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When to Register for VAT

? Value added tax (VAT), is a sales tax levied on the sale of goods and services. In some countries, including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, this tax is known as 'goods and services tax' or GST. VAT is an indirect tax, in that the tax is collected from someone other than the person who actually bears the cost of the tax. Personal end-consumers of products and services cannot recover VAT on purchases, but businesses are able to recover VAT where they use the supplies that they receive that bear VAT to make further supplies that also bear VAT. In this way, the total tax levied at each stage in the economic chain of supply is a fraction of the value added by a business to its products, and most of the cost of collecting the tax is borne by business, rather than by the state. VAT was invented because very high sales taxes and tariffs encourage cheating and smuggling.

A common VAT system is compulsory for member states of the European Union. The EU VAT system is imposed by a series of European Union directives, the most important of which is the Sixth VAT Directive, Directive 77/388/EC. Nevertheless, member states have negotiated VAT exemption or variable rates for regions or territories. The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla (Spain), Gibraltar (UK) and Еland Islands (Finland) are exempt from VAT, while Madeira (Portugal) is allowed to levy variable rates.

Under the EU system of VAT, where a person carrying on an economic activity supplies goods and services to another person, and the value of the supplies passes financial limits, the supplier is required to register with the local taxation authorities and charge its customers, and account to the local taxation authority for, VAT (although the price may be inclusive of VAT, so VAT is not paid in addition to the agreed price, or exclusive of VAT, so VAT is payable on top of the agreed price). In the UK, Customs and Excise is responsible for administering VAT.

If you are in business and you are making taxable supplies you must consider whether you have a liability to register for VAT. It is important that you register at the correct time. Value Added Tax VAT is a tax businesses charge when they supply their goods and services in the United Kingdom or Isle of Man. It is also charged on goods, and some services, that are imported from places outside the European Community EC and on goods and services coming into the UK from another EC Member State. Your taxable supplies, distance sales, or acquisitions are expected to exceed £61,000 in the next 30 days, or if you are already trading, and they have exceeded £61,000 in the past 12 months. Alternatively, if you have taken over a VAT registered business as a going concern. Then: you must notify your Customs and Excise local VAT office immediately of liability to register for VAT.

If you require further guidance or advice, you should refer to the relevant VAT Notices or contact the Coddan CPM Business Advice Centre. A person who is not obliged to register can choose to do so. He has to satisfy HMRC that he is carrying on a business, or intends to carry on a business, and that he is making taxable supplies. Satisfactory evidence will need to be provided. Usually a covering letter is helpful, to pre-empt any questions that HMRC may wish to ask. As many as 20% of all VAT registered businesses fall into this category. The principle advantage lies where a business deals mainly with other VAT registered businesses, as it can claim input tax to which it otherwise would not be entitled. Let us know how we can help.

Choose one of the following packages that will best serve you:
 VAT Registration takes, on average, 3-6 weeks from the date of incorporation (depending on the relative efficiency of your local Vat office).
 We are charging a £150.00 fee for VAT form preparation, and this also includes the submission of the VAT registration questionnaire to HM Revenue and Customs, in addition to the receipt of a follow-up questionnaire, which is sent directly to the Applicant.
 
 Do I have to register for VAT? If you are in business and your taxable turnover, not just your profit, goes over the registration threshold you become a taxable person.
 You must then register for VAT. If you don't register at the correct time you could be fined.
VAT Registration
£ 150.00
Click here to see all packages
(click here for other packages)

Form and Register a Company in the UK Home Page  >>  Incorporating a Business in England, Wales & Scotland >>  What is VAT? Expert Advice on VAT Registration

WHAT IS VAT? VAT REGISTRATION ONLINE: VALUE ADDED TAX REGISTRATION SERVICE

Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax charged on most business transactions made in the UK or the Isle of Man. Value Added Tax (VAT) is a general consumption tax assessed on the value added to goods and services. It is a general tax that applies, in principle, to all commercial activities involving the production and distribution of goods and the provision of services. It is a consumption tax because it is borne ultimately by the final consumer. It is not a charge on companies.

It is charged as a percentage of price, which means that the actual tax burden is visible at each stage in the production and distribution chain. It is collected fractionally, via a system of deductions whereby taxable persons (i.e., VAT-registered businesses) can deduct from their VAT liability the amount of tax they have paid to other taxable persons on purchases for their business activities. This mechanism ensures that the tax is neutral regardless of how many transactions are involved. If you wish to register for VAT, a VAT registration form needs to be completed.
Finding and Using Information:   Voluntary VAT Registration | Important VAT Requirements | The Top VAT Tips | Do I Have to Register for VAT? | What Can I Register As? | When will I Get My VAT Registration Number? | When Must I Start Keeping Records and Charging VAT? | VAT Paid Before Registration | What Records Must I Keep? | What is a VAT Return? | Do I Have to Register if I Live or Work Abroad? | What if I Only Supply Goods or Services Abroad? | What if I do not have a UK Business Establishment? | What is a Business Establishment? | How do I Decide if I am Making a Supply of Goods in the UK?  | What if I have a Business Establishment in the UK? | Appointment and Role of a Tax Representative | What Must I do if I Appoint a Tax Representative | May I Appoint an Agent Instead of a Tax Representative?  | Exemption from Registration | 

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We can provide all of the necessary assistance to complete this form efficiently and accurately. We can also advise you with regard to supporting documentation, such as copy invoices and contracts, that you may need to submit to HM Customs with your registration form. Specialised UK VAT registrations for non-UK businesses: the requirement to register for VAT is determined mainly by your business trade and not necessarily the country where your business resides. You may be required to register your company for VAT because you have draw down stock in the UK, or trade over the Internet.

We can help you to register and can assist with the preparation and submission of your VAT Returns. If you are a UK business and you travel to another European Union member country on business, you may be entitled to recover VAT on some of your expenditure. Each European country has different rules about which expenses are recoverable and the rules can be complex. We can assist you to assess any VAT refunds and can compile and submit these claims to the relevant tax authority.
UK VAT Registrations:   Application for VAT Registration in UK - £150.00 

For final VAT application questionnaire - you will receive this document within 10-14 days once your online VAT application submitted to the HM Revenue & Customs. To complete such questionnaire you need to provide the following information about your company: business phone number, business address (except of registered address), business fax number, business banking account details, number of employers. You also will need to provide information where your company is doing business, as well as few incoming and outgoing invoices (from/for behalf of your company).

The following three factors play a part in determining whether or not you need to register:

Taxable Supplies: 
The supply of any goods and services which are subject to VAT at any rate, including zero-rated, are called taxable supplies.

Distance Sales:  
Distance selling is when a taxable person in one European Community (EC) Member State supplies and delivers goods to a customer in another EC Member State and the customer is not: registered for VAT, or liable to be registered for VAT. The most common example of distance sales is mail order sales. Acquisitions. If you are an organisation or business, and not a private individual acting in a purely personal capacity, any goods you buy from a VAT registered supplier in another EC country for removal to the UK are known as acquisitions.

If: your taxable supplies, distance sales, or acquisitions are expected to exceed £61,000 in the next 30 days, or if you are already trading, and they have exceeded £61,000 in the past 12 months, or, if you have taken over a VAT registered business as a going concern... Then: you must notify your Customs and Excise local VAT office immediately of liability to register for VAT. If: your taxable supplies, distance sales, or acquisitions are not expected to exceed £61,000 in the next 30 days, and have not exceeded £61,000 in the past 12 months... Then: VAT registration is not necessary in these circumstances although businesses can register for VAT on a voluntary basis to be able to reclaim VAT on purchases.

Voluntary Registration: 
You can apply to HM Customs and Excise for voluntary registration, even if your turnover is not at the required level. Why would you want to do this and subject yourself to the necessary record keeping and form filling? Well it could save you a lot of money. If you are registered for VAT, it means that you can reclaim the VAT on all your VAT purchases. This will save you 17,5% on most purchases. You must, however, add VAT to all your UK sales. This increases your prices by 17,5%. The decision to register rests on the nature of your client base.

If the majority of your clients are VAT registered, then it is likely that you will be better off if you register. VAT registered clients merely reclaim the VAT in the same way that you do on your purchases and are therefore no worse off. However, if your clients are not businesses but individuals, then it will effectively put up your prices. If you are reading this site, then I assume that you are, or plan to be, an editorial photographer and your clients will be VAT registered. You must keep records of all supplies you make and receive and a summary of each VAT Period. Records must be kept for six years.

Important VAT Requirements: 
When your company becomes VAT registered you must comply with the VAT regulations that affect your business. It is beyond the scope of this guide to provide a full analysis of the VAT regulations that affect a given business however here are a few of the key requirements:

When you sell goods or services that incorporate a VAT charge you must supply your customer with a VAT invoice. Generally the VAT invoice should include the VAT amount paid, your companies VAT registration number, a unique invoice number and the date the invoice was raised.
You must retain all VAT records including invoices and receipts for a 6 year period. These may be required by law. Remember that a VAT receipt for a purchase you have made through your business is a right to claim back the VAT paid, without this you legally have no right to claim back the VAT.
You must notify HM Revenue and Customs within 30 days if any of the details for your company change.
You must charge VAT on supplies made to the company's employees or inter-company transactions.
You should not claim back VAT on personal expenses.
UK VAT Registrations:   Application for VAT Registration in UK - £150.00 

For final VAT application questionnaire - you will receive this document within 10-14 days once your online VAT application submitted to the HM Revenue & Customs. To complete such questionnaire you need to provide the following information about your company: business phone number, business address (except of registered address), business fax number, business banking account details, number of employers. You also will need to provide information where your company is doing business, as well as few incoming and outgoing invoices (from/for behalf of your company).

The Top VAT Tips:  
Be clear about the impact of VAT on growing your business turnover. Make sure your business plan looks at how you will deal with the impact of registering for VAT. For example, if you provide services to members of the public, registering for VAT may have major implications for your pricing structure. If you do register for VAT, Customs wants to work with you to help make the process as simple as possible. Monitor your turnover so that you know when you are approaching the VAT registration threshold. Apply to register in plenty of time so that you have your VAT number when you need it.

There are a number of schemes to make dealing with VAT easier. For example, the "cash accounting" scheme means that you only pay the VAT to Customs after your customer has paid you. The "Flat Rate Scheme" can help reduce the time spent on VAT bookkeeping. When you register always ask what schemes are available to make paying your VAT easier.

Always keep your books up-to-date and check accounting documents. Good book keeping is a vital part of good overall business management. It's always better to spend those few extra minutes each day writing things up and filing then properly, rather than sorting out piles of documents at once. Always check documents you receive, for example, you must have a "VAT invoice" to claim back VAT - a "statement" is not a proper invoice. Always enter cash receipts in your books before using the cash to make purchases.

Don't worry if Customs make contact with you. Following these top ten tips you will help you get things right, meaning you need not worry about your VAT affairs. Consequently you should not worry if Customs make contact with you. Customs do contact businesses from time to time and they may want to visit your business. Don't be concerned if Customs visit you, they will tell you why they want to visit and what information they will want to see.

It is also charged on goods, and some services, imported from places outside the European Union and on goods and some services coming into the UK from the other EU countries. All goods and services that are VAT rated are called 'taxable supplies'. You must charge VAT on your taxable supplies from the date you first need to be registered. The value of these supplies is called your 'taxable turnover'.

Some examples of taxable supplies:

Selling new and used goods, including hire purchase;
Renting and hiring out goods;
Using business stock for private purposes;
Providing a service, for example hairdressing or decorating; and
Charging admission to enter into buildings.

If you are VAT registered, you will charge VAT on many goods and services you supply to customers in the UK and Isle of Man. VAT does not apply to certain services because the law says these are 'exempt' from VAT. These include loans of money, some property transactions, insurance and certain types of education and training. Supplies that are exempt from VAT do not form part of your taxable turnover. Download Forms:

Should I be Registered for VAT?
VAT 1 Application for VAT registration
VAT 1 Application for Registration Worked Example (Corporate Body)
Application for VAT Registration Worked Example (Corporate Body)
Form VAT 1A
Flat Rate Scheme for Small Businesses
Place of Supply of Services
VAT Form for Appointment of a Tax Representative

Live Help Live Help:
Live Help is a real time "chat" feature which enables you to interact with a customer service representative without a phone call. Get answers to your questions while using our website. Clicking the "Live Help" button will start an on-line session with one of our representatives. Live Help is currently available during normal business hours. Outside of the above opening hours, our business center will be closed. When you click on the button, you will see an e-mail form that will allow you to send us a mail with your questions. Live Help is free! There are no hidden fees. We offer the service as a courtesy to our website visitors.

Dear visitors, while having a chat session with a customer, we are frequently requested to give a piece of advice on tax planning or business structuring. We would like to inform you that it is against our principles to provide online advice pertaining to these issues. The points that may be covered during a session include service description, package or service price, navigation at our website, ways of making an order, methods of payment etc. Yet, if you wish us to provide you with advice on tax or business structuring, you should be aware that this service is chargeable

Do I Have to Register for VAT?  
If you are in business and your taxable turnover, not just your profit, goes over the registration threshold you become a 'taxable person'. You must then register for VAT. If you don't register at the correct time you could be fined.

You must register for VAT if:
At the end of any month the total value of the taxable supplies you have made in the past twelve months or less is more than the current threshold - £61,000; and
At any time you have reasonable grounds to expect that the value of your taxable supplies will be more than the current registration threshold - £61,000 - in the next thirty days alone;
The current distance selling threshold is £70,000.

What Can I Register As?  
You can register as a:
Sole Proprietor
Partnership
Corporate Body or
Club or Association.

Subject to certain conditions being met, it is possible for two or more corporate bodies to register as a single taxable person, or, where a corporate body, which is organised in divisions and carries on its business in divisions, it may apply to register each division separately.

When will I Get My VAT Registration Number?  
HM Revenue and Customs will tell you your VAT registration number once they have checked the details of your application. You will receive a certificate of registration showing your full registration details. You should receive our reply within 3 weeks of sending in your form. If they have not replied in this time, contact our National Registration Service to make sure they received your application.

When Must I Start Keeping Records and Charging VAT?  
You must start keeping records and charging VAT to your customers from the date you know you have to be registered.

You can charge VAT before you are registered but until you have a registration number you must not show VAT as a separate item on any invoice you issue. You can change your prices to include VAT and explain to any of your customers who are also registered that you will be sending them VAT invoices later. Once you have your registration number you should send the necessary invoices sh