Canary Islands Tax Regime

RIC Canary Islands Investment Reserve: complete guide 2026

By Raúl Labao · Fiscalidad Canaria · July 2026 · 7 min read

The Canary Islands Investment Reserve (RIC) is one of the most powerful fiscal incentives in the Spanish tax system. It allows Canarian companies to reduce their corporation tax base by up to 90% of undistributed profits, provided those amounts are invested in the Canary Islands.

A company with €200,000 net profit can allocate €180,000 (90%) to the RIC and pay tax on only €20,000. The tax saving compared to the general regime can exceed €40,000 per year.

What is the RIC and its legal basis?

The RIC is regulated in Article 27 of Law 19/1994. It is an accounting allocation that companies can make against undistributed profits, directly reducing the corporation tax base in the year of allocation. The RIC is approved by the EU as State aid compatible with the Treaty.

How the RIC works step by step

1. Reserve allocation

In the year profits are earned, the company can allocate up to 90% of undistributed profits to the RIC, reducing the IS taxable base immediately.

2. Investment deadline

Allocated amounts must be invested within 3 years from the end of the financial year in which the reserve was allocated.

3. Asset retention

Assets must remain in the company's assets for at least 5 years (3 years for fungible goods).

What investments qualify for the RIC?

Fixed assets (Group A)

  • New fixed assets located in the Canary Islands (machinery, IT equipment, vehicles, etc.)
  • Construction or refurbishment of property used in economic activity
  • Shares in entities carrying out economic activities in the Canary Islands

Canarian public debt (Group B)

  • Subscription of debt securities issued by the Canary Islands Government or its autonomous bodies (max. 50% of total RIC allocation)

RIC compatibility with other incentives

The RIC is compatible with other Canary Islands REF incentives. Combined with the ZEC (4% IS rate) and the Investment Deduction (DIC), the effective tax rate can be reduced to near zero for companies that invest significantly in the Canary Islands.

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