Is VVPR-bis the same as the liquidation reserve?

No. VVPR-bis reduces the withholding on ordinary dividends once shares have seasoned — 18% for distributions from 1 July 2026 (15% before that date). The liquidation reserve is a separate mechanism where the company pays an anticipatory levy now and distributes later at a reduced rate. They can be used together as part of a distribution plan.

What happens if I sell my shares?

Transferring the shares can break the continuity condition and cause you to lose the reduced rate on future dividends. Confirm the impact with your accountant before any share transaction.

Does VVPR-bis apply to an eenmanszaak?

No. A sole trader has no shares and pays no dividends, so VVPR-bis does not apply. It is a company-only lever.

Why did the rate change mid-year?

A programme act adopted in May 2026 raised the VVPR-bis rate from 15% to 18% for distributions paid from 1 July 2026 onward; distributions paid on or before 30 June 2026 kept the 15% rate. Confirm the exact distribution date with your accountant since it determines which rate applies.

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Dividends & reserves6 min read

VVPR-bis in 2026: the reduced dividend rate rises to 18%

Published 14 January 2026Updated 19 July 2026

For most Belgian company directors, dividends are taxed at a flat 30% withholding. VVPR-bis cuts that down — to 15% for distributions paid on or before 30 June 2026, and to 18% for distributions from 1 July 2026 onward — but only on shares that meet strict conditions and only after they have aged. Miss a condition and you lose the reduced rate entirely.

What VVPR-bis is

VVPR-bis (“verlaagde voorheffing / précompte réduit”) is a regime that reduces the withholding tax on dividends from the standard 30% for small companies. Since a mid-2026 reform, the reduced rate itself is 18% for distributions from 1 July 2026 onward (it was 15% for distributions paid on or before 30 June 2026). It rewards founders who put real cash into their company and keep their shares, rather than extracting everything immediately.

The core conditions

The reduced rate applies only when the shares were issued in return for a cash contribution (not a contribution in kind), from incorporation or a later capital increase, and are fully paid up. The company must qualify as small under the size criteria. And crucially, the shares have to season.

Shares issued for a cash contribution, fully paid up
The company qualifies as “small” (Article 1:24 of the Companies Code criteria)
The shares are held continuously — selling resets the benefit
The reduced rate is claimed on the right income year

The countdown that catches people out

VVPR-bis is not immediate. Dividends distributed from the third financial year after the year of the contribution qualify for the reduced rate — 18% for distributions from 1 July 2026, 15% for anything paid on or before 30 June 2026. Distribute earlier (before the shares have seasoned) and you pay the full 30%. This is exactly the kind of timing a planner should watch — a dividend taken one year too soon, or on the wrong side of the mid-2026 rate change, can cost you real money.

Why it matters for take-home

On a €40,000 dividend, the difference between the 18% VVPR-bis rate and the 30% standard rate is €4,800 kept versus lost (it was €6,000 under the pre-July-2026 15% rate). For a one-person BV that has been building retained profit, getting the timing and conditions right is still one of the largest single levers available.

Frequently asked

Is VVPR-bis the same as the liquidation reserve?: No. VVPR-bis reduces the withholding on ordinary dividends once shares have seasoned — 18% for distributions from 1 July 2026 (15% before that date). The liquidation reserve is a separate mechanism where the company pays an anticipatory levy now and distributes later at a reduced rate. They can be used together as part of a distribution plan.
What happens if I sell my shares?: Transferring the shares can break the continuity condition and cause you to lose the reduced rate on future dividends. Confirm the impact with your accountant before any share transaction.
Does VVPR-bis apply to an eenmanszaak?: No. A sole trader has no shares and pays no dividends, so VVPR-bis does not apply. It is a company-only lever.
Why did the rate change mid-year?: A programme act adopted in May 2026 raised the VVPR-bis rate from 15% to 18% for distributions paid from 1 July 2026 onward; distributions paid on or before 30 June 2026 kept the 15% rate. Confirm the exact distribution date with your accountant since it determines which rate applies.

This article is general information for a one-person company (BV/SRL), not tax advice. Rules and figures change — confirm your situation with your accountant before acting.