Paraguay · Tax · Law 6380 of 2019

Law 6380: dividend and profit tax (IDU)

The tax on distributions by Paraguayan companies and branches: what counts as a distribution, the deemed distributions, the 8% rate for residents and 15% for non-residents and head offices abroad, the credit for corporate shareholders and when profits are treated as made available. Full text in English with the Spanish original under every paragraph.

In force, as amended7 articlesLaw 6380 of 2019Official text: BACN

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Official title
Ley N° 6380/2019 — De modernización y simplificación del sistema tributario nacional
In English
Law 6380 of 2019 on the modernisation and simplification of the national tax system
Articles on this page
Arts. 40–46
Topic
Dividend and Profit Tax (IDU) — Book I, Title II
Implementing decree
Decree 3110 of 2019
Dates
Promulgated and published 25 September 2019; the new taxes apply from January 2020, phased in by Decree 2787 of 2019
Tax authority
The National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT), which replaced the Under-Secretariat of State for Taxation (SET) under Law 7143 of 2023; references to the Tax Administration are to the DNIT
Official text
bacn.gov.py ↗

In short

  • The IDU applies to profits, dividends and returns paid or made available by companies, sole proprietorships and branches to their owners (Art. 40).
  • Loans to shareholders, large cash shortfalls and personal use of company assets are deemed distributions (Art. 40).
  • The rate is 8% for resident recipients and 15% for non-residents, including a head office abroad (Art. 43).
  • The paying company withholds; for resident corporate shareholders the tax is a credit against their own later distributions (Art. 41).
  • Profits are made available when the general meeting resolves to distribute; in sole proprietorships, four months after the year end unless reinvested (Art. 44).

Who it affects

  • Foreign shareholders of Paraguayan companies.
  • Branches remitting profits to a head office.
  • Holding structures with a Paraguayan intermediate company.

Key dates

DateEvent
25 Sep 2019Law 6380 promulgated; it replaces IRACIS, IRAGRO and the former IRP (Law 125 of 1991, Law 2421 of 2004)
1 Jan 2020IDU in force (Decree 3110 of 2019)

BCA commentary

Total tax on distributed profit

Profit taxed at 10% under the IRE and distributed to a non-resident bears 15% IDU (Art. 43), a combined rate of 23.5%; for a resident individual the combination is 17.2%. Capitalised profits are not taxed until the capital is redeemed (Art. 42). Tax treaties can reduce the 15%.

Amendment history

Laws that changed the wording of these articles.

No amending law found up to October 2026. Paraguay publishes no official consolidated text.

Full text in English

Read:

Law 6380 of 2019 on the modernisation and simplification of the national tax system: selected articles, in the order of the Law.

Original (Spanish)

Ley N° 6380/2019 De modernización y simplificación del sistema tributario nacional: artículos seleccionados, en el orden de la Ley.

TITLE II · DIVIDEND AND PROFIT TAX (IDU)TÍTULO II · IMPUESTO A LOS DIVIDENDOS Y A LAS UTILIDADES (IDU)

Article 40Taxable event

Art. 40#

Art. 40. Taxable event. Profits, dividends or returns made available or paid to the owner, consortium members, partners or shareholders by sole proprietorships (empresas unipersonales), stock corporations (sociedades anónimas), limited liability companies, limited partnerships (sociedades en comandita simple), capital-and-industry partnerships (sociedades de capital e industria), consortia formed to carry out a public work as provided in item 3 of Article 2 of this law and other private companies or entities of a similar nature with legal personality incorporated in the country, as well as by permanent establishments of entities incorporated abroad, shall be subject to the Dividend and Profit Tax (IDU).

The Transparent Legal Structures governed by Title I of this Book shall be subject to this tax provided that they receive profits, dividends or returns as partners or shareholders of the companies and entities referred to in the preceding paragraph.

For the application of this tax, profits, dividends or returns shall mean any distribution of profit, in cash or in kind, charged to equity and made to partners and shareholders by the company or entity, except the delivery of shares or quotas through the capitalisation of profits.

For the purposes of this tax, the distribution to the owner, consortium member, partner or shareholder of the excess of the legal reserve, of voluntary reserves or of capital through a reduction of capital that was paid in by the capitalisation of undistributed profits or reserves shall constitute a distribution of profits, dividends or returns. It shall be presumed, without proof to the contrary being admitted, that a withdrawal of capital applies first to the capital formed by reserves, including those arising from revaluation, then to undistributed profits and then to the capital actually contributed, in that order.

Likewise, the following events shall be presumed to constitute a distribution of profits, dividends, surpluses or returns:

1. The granting of loans to the owner, consortium member, partner or shareholder, unless the corporate purpose is financial intermediation and the loan does not exceed 2% (two per cent) of its loan portfolio.

2. A cash shortfall exceeding 10% (ten per cent) of the amount of the “cash” account shown in the financial statements of the enterprise, company or entity.

3. Any withdrawal of funds, or the allocation of goods or services to the personal use or consumption of the owner, consortium member, partner or shareholder, without due consideration, including the payment of personal expenses for them and their family members.

Profits, surpluses or returns distributed by cooperatives governed by Law 438 of 1994 and its amendments, by mutual societies governed by Law 3472 of 2008 and by maquila enterprises to their shareholders under Law 1064 of 1997 are excluded from this tax.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 40.- Hecho Generador. Dispóngase que las utilidades, los dividendos o los rendimientos puestos a disposición o pagados al dueño, a los consorciados, a los socios o accionistas por parte de las empresas unipersonales, Sociedades Anónimas, Sociedades de Responsabilidad Limitada, Sociedades en Comandita Simple, Sociedades de Capital e Industria, Consorcios constituidos para la realización de una obra pública establecidos en numeral 3 del artículo 2.° de la presente ley y demás sociedades o entidades privadas de similar naturaleza con personería jurídica, constituidas en el país, así como los establecimientos permanentes de entidades constituidas en el exterior, estarán gravados por el Impuesto a los Dividendos y a las Utilidades (IDU).

Con relación a las Estructuras Jurídicas Transparentes reguladas en el Título I del presente Libro, estarán sujetas a este impuesto, siempre y cuando perciban utilidades, dividendos o rendimientos, en concepto de socios o accionistas de sociedades y entidades referidas en el párrafo anterior.

Para la aplicación de este impuesto, se entenderá por utilidades, dividendos o rendimientos a toda distribución de beneficio, en dinero o en especie, excepto la entrega de acciones o cuotas parte por capitalización de utilidades, con cargo a patrimonio que se realice a los socios y accionistas por parte de la sociedad o la entidad.

Constituirá distribución de utilidades, dividendos o rendimientos a efectos de este impuesto, la distribución al dueño, consorciado, socio o accionista del exceso de la reserva legal, de las reservas facultativas o del capital por reducción del capital que fuera integrado por capitalización de utilidades no distribuidas o reservas. Se presumirá, sin admitir prueba en contrario, que el retiro del capital opera en primer término respecto al capital constituido por las reservas, incluidas las provenientes del revalúo, a las utilidades no distribuidas y al capital efectivamente aportado, en ese orden.

Asimismo, se presumirá que constituyen distribución de utilidades, dividendos, excedentes o rendimientos los siguientes hechos:

1. El otorgamiento de préstamos al dueño, consorciado, socio o accionista, salvo que el objeto social sea la intermediación financiera y que el mismo no supere el 2% (dos por ciento) de su cartera de préstamos.

2. El faltante de dinero superior al 10% (diez por ciento) del monto de la cuenta “caja” expuesto en los estados financieros de la empresa, sociedad o entidad.

3. Todo retiro de fondos o la afectación de uso o consumo personal de bienes o servicios por parte del dueño, consorciado, socio o accionista, sin la debida contraprestación. Incluido el pago de gastos personales a favor de aquellos y de sus familiares.

Quedan excluidos del presente impuesto las utilidades, excedentes o rendimientos distribuidos por las Cooperativas regidas por la Ley N° 438/1994 y sus modificaciones; por las Mutuales regidas por la Ley N° 3472/2008 y por las empresas maquiladoras a sus accionistas en virtud de lo establecido en la Ley N° 1.064/1997.

Article 41Taxpayers and persons liable

Art. 41#

Art. 41. Taxpayers and persons liable. The taxpayers of this tax shall be natural persons, legal persons and other entities, whether or not resident in the country, that receive dividends, profits or returns as owners, consortium members, partners or shareholders of the entities referred to in the first paragraph of the preceding article.

Those who make available or pay the profits, dividends or returns to the taxpayers of this tax shall act as withholding agents and shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of the tax.

Where the shareholder, partner or beneficiary is a legal person or a Transparent Legal Structure, or one of the consortium members is a sole proprietorship, the amount of tax paid shall constitute a credit, which it shall use exclusively in calculating this tax when it in turn distributes profits, dividends or returns to its owner, partners, shareholders or beneficiaries. That credit shall not expire, nor shall any balance remaining give a right to a refund.

The amount of tax determined shall be a single and final payment where the shareholder or partner is a natural person resident in the country or a person or entity not resident in the country.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 41.- Contribuyentes y Responsables. Serán contribuyentes de este impuesto las personas físicas, jurídicas y demás entidades residentes en el país o no, que perciban dividendos, utilidades o rendimientos, en carácter de dueños, consorciados, socios o accionistas de las entidades referidas en el primer párrafo del artículo anterior.

Quienes pongan a disposición o paguen las utilidades, los dividendos o los rendimientos a los contribuyentes de este impuesto, deberán actuar como agentes de retención y responderán solidariamente por el pago del impuesto.

Cuando el accionista, socio o beneficiario sea una persona jurídica, Estructura Jurídica Transparente o una de las consorciadas sea una Empresa Unipersonal, el monto del impuesto pagado constituirá un crédito, que lo utilizará exclusivamente en la liquidación de este impuesto cuando a su vez distribuya utilidades, dividendos o rendimientos a favor del dueño, sus socios, accionistas o beneficiarios. Dicho crédito no caducará, ni su remanente dará derecho a devolución.

El monto del impuesto determinado tendrá carácter de pago único y definitivo, cuando el accionista o socio sea una persona física residente en el país, o sea una persona o entidad no residente en el país.

Article 42Taxable base

Art. 42#

Art. 42. Taxable base. The IDU shall be determined on the net profits, dividends or returns made available or paid to the owner, the consortium member, the partners or shareholders. Profits allocated to the legal reserve account, to voluntary reserves or to capitalisation shall not be subject to this tax, except when the capital is redeemed.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 42.- Base Imponible. El IDU se determinará sobre las utilidades, dividendos o rendimientos netos puestos a disposición o pagados al dueño, al consorciado, a los socios o accionistas. Las utilidades destinadas a la cuenta de reserva legal, a reservas facultativas o a capitalización, no estarán sujetas al presente impuesto, salvo en ocasión de darse el rescate del capital.

Article 43Rates

Art. 43#

Art. 43. Rates. The IDU rate shall be:

1. 8% (eight per cent) where the recipient of the dividends, profits or returns is a natural person, legal person or entity resident in the country.

2. 15% (fifteen per cent) where the recipient of the dividends, profits or returns is a natural person, legal person or entity not resident in the country, including those obtained by the head office abroad.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 43.- Tasas. La tasa IDU será del:

1. 8% (ocho por ciento) cuando el perceptor de los dividendos, utilidades o rendimientos sea una persona física, jurídica o entidad residente en el país.

2. 15% (quince por ciento) cuando el perceptor de los dividendos, utilidades o rendimientos sea una persona física, jurídica o entidad no residente en el país, incluidos los obtenidos por la casa matriz del exterior.

Article 44Accrual of the obligation

Art. 44#

Art. 44. Accrual of the obligation. In the case of stock corporations and other types of entities that are required to hold general meetings, profits, dividends or returns shall be considered made available to the partners or shareholders when the relevant meeting resolves on their distribution, regardless of when payment is made.

Where the meeting resolves to capitalise all or part of the profits, dividends or returns, this increase must be formalised, complying with all legal and statutory requirements, within the twelve months following the date of that meeting.

In the case of limited liability companies and other entities that are not required to hold a general meeting, profits, dividends or returns shall be considered made available within the period laid down in their by-laws; if their partners decide on a different allocation, the decision must be recorded in a notarial instrument before a notary public (Notario y Escribano Público). If the by-laws do not lay down such a period, for the purposes of this tax the profits, dividends or returns shall be understood to be distributed in the fourth month after the close of the fiscal year.

In the case of a redemption of capital, when the general meeting of the company or the body holding such authority in the entity resolves on its redemption.

In sole proprietorships, profits shall be understood to be distributed in the fourth month after the close of the fiscal year, unless the profit has been reinvested in the enterprise itself.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 44.- Nacimiento de la Obligación. En el caso de Sociedades Anónimas y otros tipos de entidades que tengan obligación de realizar asambleas, se considerará que las utilidades, los dividendos o los rendimientos son puestos a disposición de los socios o accionistas cuando la respectiva asamblea disponga su distribución, con independencia del momento del pago.

Cuando la asamblea disponga la capitalización de todo o parte de las utilidades, los dividendos, o los rendimientos, este aumento deberá formalizarse, cumpliendo todos los requisitos legales y estatutarios, dentro de los doce meses siguientes a la fecha de la referida asamblea.

Tratándose de Sociedades de Responsabilidad Limitada y demás entidades que no tengan obligación de realizar asamblea, se considerará que las utilidades, los dividendos o los rendimientos son puestos a disposición en el plazo previsto en sus estatutos; en caso de que sus socios dispongan un destino diferente, la decisión deberá estar protocolizada ante Notario y Escribano Público. Si en los estatutos no se prevé dicho plazo, a los efectos del presente impuesto se entenderá que las utilidades, los dividendos o los rendimientos son distribuidos en el cuarto mes posterior al cierre del ejercicio fiscal.

En caso de rescate de capital, cuando la asamblea de la sociedad o el órgano que tenga tal autoridad en la entidad disponga el rescate del mismo.

En las Empresas Unipersonales se entenderá que las utilidades son distribuidas en el cuarto mes posterior al cierre del ejercicio fiscal, salvo que dicha utilidad haya sido reinvertida en la propia empresa.

Article 45Sworn return and payment

Art. 45#

Art. 45. Sworn return and payment. The IDU shall be calculated by means of a sworn return, in the form and under the conditions laid down by the Tax Administration, which is empowered to determine when taxpayers and persons liable must file it and pay the corresponding tax.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 45.- Declaración Jurada y Pago. El IDU se liquidará por Declaración Jurada, en la forma y condiciones que establezca la Administración Tributaria, la que queda facultada para establecer las oportunidades en que los contribuyentes y responsables deberán presentarla y efectuar el pago del impuesto correspondiente.

Article 46Documentation

Art. 46#

Art. 46. Documentation. The regulations shall lay down the documentation supporting the making available or payment of profits, dividends and returns, as well as the credit provided for in Article 41 of this law.

Original (Spanish)

Art. 46.- Documentación. La reglamentación establecerá la documentación que respalde la puesta a disposición o pago de las utilidades, los dividendos y los rendimientos, como también el crédito previsto en el artículo 41 de la presente ley.

How to cite

Cite the article and paragraph, and link to the paragraph anchor. For example:

Paraguay, Law 6380 of 2019, Art. 43 (unofficial English translation, BCA LatAm Law Library), https://bcaparaguay.com.py/law-library/paraguay/tax-law-6380/dividend-profit-tax-idu#art-43

Unofficial translation by BCA LatAm for information. Only the Spanish text published in the Gaceta Oficial is authentic. Article headings are editorial; chapter, section and marginal headings are the law’s own. Text checked against the text of Law 6380 of 2019 published by the Biblioteca y Archivo Central del Congreso de la Nación (bacn.gov.py), with the amendment made by Law 7067 of 2023 incorporated from the amending law; Paraguay publishes no official consolidated text on 27 October 2026. This page is not legal advice.

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