Tax Authority Austria (FAÖ)

The Tax Authority Austria is set up as an Austria-wide tax authority, service authority, and budget-managing body. Some 6,000 employees work at the Tax Authority Austria, at 67 locations all over the nation.

The Tax Authority Austria (FAÖ) has comprehensive and nationwide responsibility for all tasks that are not assigned to another tax authority. The Tax Authority Austria is headed by a Managing Director and has its headquarters in Linz.

The internal organisational structure is functionally geared towards the needs of the customers and the processes relevant to them. These customer groups are on the one hand private taxpayers and on the other small and medium-sized enterprises and tax debtors.

32 local offices (former tax offices) at the previous locations are responsible for operational tax collection, such as service, assessment, auditing, collection and recovery. 3 sectors control the services and resources of the offices in the Tax Authority Austria nationwide:

  • Sector Private
  • Sector Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME)
  • Sector Tax Debtors

2 operational organisational units bundle certain special matters nationwide:

  • Special Responsibilities Unit for fees, transfer taxes, gambling, donations, etc.
  • Finance Service Centre (FS-C) for information, excepting personal contacts

The Finance Service Centre is directly subordinate to the Managing Director within the Tax Authority Austria.

The tasks are fulfilled in close cooperation with the Sector Private:

  • Replying to telephone enquiries
  • Processing of electronic enquiries
  • Editorial work in the Chat
  • Answering questions in LiveChat
  • Appointments Information Centre

The Special Responsibilities Unit bundles tasks concerning the following matters:

  • Fees, real estate transfer tax, insurance tax, air transport levy and gambling
  • Preferential treatment of donations, school travel grants and free school trips
  • Land estimation/forestry experts

Principles and basics

All employees are committed to the principles of non-discrimination, truthfulness and official secrecy, and treat the customers of the tax authority with courtesy and respect. In the spirit of fair play, the tax administration supports those who pay or want to pay their taxes to the correct amount and on time, and persecutes those by the book who deliberately evade taxes.

In the tax administration, there is no difference in the remuneration of male and female employees; non-discrimination is a major concern for us. Workplace health promotion also has a high priority. Working hours are geared to official requirements (e.g. opening hours), but can also take individual needs into account through the possibility of flexitime.