Bz Tax Overview

---
name: bz-tax-overview
description: "Source-cited draft: tax overview for Belize (tax year 2025) — rates, thresholds and rules with primary-source citations. Unverified; pending local-accountant review."
license: "AGPL-3.0-or-later (code) / OpenAccountants Guide License v1.0 (content)"
metadata:
  source: openaccountants
  openaccountants_url: "https://www.openaccountants.com/skills/bz-tax-overview"
  jurisdiction: "BZ"
  tax_year: "2025"
  last_updated: "2026-07-13"
---

# Belize Tax Overview

## Belize tax system at a glance

Belize taxes individuals and businesses primarily through the Income and Business Tax Act, supplemented by a General Sales Tax (GST). Notably, most active businesses are taxed on gross receipts (business tax) rather than net profit, and there is no capital gains tax.

- **Tax year** — Calendar year (1 January to 31 December)  _([Income and Business Tax Act (Cap. 55)](https://bts.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cap-55-Income-and-Business-Tax-Act.pdf))_
- **Currency** — Belize dollar (BZD), pegged at BZD 2 = USD 1 (approx — confirm peg still in force)  _(Central Bank of Belize Act)_
- **Tax authority** — Belize Tax Service Department (BTS)  _([Belize Tax Service Department](https://bts.gov.bz/))_
- **Social security authority** — Social Security Board (SSB)  _([Social Security Act](https://socialsecurity.org.bz/))_
- **Residence / taxation basis** — Income tax is charged on income accruing in or derived from Belize; residents are generally taxed on Belize-source income (territorial emphasis) (approx — confirm scope for foreign-source income)  _(Income and Business Tax Act (Cap. 55))_
- **Headline personal income tax rate** — 25% flat on chargeable income percent  _(Income and Business Tax Act (Cap. 55))_
- **Headline business tax (companies)** — Business tax on gross receipts at activity-specific rates (commonly 1.75% trade, 3% rents/royalties, 6% professions); 25% income tax applies to petroleum operations percent  _(Income and Business Tax Act (Cap. 55))_
- **Does a VAT/GST exist?** — Yes — General Sales Tax (GST) at a standard rate of 12.5% percent  _([General Sales Tax Act](https://bts.gov.bz/gst-faq/))_
- **Capital gains tax** — No separate capital gains tax in Belize  _(Income and Business Tax Act (Cap. 55))_
- **Annual income tax return deadline** — 31 March following the end of the tax year (unless extended by the Commissioner)  _([Income and Business Tax Act (Cap. 55)](https://bts.gov.bz/))_
- **GST return frequency / deadline** — Monthly; return and payment due by the 15th of the following month (Form BTS210)  _([General Sales Tax Act](https://bts.gov.bz/file-gst-return/))_

## Today's figures and who stands behind this skill

This file is an AI skill (tax rules your AI follows) from OpenAccountants, copied on 2026-07-13. Rates, thresholds and deadlines change. For the current version of this skill, its official sources and the named accountant (if any) who stands behind it, call `get_skill` with slug `bz-tax-overview` on the OpenAccountants connector (https://www.openaccountants.com/connect), or read https://www.openaccountants.com/skills/bz-tax-overview. If neither is available, confirm every figure against the official source pages cited above before relying on it.