So you’ve registered for VAT – congrats! Whether you crossed that £90,000 threshold or decided to register voluntarily, you’re now part of the exciting world of VAT administration. (We’re using “exciting” loosely here.)
But here’s where it gets a bit tricky: VAT return deadlines aren’t one-size-fits-all.
Depending on how you set things up, your deadline could be monthly, quarterly, or annual – and the rules are slightly different for each. Don’t worry though, we’re here to break it all down so you know exactly when yours is due.
Deadlines depend on your accounting period
When you register for VAT, one of the decisions you make is how often you want to submit returns. This timeframe becomes your accounting period – essentially, it’s the stretch of time that each VAT return will cover.
Think of it like choosing how often you want to do your VAT homework. You’ve got three options:
- Quarterly (every three months) – This is the default option unless you specify otherwise. It’s the most popular choice because it strikes a nice balance: you’re filing often enough to stay on top of things, but not so often that it takes over your life. In general, it could be easiest to manage.
- Monthly – If you prefer more frequent reporting (or if your business has a lot of VAT activity), you can opt for monthly returns instead. More admin overall, but it means you’re never too far behind on your paperwork.
- Annually (once a year) – Less frequent filing means less paperwork, which sounds appealing! However, keeping track of a full year’s worth of VAT can get complicated. This option works through something called the Annual Accounting Scheme, which we’ll cover in just a sec.
Monthly and quarterly deadlines
If you’re filing monthly or quarterly, your VAT return and payment are both due one calendar month and seven days after your accounting period wraps up.
Let’s say your quarterly period runs from 1st January through 31st March. You’d count forward one month (that gets you to 30th April), then add seven days. This makes your deadline 7th May.
The same principle applies for monthly filers – just with shorter accounting periods. Finish a period on 31st January, and you’re looking at a 7th March deadline.
Annual deadline
Remember that annual option we mentioned? It works through the Annual Accounting Scheme, and the timing is a bit different.
Your final VAT return and payment aren’t due until two months after your accounting period ends. So if your period ends on 31st March, you’ve got until 31st May to sort everything out.
But importantly, you can’t just sit back and wait until the end to pay everything in one go. Throughout the year, you’ll need to make advance payments to HMRC. You can choose between:
- Nine monthly payments of 10% each (starting in month four), or
- Three quarterly payments of 25% each (in months four, seven, and ten)
Basically, HMRC wants a steady flow of cash throughout the year rather than waiting for one massive lump sum at the end.
💡 More VAT questions? We’ve got answers! Check out our complete guide to VAT for sole traders.
Or you could just use Hnry
Keeping track of VAT deadlines, filling in your VAT return correctly, making sure you’ve got all your records straight – it adds up to a lot of admin. And if you’re a freelancer or other sole trader trying to actually do the work you love, it can feel overwhelming.
That’s where Hnry comes in: We handle all your VAT admin automatically, including calculating what you owe, submitting your returns on time, and keeping all your records sorted. You just focus on your work, and we make sure HMRC gets what they need, when they need it (we’re Making Tax Digital for VAT compliant – meaning if you use Hnry, you will be too!)
No missed deadlines. No penalties. Easy!
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