{"id":70692,"date":"2023-04-04T12:17:32","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T10:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.hellotax.com\/blog\/?p=70692"},"modified":"2024-01-26T13:23:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T12:23:06","slug":"uk-vat-registration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/uk-vat-registration\/","title":{"rendered":"UK VAT registration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><strong data-start=\"135\" data-end=\"158\">UK VAT registration <\/strong>is required when your business meets the UK VAT threshold or when foreign sellers make taxable supplies in the UK. In this guide, we explain who needs to register for UK VAT, when the registration deadline starts, how the process works, and how to get a UK VAT number.<\/figure>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" class=\"wp-image-70693\" src=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/UK-VAT-registration-1024x512.jpeg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/UK-VAT-registration-1024x512.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/UK-VAT-registration-300x150.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/UK-VAT-registration-768x384.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/UK-VAT-registration.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><div class=\"cta-shortcode cta-shortcode-normal \"><div class=\"cta-image\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Samer.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"cta-content\"><h3 class=\"font600\">Book a free consultation<\/h3><p>Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!<\/p>\n<div class=\"button-container\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\" class=\"button button-secondary uppercase\">Free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong data-start=\"519\" data-end=\"558\">Need help with UK VAT registration?<\/strong><br data-start=\"558\" data-end=\"561\">Not sure whether you must register, when your deadline starts, or which UK VAT rules apply to your business model? hellotax can review your setup and help you register correctly. <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\"><strong data-start=\"742\" data-end=\"785\">Book a free consultation<\/strong> <strong>now<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-do-i-need-to-register-for-vat-in-the-uk\">When do I need to register for VAT in the UK?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses and online sellers need to register for VAT in the UK for a number of reasons. This applies to English sellers as well as foreign and European retailers who sell products in England. These are the main situations where <strong data-start=\"728\" data-end=\"751\">UK VAT registration<\/strong> becomes mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-mandatory-registration-if-the-vat-threshold-is-exceeded-in-the-next-30-days\">1. Mandatory registration if the VAT threshold is exceeded in the next 30 days<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The threshold above which VAT becomes applicable is set at <strong data-start=\"391\" data-end=\"402\">\u00a390,000<\/strong> of revenue in the UK.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As soon as you realize that your turnover will exceed this threshold within the next 30 days, you must register within these 30 days.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The \u201ceffective day of registration\u201d is the day on which you realized that you had to register. You are liable for VAT from this day on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: Your turnover from May 10th, 2024 to May 9th, 2025 was more than <strong data-start=\"770\" data-end=\"781\">\u00a390,000<\/strong>. You must now get registered by June 30th and your \u201cEffective Date of Registration\u201d is June 1st.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-mandatory-registration-if-the-vat-threshold-has-been-exceeded-in-the-last-12-months\">2. Mandatory registration if the VAT threshold has been exceeded in the last 12 months<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You must also register if your taxable turnover for the previous 12 months goes above the UK VAT registration threshold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In this case, you must register within 30 days of the end of the month in which you exceeded the threshold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The effective date of registration is the first day of the second month after the month in which you went over the threshold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: If your taxable turnover goes above <strong>\u00a390,000<\/strong> on 15 July, you must register by 30 August. Your effective date of registration will be 1 September.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-mandatory-registration-of-northern-irish-traders-selling-vat-free-products\">3. Mandatory registration of Northern Irish traders selling VAT free products<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Normally companies or sellers that only sell VAT-exempt goods and services do not have to register for VAT.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, this does not apply to Northern Irish sellers who source products from suppliers who are VAT registered in the EU.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once the cost of these goods exceeds <strong data-start=\"1112\" data-end=\"1123\">\u00a390,000<\/strong>, these Northern Irish businesses must also register for VAT.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-mandatory-registration-of-eu-sellers\">4. Mandatory registration of foreign sellers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>\u00a390,000 UK<\/strong> VAT registration threshold generally does not apply to non-established taxable persons.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If a foreign business makes taxable supplies in the UK, it may need to register for UK VAT from the first taxable supply. This can apply, for example, when overseas sellers store goods in the UK or sell goods locally in the UK.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Foreign sellers should review their UK activities carefully to determine whether registration is required before sales begin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-voluntary-registration-or-application-for-a-vat-exemption\">5. Voluntary registration or application for an exception from registration<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>UK businesses whose taxable turnover is below the <strong>\u00a390,000 threshold<\/strong> can also register voluntarily. Voluntary UK VAT registration may be useful if you want to reclaim input VAT or prepare early for future VAT obligations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your taxable turnover exceeded the registration threshold only temporarily based on the last 12 months, you may be able to apply for an exception from registration. This normally applies where you can show that your taxable turnover will stay below the deregistration threshold in the next 12 months.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><p>If you are late registering for UK VAT you will still be liable to pay the VAT that would have accrued since the date you should have registered. This means: if you registered too late and perhaps did not even charge any VAT, you will pay the VAT debt out of your own pocket. Penalties and debt interest may also apply depending on how late the registration is. It is therefore important to take care of UK VAT registration at an early stage.<\/p>\n<p>If you trade between the UK and EU, registering for VAT in the UK is only one step in your overall compliance journey. You may also need to manage customs declarations, import VAT, proof of export and different VAT rules depending on where your goods are shipped. To learn more, read our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/brexit-vat-compliance-uk-sellers\">Brexit VAT compliance for UK sellers<\/a>, where we explain the main post-Brexit VAT rules for ecommerce businesses and online sellers.<\/p>\n<p><strong data-start=\"1127\" data-end=\"1176\">Not sure if you already need a UK VAT number?<\/strong><br data-start=\"1176\" data-end=\"1179\">If you sell through Amazon, store stock in the UK, or trade cross-border, the registration rules can become complex very quickly. hellotax can check your situation and guide you through the process. <strong data-start=\"1380\" data-end=\"1424\"><a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"1382\" data-end=\"1422\">Speak to a VAT specialist<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-vat-registration-work-in-england\">How does UK VAT registration work in England?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><p data-start=\"713\" data-end=\"1043\">You can usually complete <strong data-start=\"738\" data-end=\"761\">UK VAT registration<\/strong> online. Most VAT tasks are managed through your <strong data-start=\"810\" data-end=\"833\">HMRC online account<\/strong> (still commonly known as the <strong data-start=\"863\" data-end=\"885\">Government Gateway<\/strong>). To use it, you first need to create a Government Gateway user ID and password. Once this is set up, you can sign in to your HMRC VAT account at any time.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1050\" data-end=\"1338\">From this HMRC \/ Government Gateway account you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/register-for-vat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong data-start=\"1102\" data-end=\"1125\">register for UK VAT<\/strong><\/a>, view your VAT registration details and submit your VAT returns under Making Tax Digital (MTD). You can also <strong data-start=\"1235\" data-end=\"1257\">authorise an agent<\/strong>, such as hellotax or your local tax advisor, to file VAT returns on your behalf.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also register for VAT by post. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/register-for-vat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VAT1 form<\/a> can be used to register by post for those who<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>want to take advantage of the exemption<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>want to take advantage of the flat-rate scheme for farmers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>who want to register a single division of an already registered business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also a few other forms that must be submitted by post under certain circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Form VAT1A must be submitted if an EU business sells products by mail order to customers in Northern Ireland<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Form VAT1B must be submitted if a UK company is importing products worth over \u00a390,000 from the EU into Northern Ireland<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Form VAT1C must be submitted when disposing of assets for which refunds have been requested under the 8th or 13th Directive<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><p>After 30 working days you will usually receive a VAT registration certificate from HMRC. The certificate will either be sent to your VAT online account or delivered by post if you were unable to register online.<\/p>\n<p>If you want support with the registration process or communication with HMRC, <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\"><strong data-start=\"742\" data-end=\"785\">contact us for a free consultation.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-shortcode cta-shortcode-normal \"><div class=\"cta-image\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Samer.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"cta-content\"><h3 class=\"font600\">Book a free consultation<\/h3><p>Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!<\/p>\n<div class=\"button-container\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\" class=\"button button-secondary uppercase\">Free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-format-of-the-uk-vat-number\">What is the format of the UK VAT number?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><div style=\"overflow-x: auto;\"><table><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland)<\/td><td>Northern Ireland<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Name<\/td><td>VAT registration number (VRN)<\/td><td>VAT registration number (VRN)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Country Code<\/td><td>GB<\/td><td>XI<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Format<\/td><td>GB + 9 Numbers<\/td><td>XI + 9 Numbers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Example&nbsp;<\/td><td>GB123456789<\/td><td>XI123456789<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid problems with UK authorities and fines, you should take care of your <strong data-start=\"2069\" data-end=\"2092\">UK VAT registration<\/strong> early. <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/\">hellotax<\/a> helps with this. Our VAT automation tool can also automate and simplify the process of filing VAT returns, corresponding with the authorities, monitoring your transactions and much more. <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\">Contact us<\/a> today and find out more!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"cta-shortcode cta-shortcode-normal \"><div class=\"cta-image\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Samer.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"cta-content\"><h3 class=\"font600\">Book a free consultation<\/h3><p>Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!<\/p>\n<div class=\"button-container\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\" class=\"button button-secondary uppercase\">Free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faq\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-faq-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-faq-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>What are the different VAT rates in the UK?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">The standard VAT rate in England is 20% and applies to most goods and services. The reduced rate of 5% applies to certain products such as child seats and energy. Food and children&#8217;s clothing are taxed at 0%. You can read more in <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/vat-rates-in-uk\">our guide to UK VAT rates<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rank-math-faq-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>When do I have to submit my VAT return in the UK?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">VAT returns are filed quarterly in the UK. It is also possible to make use of an exception rule, according to which only one VAT return has to be submitted each year.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rank-math-faq-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>What are the deadlines for VAT registration in England?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">The returns must always be submitted by the same deadline. The VAT returns are due one month and seven days after the end of the last accounting period.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rank-math-faq-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>How long will it take to get my UK VAT number?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"rank-math-faq-item\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">After registration is complete it will take approximately 30 working days to receive your UK registration certificate and VAT number.<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>If you sell on Amazon from outside the UK, your VAT obligations can start much earlier than many businesses expect. This is especially important for overseas ecommerce companies that store goods locally or make taxable sales in the UK. For example, this <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/vat-registration-for-singapore-amazon-sellers\">case study<\/a> explains how non-UK sellers can trigger registration requirements and what steps they need to take to stay compliant.<\/div>\n<div class=\"rank-math-faq-item\">\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<strong data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1626\">Need help with UK VAT registration?<\/strong><br data-start=\"1626\" data-end=\"1629\" \/>Let hellotax handle the registration process, deadlines and communication with HMRC so you can focus on selling. <a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\"><strong data-start=\"1744\" data-end=\"1794\">Book your free consultation now<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><div class=\"cta-shortcode cta-shortcode-normal \"><div class=\"cta-image\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Samer.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"cta-content\"><h3 class=\"font600\">Book a free consultation<\/h3><p>Our VAT experts are happy to help you. Book a free consultation today!<\/p>\n<div class=\"button-container\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/contact-us?button=blog\" class=\"button button-secondary uppercase\">Free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UK VAT registration is a key step for businesses and online sellers trading in the United Kingdom. Register for VAT in the UK when your turnover or activities trigger a VAT obligation. In the following, we explain when you have to register, how the registration works, and how to get a UK VAT number. When [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":70693,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5584],"tags":[5630],"class_list":{"0":"post-70692","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-vat-registration","8":"tag-vat-in-uk","9":"entry"},"acf":[],"modified_by":"Brenda Varela","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70692"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70692\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hellotax.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}