Suriname Introduces New Penalty Policy for VAT Filing and Payment Omissions

• Penalty Framework Established: Suriname has introduced a new decree outlining penalties for VAT non-compliance, allowing fines of up to SRD 10,000 for late or missing VAT returns and late payments, based on Articles 37, 38, and 69 of the VAT Act.
• Detailed Penalty Structure: Penalties are assessed per tax period, with fines for late filings calculated based on the number of full months overdue, starting at SRD 2,500 for one month late. Payment omissions incur a penalty of 50% of the outstanding VAT amount, also capped at SRD 10,000.
• Non-Submission Consequences: If a VAT return is not filed by the deadline, automatic maximum penalties apply for both filing and payment. However, if the taxpayer later files a return as part of an objection, penalties may be reassessed, potentially reducing payment penalties to zero if no obligation exists.

Detailed:

Published: 1 December 2025
Issued by: Minister of Finance and Planning, Republic of Suriname
Effective legal basis: Articles 37, 38, and 69 of the VAT Act (S.B. 2022 no. 121, amended in 2023)

The Minister of Finance and Planning of Suriname has issued a new decree establishing supplementary rules for administrative penalties related to VAT filing and payment behaviour. The regulation clarifies how “verzuimboetes” (administrative default penalties) are to be applied when taxpayers fail to submit VAT returns on time or fail to pay VAT within the statutory deadlines.

1. Background and Legal Basis

The decree is grounded in the following VAT Act provisions:

• Article 37: Allows penalties up to SRD 10,000 for failing to submit a VAT return or submitting it late.
• Article 38: Allows penalties up to SRD 10,000 for failing to pay VAT in full or on time.
• Article 69: Authorises the Minister to issue further implementing rules necessary for administering the VAT system.

The newly issued “Beschikking boetebeleid verzuim boeten” sets out detailed rules to ensure uniform application of penalty decisions.

2. Types of Omissions Subject to Penalties

The decree identifies two main categories of VAT non-compliance:

1. Filing omissions:
   • Late submission of VAT returns
   • Non‑submission of VAT returns
2. Payment omissions:
   • Late payment
   • No payment
   • Insufficient / partial payment

3. Penalties for VAT Filing Omissions

3.1 Penalty is applied per tax period

Each VAT period is assessed separately, with a maximum filing penalty of SRD 10,000 per period.
Even nil or refund returns that are late trigger a filing penalty.

3.2 Penalty linked to lateness (in whole months)

The lateness is calculated from the statutory deadline to the actual submission date and is rounded up to full months.
Example:

• 5 days late → rounded up to 1 month → SRD 2,500 penalty
• 3 months + 5 days late → rounded up to 4 months → SRD 10,000 penalty

3.3 Filing penalty schedule

After 4 months late, the maximum penalty of SRD 10,000 always applies.

4. Penalties for VAT Payment Omissions

4.1 Standard rule

The payment default penalty is 50% of the outstanding payment amount, up to a maximum of SRD 10,000.

4.2 Calculation of the “outstanding amount”

Outstanding amount =
Declared VAT liability
minus
All payments made on or before the filing/payment deadline

4.3 Exception

If the (late) VAT return is a nil return or shows a refund, no payment penalty is imposed.

5. Procedure in Case of Non‑Submission of VAT Return

If no return is filed by the legal deadline (Article 13(2)), the tax authority will issue an ex officio assessment (ambtshalve aanslag):

• The assessment automatically includes:
  • Maximum filing penalty: SRD 10,000
  • Maximum payment penalty: SRD 10,000
• If the taxpayer files the return as part of a formal objection, the initially imposed penalties will be re-evaluated according to the normal penalty rules.
• If, after review, there is no payment obligation, the payment penalty is reduced to zero.

6. Publication and Communication

The decree is published in the Staatsblad of the Republic of Suriname and distributed to relevant government institutions, including:

• The Ministry of Finance and Planning
• The Court of Audit of Suriname
• The Tax Directorate and associated units
  [su | PDF]

It was signed on 13 November 2025 by Minister Adelien Wijnerman and formally issued on 1 December 2025 by Minister Marinus Bee.

Summary in Plain Language

Suriname has formalised a strict but structured penalty system for VAT non-compliance.

• Late or missing VAT returns can cost up to SRD 10,000 per period, depending on how late the submission is.
• Late or insufficient payments are penalised at 50% of the outstanding VAT, also capped at SRD 10,000.
• Not filing at all automatically triggers both maximum penalties, although these may be reduced if the taxpayer later files a return during objection.
• Even a zero or refund return must be filed on time to avoid penalties.