Maldives tax
Tax residence: More than 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year. Special regime for new residents: Temporary residents taxed on Maldives-derived income only.
Checked against official sources on Change log
Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year · Presence (or intended presence) makes a person resident; foreigners meeting the other conditions become temporary residents
- Income tax under Law 25/2019 started 1 January 2020; remuneration became taxable from 1 April 2020.
Special regimes for new residents
Special regime
Temporary residents taxed on Maldives-derived income only
Tax relief
Details
- On: Income derived from the Maldives for temporary residents and non-residents
- Who: Foreigner permitted to stay in the Maldives under the Maldives Immigration Act
Foreigners who meet the residence criteria, are permitted to stay under the Immigration Act and are not married to a Maldivian are temporary residents, taxed only on income derived from the Maldives, while residents are taxed on worldwide income. 1 2
Taxed on
Income derived from the Maldives for temporary residents and non-residents; worldwide income for residents.
Who it applies to
- Foreigner permitted to stay in the Maldives under the Maldives Immigration Act.
- Not married to a Maldivian.
- Meets a residence criterion: permanent place of living in the Maldives, or present or intending to be present more than 183 days in a 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year.
Exclusions
- Foreigners married to a Maldivian who meet the residence criteria are residents taxed on worldwide income.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year · Presence (or intended presence) makes a person resident; foreigners meeting the other conditions become temporary residents
Tax residence
Non-residents are persons who are neither residents nor temporary residents.
Visas
The Immigration Act permission to stay is one of the conditions for temporary-resident status.
Other taxes
Goods and services tax and other fees apply separately.
Checked against official sources on Change log
Standard rules and foreign-source income
Standard rules
Maldives personal income tax brackets
Progressive rates
Details
- Limit: MVR 720k/yr ≈ $47k
Maldives personal income tax is progressive: 0% up to MVR 720,000, (≈ $46,600) 5.5%, 8%, 12% and 15% above MVR 2,400,000 (≈ $155,000) of taxable income in an accounting period. 1
Taxed on
Taxable income of individuals (remuneration, business, rental, capital gains, dividends, interest, royalties and other income); residents on worldwide income, temporary residents and non-residents on Maldives-derived income.
Limits
- MVR 720,000 a year (≈ $46,600) · Taxable income up to this amount is taxed at 0%
- MVR 1,200,000 a year (≈ $77,700) · Income above 720,000 up to this amount taxed at 5.5%
- MVR 1,800,000 a year (≈ $117,000) · Income above 1,200,000 up to this amount taxed at 8%
- MVR 2,400,000 a year (≈ $155,000) · Income above 1,800,000 up to this amount taxed at 12%; above it 15%
Tax residence
Income tax under Law 25/2019 started 1 January 2020; remuneration became taxable from 1 April 2020.
Visas
Independent of visa type; see temporary-resident treatment.
Other taxes
Goods and services tax is levied separately.
Checked against official sources on Change log
VAT, social security and other taxes
- Goods and services tax and other fees apply separately.
- Goods and services tax is levied separately.
Questions people ask
When do you become a tax resident in Maldives?
More than 183 days in any 12-month period commencing or ending in the tax year (Presence (or intended presence) makes a person resident; foreigners meeting the other conditions become temporary residents). Income tax under Law 25/2019 started 1 January 2020; remuneration became taxable from 1 April 2020.
Who qualifies for Temporary residents taxed on Maldives-derived income only?
Foreigner permitted to stay in the Maldives under the Maldives Immigration Act. The Immigration Act permission to stay is one of the conditions for temporary-resident status.
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Sources (2)
Official sources
- Income Tax for Individuals: Overview · Maldives Inland Revenue Authority · checked 2026-10-10
- Income Tax for Individuals: Am I a tax resident? · Maldives Inland Revenue Authority · checked 2026-10-12