When it comes to company vehicles, replacing a passenger car with a light commercial vehicle offers various tax advantages: 100% tax deduction, lower road tax, and higher VAT deduction. Discover all the benefits of light commercial vehicles and how they differ from passenger cars.
What is a light commercial vehicle?
Vans and pickup trucks are among the most common light commercial vehicles (LCVs). By law, a vehicle must respect the following requirements to be recognised as a light commercial vehicle:
- maximum authorised mass: 3,500 kg
- no back seat or only one row of seats
- an open or closed cargo area separate from the passenger area
- registration with the DIV (Directorate for Vehicle Registration)
Light commercial vehicle or passenger car: tax differences
In Belgium, it often makes more sense tax-wise to buy a light utility vehicle as a company car than a passenger car.
Here are the main differences between passenger cars and light commercial vehicles:
| Light commercial vehicles | Passenger vehicles | |
| Deductibility of expenses | 100% deductible if use is fully professional | 0 to 100% depending on CO2 emissions |
| VAT | up to 100% deductible if use is fully professional | up to 50% (also if use is fully professional) |
| Benefit in kind (BIK) | no BIK if use is fully professional; simplified BIK calculation if mixed use | BIK always applicable and calculated based on catalogue value, CO2 emissions and age |
| Road tax | lower | higher based on engine power and emissions |
| Registration tax | no registration tax | higher based on engine power and emissions |
Tax benefits for light commercial vehicles in 2025
In 2025, it’s still worth considering a van as a company car.
- Expenses and VAT 100% deductible
Fuel, maintenance, insurance, leasing, depreciation, tolls, parking fees… All expenses are 100% deductible if you only use your van or pickup for work. That makes for easy accounting!
- No link with CO2 emissions
While the tax benefits for more polluting passenger cars are lower, this is not the case for light commercial vehicles. That’s a major advantage, as it reduces your costs and taxes (especially road tax). The admin for LCVs is therefore a lot easier and leads to fewer (tax) surprises.
- Simpler BIK for mixed use
The benefit in kind (BIK) is calculated in a more straightforward way, based on the kilometres travelled and the total costs. If you also use your light commercial vehicle for private purposes, the tax advantage remains significantly higher than for a passenger vehicle.
Is a light commercial vehicle right for your business?
A light commercial vehicle can be a good option if you’re a self-employed sole trader or run a small business. The tax benefits speak for themselves.
Do you need to transport goods for deliveries, site visits, or other professional reasons? Then a light commercial vehicle is both practical and tax-efficient.
The tax authorities closely monitor abuses of the system. Make sure you register your vehicle with the DIV (Directorate for Vehicle Registration) and that you can provide proof of the private and professional use in the event of mixed use.
Registering a light commercial vehicle as a company car in Accountable
In Accountable, you can add your vehicles and all the related expenses. We then calculate deductibility, VAT, and the impact on your taxes.
