GTL Summary:

Ministerial Decision No. 55 of 2025, which implements Kuwait's DMTT framework under Decree-Law No. 157 of 2024, establishes the Substance-based Income Exclusion (SBIE) in this Article. This provision allows Multinational Enterprise (MNE) Groups to reduce their Net GloBE Income by an amount reflecting substantive economic activities, thereby lowering the taxable excess profit subject to the Top-up Tax. The SBIE is calculated from a prescribed percentage of Eligible Payroll Costs and Eligible Tangible Assets for Constituent Entities in Kuwait, aligning with OECD Pillar Two GloBE Rules.

Document Type: ERS - Executive Regulations
Law: QDMTT Law (Decree-Law no. 157 of 2024)
Decision Number: executive-regulations-55-article-43
Year: 2025
Country: 🇰🇼 Kuwait
Official Name: Article 43 - Substance-based Income Exclusion (SBIE)
Last updated at: 2026-02-23 12:13:40 UTC

CHAPTER 5 - EFFECTIVE TAX RATE AND TAX (TOP-UP TAX)

Article 43 - Substance-based Income Exclusion (SBIE)

The Net GloBE Income determined as per Paragraph 3 of Article 41 of these ERs shall be reduced by the SBIE to determine the Taxable Income (i.e., Excess Profit) for purposes of computing the Tax (Top-up Tax) under Article 42 of these ERs. A DCE of an MNE Group may make an election in each Tax Period not to apply the SBIE for by not computing the exclusion or claiming it in the computation of Tax (Top-up Tax) in the Tax Return submitted for the Tax Period.

The amount of SBIE is calculated as the sum of Eligible Payroll Costs and the Average Carrying Value of Eligible Tangible Assets, according to the percentages mentioned in Paragraph 4 of this Article, for each CE located in the State, except for CEs that are Investment Entities or Insurance Investment Entities located in the State, based on the following formula:

SBIE = (Eligible Payroll Costs × Payroll Percentage mentioned in Paragraph 4) + (Eligible Tangible Assets × Tangible Assets Percentage mentioned in Paragraph 4)

If a DCE that is part of an MNE Group elects not to claim the SBIE according to the first paragraph of this Article for a Tax Period, then the value of the excluded income shall be zero, except for the Entities referred to in Paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 46 of these ERs.

The SBIE is determined as follows:

Tax Periods beginning inEligible Payroll Costs Rate Average carrying value of Eligible Tangible Assets at the beginning and ending of the Tax Period
20259.6%7.6%
20269.4%7.4%
20279.2%7.2%
20289.0%7.0%
20298.2%6.6%
20307.4%6.2%
20316.6%5.8%
20325.8%5.4%
2033 onwards5%5%

The provisions of this Article shall apply to Eligible Payroll Costs for Eligible Employees in accordance with Article 44 of these ERs, and to Eligible Tangible Assets in accordance with Article 45 of these ERs.

An MNE Group, when determining SBIE for CEs of that Group located in the State for a Tax Period, which are not included in the Entities referred to in Paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 46 of these ERs, may apply the percentages stated in Paragraph 4 of this Article to a portion of the Eligible Payroll Costs and the average carrying value of Eligible Tangible Assets of those CEs for that period.

If the amount of the SBIE exceeds the Net GloBE Income for the Tax Period, the excess amount may not be carried forward to any subsequent Tax Period.

The DCE must provide the Tax Administration with supporting documents for the costs mentioned in this Article whenever requested.

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