More about location fees
Understanding Location-Based Fees on Meta
What are location-based fees?
Meta charges an additional fee — called a location-based fee or Digital Service Tax (DST) — when your ads are shown to audiences in certain countries. This is a tax-related charge imposed by local governments, and Meta passes it directly onto advertisers.
Since these fees are charged on your ad spend, we pass them through to you as part of your top-up process so there are no surprises on your account.
You can read more about Meta's policy here: Meta's Location-Based Fee Policy
Which countries have location-based fees?
The following countries currently have location-based fees applied by Meta:
Country | Fee Rate |
|---|---|
Austria | 5% |
Turkey | 5% |
France | 3% |
Italy | 3% |
Spain | 3% |
United Kingdom | 2% |
These rates are set by Meta and may change over time. If Meta adds new countries or updates rates, we'll update this list accordingly.
How are location fees calculated on my top-ups?
When you make a top-up, we estimate your location fee based on your recent ad spend patterns. Here's how it works:
- We look at your last 3 days of ad spend and check how much of that spend went to countries with location-based fees.
- We calculate a weighted fee rate based on the proportion of your spend in each affected country.
- The location fee is deducted first from your payable amount, and then our standard top-up fee is calculated on the remaining amount.
A quick example
Let's say you're topping up $1,000 and your recent spend looks like this:
- Total spend in last 3 days: $500
- France (3% fee): $100
- Austria (5% fee): $50
- Germany (no fee): $350
Here's what happens:
Step | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Your top-up amount | — | $1,000.00 |
Weighted fee from France | $100 × 3% | $3.00 |
Weighted fee from Austria | $50 × 5% | $2.50 |
Total weighted fee | $3.00 + $2.50 | $5.50 |
Your predicted fee rate | $5.50 ÷ $500 | 1.1% |
Location fee on your top-up | $1,000 × 1.1% | $11.00 |
Amount after location fee | $1,000 − $11.00 | $989.00 |
Top-up fee (e.g. 4%) calculated on $989 | $989 × 4% ÷ 104% | $38.04 |
Final credit to your ad account | $989 − $38.04 | $950.96 |
Good to know: Location fees are estimated based on your recent spending pattern. The actual fee Meta charges may differ slightly as your ad delivery changes day to day. Any difference is tracked and adjusted — more on that below.
How can I see the full calculation?
On the top-up page, you'll see a Location Fees field next to the Top-up Fees field. Click the "Show Calculation" button to open a detailed breakdown showing:
- Which countries you're advertising in
- The location fee percentage Meta applies to each country
- Your last 3 days of spend per country
- How the weighted fee rate was calculated
- The final location fee amount on your top-up
This way, you always have full transparency into how your fees are determined.
Where can I track my location fees?
You have a dedicated Location Fees page in your dashboard where you can monitor everything:
Summary cards at the top
- Location Fee Charged by Meta — The total location-based fee Meta has charged across your ad accounts this month.
- Location Fee Charged by Us — The total location fee we've billed to your account this month.
- Net Balance — The running difference between what we've charged and what Meta actually charged. This can be positive (we owe you) or negative (additional fee pending).
Detailed table
Below the summary cards, you'll find a table listing all your Meta ad accounts with:
- Ad account name and currency
- Total ad spend for the selected period
- Ad spend in location-fee countries
- Location fee applied
- A Details button to see the full country-by-country breakdown
You can filter by ad account name and select any date range to review current or past months.
How do refunds and adjustments work?
Since location fees at top-up time are estimated based on your recent spend, the actual amount Meta charges may be slightly different.
- If we've charged you more than what Meta actually charged, the excess shows up as a positive balance on your Net Balance card.
- If we've charged you less, the difference shows as a negative balance.
Our finance team reviews these differences and processes adjustments manually. When an adjustment is made:
- It will appear as a "Location Fee" entry on your wallet page
- You can view the full history of all adjustments by clicking the history icon on the Net Balance card
Note: If you've recently reduced or removed ad spend in countries where location-based fees apply, any excess amount will be adjusted accordingly.
When I request a new Meta ad account, what should I know?
When creating a new Meta ad account, you'll be asked to select the countries you plan to target. If any of your selected countries have location-based fees, you'll see a note letting you know.
For brand new accounts with no spending history yet, location fees won't be applied on your first top-up since there's no spend data to base the estimate on. Once your account starts running ads, the daily tracking kicks in and location fees will be factored into subsequent top-ups.
Does this apply to credit card accounts?
No. If your Meta ad account is set up as a credit card account, Meta charges location-based fees directly to your card. We don't intermediate these fees for credit card accounts — only for top-up (prepaid) accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is the location fee an estimate and not exact?
Because the fee is based on where your ads are actually delivered, which changes in real-time as Meta optimises your campaigns. We use your most recent 3 days of spend to predict the rate, but the actual delivery mix may shift after your top-up.
Q: What if I stop targeting countries with location fees?
If you reduce or stop spending in affected countries, the estimated fee on your next top-up will be lower (or zero). Any excess from previous charges will be reflected in your Net Balance and adjusted by our team.
Q: Can the fee rates change?
Yes. The rates are set by Meta based on local tax regulations. If Meta updates the rates or adds new countries, we'll update our system accordingly and reflect the changes on your next top-up.
Q: Where can I see Meta's official information about these fees?
You can read Meta's official documentation here: Meta's Location-Based Fee Policy
Q: How often is my location fee data updated?
Your location fee data is updated daily. The summary cards and table on your Location Fees page reflect the latest available data.
Q: I have more questions. How can I reach out?
Feel free to reach out to us anytime through the chat widget on your dashboard, or contact our support team. We're happy to walk you through your specific account details.
Last updated: June 2026
Updated on: 24/06/2026
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