Tax and Donations to Animal Welfare
What you need to know
Making a donation to a nonprofit animal welfare organization like Animal Care Austria doesn't just help animals in need – it can also save you money on taxes. Since 2017, Austria has streamlined the process: your donations to qualified charities are automatically reported to tax authorities and reduce your tax bill without any extra paperwork on your end.
Here's everything you need to know about qualifying donations, limits, and requirements so you can focus on what really matters: helping animals.
What’s a Charitable Donation?
A charitable donation is simply money you give to a qualified nonprofit that works for the public good, like animal welfare, education, or scientific research. The key word here is "public" – the organization has to help the community at large, not just specific individuals.
For your donation to count on your taxes, the organization must be officially recognized by Austria's tax authorities and appear on the Federal Ministry of Finance's approved list. Only donations to these pre-approved groups qualify for tax breaks.
Here's what qualifies:
No strings attached: You're giving money without expecting anything back – no products, services, or special perks.
Benefits everyone: Your donation supports causes that help the broader community, not just individuals.
Government-approved organization: The charity must be on the official list – Animal Care Austria is registered as NT-22513.
This is all spelled out in Section 4a of Austria's Income Tax Act. Bottom line: if the organization isn't on the approved list, your donation won't qualify for tax benefits.
Which Donations are Tax-Deductible?
In Austria, individuals can write off cash donations to approved nonprofits. The catch? It has to be monetary donations – you can't deduct the value of donated goods like pet food, blankets, or supplies when you're filing as an individual.
Key restrictions:
Cash only: Personal donations must be monetary. Donated goods don't usually count for individual tax filers (though businesses can deduct them).
Truly voluntary: If you get anything in return – even a small thank-you gift – it's not considered a pure donation for tax purposes.
10% cap: You can only deduct up to 10% of your annual income, regardless of how much you actually donate.
Example: If you earned € 40,000 in total last year, you can deduct up to € 4,000 in charitable donations across all qualified organizations combined.
How to Tax-Deduct Charitable Donations
Austria made this incredibly simple starting in 2017. For individual donors, it's basically automatic – no forms to fill out or receipts to track down at tax time. When you donate to an approved organization like Animal Care Austria, you can deduct up to 10% of your total annual income. The only requirement? Give us your full legal name and birth date exactly as they appear on your official registration.
Then we handle everything:
We securely report your donation to tax authorities electronically.
The amount automatically shows up on your tax return.
You don't need to keep donation receipts (though we'll send you one if you want it for your records).
Important: Anonymous donations or donations without proper identification can't be processed by tax authorities. No name and birth date means no tax deduction.
Pro tip: Even though it's automatic, keep your bank records showing the donation – just in case.
Personal vs. Business Donations
Both individuals and businesses can deduct charitable donations up to 10% – but there are some important differences:
What You Can Deduct
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Individuals: Usually cash donations only, up to 10% of total income
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Businesses: Both cash and donated goods, up to 10% of total profits before donations
If you're a business owner who donates both personally and through your company, both amounts count toward the same 10% limit regarding your total annual income.
How It Gets Reported
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Individuals: The charity reports your donation automatically – you don't have to do anything.
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Businesses: You must report donations yourself on your tax return.
For businesses, donated goods are valued at fair market price including tax.
Find out more about corporate donations on our dedicated page!
Your Donation Makes a Real Difference
When you donate to Animal Care Austria, you're giving animals a second chance while getting a tax break. Every euro helps us continue our work with partner shelters and save lives. Plus, you can trust that your money is being used wisely – we carry Austria's official Donation Quality Seal.
Thank you for supporting animal welfare!
Please donate to animals in need.
Animal Care Austria Donation Account:
Raiffeisenbank Wien
BIC: RLNWATWW
IBAN: AT29 3200 0000 1127 4065
Frequently Asked Questions
Up to 10% of your total annual income – but only if you donate to qualified organizations.
No. As long as you gave us your correct name and birth date, we report it automatically.
Usually because of missing or incorrect personal information, an anonymous donation, or you donated to an organization that's not on the approved list.
As an individual taxpayer, usually not. For the most part only businesses can deduct non-cash donations.
You can only deduct up to the 10% limit regarding your total income. Anything above that doesn't count for tax purposes.
Check the Federal Ministry of Finance's official list of approved charities.
Contact us directly so we can update your details before reporting to tax authorities.
It's the only way tax authorities can match your donation to your tax file. Without your full legal name and birth date, the system can't process your deduction.