Being registered for VAT properly is getting more and more important as many online platform operators request a proof of registration from the sellers, in the UK the so-called VAT Certificate. In this article we show you why this is the case and how you can find it.
Antonia Klatt
Last Updated on 13 May 2020What is a VAT certificate?
An UK VAT Certificate is an official document which attests that you are registered for VAT properly. It is issued by the HMRC and you received it once your VAT registration is completed successfully. This is also the purpose of this document: proofing that your duty to register for VAT was fulfilled.
It contains identifies about your company, the date of registration, issuing date, schedule for filing VAT returns, bank details or the SIC code (trade classification) and the document itself can be regarded as an official confirmation that you took care of getting a VAT number.
As online platform providers like Amazon become more and more often liable for unpaid VAT duties in EU countries, more and more sellers throughout Europe have to proof their VAT registration now to these operators to make sure that VAT fraud can be avoided. This can be e.g. with this VAT certificate in the UK, or with the F22 form in Germany, etc. It is very likely that more and more countries will introduce similar measures if they have not already done so.
How to view your VAT certificate (online)?
When the HMRC changed their VAT portal for the introduction of the Making Tax Digital (MTD) scheme, it was not possible to view the VAT registration certificate online. This function was temporarily removed and caused a lot of confusion.
Fortunately, that’s over. Now you can view your HMRC VAT certificate online again, directly in the MTD portal.
There are many reasons why it makes sense to check your VAT certificate:
- You misplaced your paper copy
- You registered for VAT and want to check if everything is fine
- You Want to digitize your documents and files.
If you would like to receive this certificate by post, you should expect a waiting period of at least 10 working days until the document actually arrives at your place. If you generally prefer the digital way or would like to have your VAT certificate in front of you in just a few minutes, you should read the following 4 steps guide and download the document with only a few clicks.
Step 1: Sign in at the HMRC’s website
First of all, you need to log into your UK business tax account (you will need your Government Gateway user ID and your password.
Step 2: Check you VAT Account (Making Tax Digital)
When you logged in successfully, you need to scroll down until you can see Making Tax Digital for VAT and to access your accounts you need to click on View Your VAT Account.
Step 3: Check you VAT Certificate
Now you have accessed the VAT MTD portal. You need to scroll down and click on View VAT Certificate to see your VAT registration certificate and then you can download/print it in the next step.
Step 4: Verify information/Print it
Now you should see your digital VAT certificate and you can print it by clicking on Print Certificate or download it as a PDF file.
How do I get a copy of my VAT registration certificate? That’s a frequently asked question. The answer: simply print it.
Et voilà, that was it. Now you can view your VAT certificate in the “new” MTD portal in just a few minutes.