How the General Department of Taxation Treats Foreign-Currency Transactions

The headline rule

Tax returns in Cambodia are filed in KHR. Foreign-currency amounts must therefore be translated, and the GDT expects the official MEF rate to be used unless a specific regulation allows otherwise.

Monthly versus annual returns

For monthly returns such as VAT, withholding, and prepayment of tax on income, use the MEF rate of the transaction date. For the annual Tax on Income return, balance-sheet items are typically translated at the year-end rate while P&L items are translated at the date of the transaction or a reasonable approximation such as the monthly average.

Documentation

Keep a clear audit trail: the source of the rate, the date, and the calculation. The GDT is increasingly digital and inspectors do request supporting evidence for translations during desk audits.

How to Verify the MEF Rate for Your Filing

Whether you are posting a USD invoice, computing month-end FX revaluation, or preparing a customs declaration, the rule is the same: anchor your figure to the official MEF daily bulletin for the relevant valuation date. Use today's official MEF rate from the Cambodia Exchange dashboard for live work, or pick any past date to retrieve the exact rate that applied on that day. Archive the rate evidence (a screenshot or API response) alongside the supporting document — GDT auditors increasingly request the source for every FX translation.

For the full data-handling disclosure — including caching, timezone normalization to Indochina Time, and how weekend/holiday fallbacks work — see our data methodology. For binding tax or customs positions, cross-check against the MEF bulletin directly and consult a licensed Cambodian tax advisor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which exchange rate does the GDT expect on monthly tax returns?

The MEF daily rate for the transaction date is the standard reference for monthly returns such as VAT, withholding tax and prepayment of tax on income. Using a different source without justification invites audit adjustments.

What evidence should I keep to support an FX translation?

Keep the rate value, the date, the source (MEF), and the calculation showing how you arrived at the KHR figure. A screenshot of the MEF bulletin or the API response for the day is usually enough.

Is the MEF rate mandatory for every situation?

It is the default for tax filings and for most accounting translation. A small number of specific regulations allow alternative rates. When in doubt, default to MEF and consult a licensed Cambodian tax advisor.

អត្ថបទនេះមានប្រយោជន៍មែនទេ? ចែករំលែកជាមួយក្រុមរបស់អ្នក ឬ ផ្ញើមតិមកយើង។