taxation are deductible up to 5% of the taxable income. Interest on loans is also deductible (up to 6% per year).
Special Expatriate Tax Regime: A tax resident in the Maldives is subject to income tax on worldwide income; whereas a non-resident and a temporary resident is taxable in respect of income that is derived from the Maldives.

Double Taxation Treaties

Countries With Whom a Double Taxation Treaty Have Been Signed: Maldives Inland Revenue Authority.
Withholding Taxes: Dividends: 0 (resident)/10% (non-resident), Interests: 0 (resident)/10% (non-resident; except interest payable to a bank or financial institutions approved by the MIRA), Royalties: 0 (resident)/10% (non-resident).

Sources of Fiscal Information

Tax Authorities: Maldives Inland Revenue Authority
Other Domestic Resources: Maldives Monetary Authority

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