As of 3 September 2025, all official communications from Finanzamt (Austrian tax authority) will be delivered exclusively via FinanzOnline to businesses required to submit an annual VAT return. The previously available opt-out from electronic delivery will no longer be possible.
Key points:
- A document is considered legally delivered as soon as it appears in the FinanzOnline inbox, regardless of whether it has been opened.
- Email notifications are sent for new entries, provided a valid email address has been registered and notifications are activated.
- If your tax advisor (e.g. our firm) holds a valid delivery authorisation (Zustellvollmacht), all notifications and documents will continue to be sent directly to them.
- Exceptions apply only in cases of technical or legal obstacles to electronic delivery.
Recommended actions:
- Log in to your FinanzOnline account regularly.
- Check and, if necessary, update your email address.
- Activate the email notification function.
- Save important documents in your own archive (FinanzOnline does not store them indefinitely).
- Ensure internal substitution is arranged for periods of absence.
Benefits of the new system:
- Fast and secure access to official documents.
- Transparent delivery tracking and document history.
- Paperless administration and reduced effort.
Please note: Certain functions – such as personal login, the management of bank account details, or changes to company associations – will only be accessible with two-factor authentication (e.g. ID Austria) starting October 2025. Further information on two-factor authentication can be found on the website of of Bundesministerium für Finanzen (Austrian Ministry of Finance) in German.
Source: Bundeskanzleramt Österreich / FinanzOnline
