VAT & Business Obligations
Monthly or Quarterly VAT Returns: Which Applies to Your Business in 2026
Published · 8 min read · NS Accounting & Tax Office
Written by the NSTAX team of accountants and tax advisers
“Businesses with single-entry books submit a VAT return every quarter” was until recently the basic rule, and many business owners still believe it. However, AADE Decision A.1049/2025 changed the picture: a large proportion of newer businesses now submit VAT returns every month, and only older businesses remained quarterly. The correct period determines how many times a year you file, when you pay the tax and how often your records must be ready. In this article, NSTAX explains which period applies to each business and how to make the change.
The Basic Rule and Deadlines
VAT returns must be submitted by the last working day of the month following the tax period, whether that period is a month or a quarter. Businesses keeping double-entry books submit a return for each month. For businesses filing quarterly returns, the deadlines are:
- First quarter (January–March): last working day of April
- Second quarter (April–June): last working day of July
- Third quarter (July–September): last working day of October
- Fourth quarter (October–December): last working day of January
What Changed under A.1049/2025
Decision A.1049/2025 (Government Gazette 1530/B/31-3-2025) regulates the filing period for businesses using the single-entry accounting system. Under this decision:
- Businesses starting activity from 1 April 2025 onwards: submit a VAT return for each monthly period, from their first month of operation
- Businesses with single-entry books that started activity from 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025: must file monthly returns from 1 July 2025
- Businesses with single-entry books that started activity by 31 December 2023: remain on quarterly returns, with the option to voluntarily choose monthly returns from 1 October 2025
According to press reports, the change affects more than 5,000 businesses and professionals that started from 1 April 2025.
Which Case Applies to You
To find which period applies to you, answer two questions:
- Which accounting system do you use? If you keep double-entry books, you submit monthly returns.
- If you keep single-entry books, when did you start activity? Starting by 31 December 2023 means quarterly returns (unless you chose monthly returns). Starting from 1 January 2024 means monthly returns.
If you belong to the special small business exemption scheme, VAT obligations differ and must be checked separately.
Returning to Quarterly Returns: Conditions and Procedure
Businesses that entered the monthly period can return to quarterly returns under the following conditions:
- At least 24 months must have passed since the business started activity
- The declaration of choice is submitted by the penultimate working day of January, April, July or October
- The declaration is made through the myAADE platform, under Registry and Communication, Change of registry details
- The choice takes effect from the first day of the month of submission
- The choice of a quarterly period cannot be revoked before 12 months have elapsed
Those who voluntarily chose monthly returns may, according to published analyses, return to quarterly returns after remaining in the monthly period for 12 months.
Two Examples
Example 1: A Business That Started in March 2024
A business with single-entry books started on 1 March 2024 and must file monthly returns. The 24 months are completed at the end of February 2026. The first available window for a declaration of choice is April 2026. If it submits the declaration in April, the quarterly period applies from 1 April. The March 2026 return is filed as a monthly return as usual by the last working day of April, and the first quarterly return, for the second quarter, is filed by the last working day of July 2026.
Example 2: A Business Starting in May 2026
A new business starting in May 2026 submits monthly returns from its first month. The 24 months are completed in May 2028, so the first choice window after their completion is July 2028. If it then chooses a quarterly period, this applies from 1 July 2028. The examples are illustrative.
What Monthly Returns Change in Practice
Monthly returns do not change the tax owed; they change the pace at which you calculate and pay it. In practice:
- Documents and classifications in myDATA must be complete every month rather than every quarter
- VAT is paid more frequently and in smaller amounts, which helps liquidity planning
- Accounting monitoring obligations increase, and often the accounting firm’s fees increase accordingly
- Errors are identified and corrected earlier
The Most Common Mistakes
- Assuming all businesses with single-entry books file quarterly returns without checking their start date
- Omitting a monthly return by a business that was required to enter the monthly period
- Submitting a declaration of choice outside the permitted months or before completing 24 months
- Waiting to return to quarterly returns without accounting for the choice taking effect from the first day of the submission month
- Using the wrong period or disregarding the difference between monthly and quarterly regimes, resulting in discrepancies with myDATA
- Failing to prepare liquidity for more frequent VAT payments
5 Practical Tips
- Check in myAADE which VAT tax period is registered for your business.
- Mark monthly or quarterly deadlines in your calendar, with a reminder five working days beforehand.
- If you are approaching 24 months of operation, note the choice windows (January, April, July, October).
- Complete myDATA classifications every month, not only before the deadline.
- Ask your accountant to confirm the period applying to your business, especially if you have changed your bookkeeping category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which businesses submit monthly VAT returns?
I started before 2024 with single-entry books. Which VAT return do I submit?
When can I return to quarterly returns?
Where is the declaration of the chosen period submitted?
What is the deadline for submitting the VAT return?
Not Sure Which VAT Return Applies to Your Business?
NSTAX, an accounting and tax advisory firm in Athens, checks which period is registered for your business in myAADE, handles each return by its deadline and submits the declaration of choice when switching is beneficial. Contact us for a brief review.
See also VAT changes for businesses, which input VAT is deductible and NSTAX business services.
VAT filing-period rules are based on Decision A.1049/2025 and may be amended by subsequent AADE decisions. The examples are illustrative. For an accurate picture of your own business, contact us.