Request a Great Britain VAT Registration in Kintsugi

Submit a registration request so Kintsugi can register your business for UK VAT and take over your filings. Use this when Kintsugi shows Great Britain exposure, or when you know you are about to become liable.

Time required: about 15 minutes to submit

You will need: Great Britain enabled on your account, your legal entity details, and the items in Documents Required for Great Britain VAT Registration Reference

Before You Start

• Confirm which scheme applies to you. A business established in the UK uses standard registration. A business with no UK establishment uses Non-Established Taxable Person registration. Kintsugi determines this from the presence information on your account.

• If you want to register two or more related companies as a VAT group, contact us before submitting. Group registration affects how your transactions are consolidated, so it is not a self-serve path.

• Registration is a country-level action. There are no regional Great Britain registrations to choose between.

• If you are already registered for UK VAT, import the existing registration instead of submitting a new one.

• HMRC can direct a non-established business to appoint a UK tax representative, and one is required if your business is established in a country that does not co-operate with UK tax collection. In most cases a representative is optional, and Kintsugi arranges one through our filing partner if it is needed.

• If you are on a VAT special scheme such as Flat Rate or Cash Accounting, tell us before you submit, because Kintsugi calculates on standard VAT accounting.

Steps

1. Open your Great Britain exposure. Navigate to your nexus view and select Great Britain.

2. Select Register. If the country is not yet enabled for your organization, the app shows Talk to Sales instead. Select it, and our team enables Great Britain once your plan covers it.

3. Confirm the registration scheme. Choose standard registration if you are established in the UK, or Non-Established Taxable Person registration if you are not.

4. Enter your entity details. Provide your legal name, registered address, and contact details exactly as they appear on your incorporation documents.

5. Select your filing frequency. Quarterly is the HMRC default. Monthly and annual options are available.

6. Supply the requested documents. Provide the items listed in Documents Required for Great Britain VAT Registration Reference.

7. Submit the request. Kintsugi and our filing partner handle the HMRC application from here.

For the generic registration request flow shared across all countries, see How to Submit a Registration Request.

How To Confirm It Worked

Your Great Britain registration appears in your registrations list with a submitted status, and the status advances as the request progresses with HMRC. When it completes, your record shows a nine-digit VAT registration number, your assigned filing frequency, and an effective registration date. Your first filing period runs from that effective date.

Things To Know

• Your effective registration date is set by HMRC, and it can be earlier than the date your certificate arrives. You are liable for VAT from the effective date, so you may need to account for VAT on sales you invoiced before your number was issued.

• You cannot show a VAT number on an invoice before HMRC issues it. Where you are liable but do not yet have the number, you can raise the price to cover the VAT and reissue a full VAT invoice once your number arrives.

• Quarterly filing is the HMRC default. Monthly filing is worth asking about if you expect regular repayments, and annual accounting has its own eligibility rules.

• Once registered, you charge VAT on consumer sales. Business sales to VAT-registered UK customers are normally handled under the reverse charge, so no VAT is charged by you.

• Returns and payments are in GBP.

• Support covers the B2B SaaS and B2C SaaS categories. Registering does not extend Kintsugi's calculation to goods or other categories.

• Kintsugi prepares and files the return through our filing partner. Remitting the payment to HMRC stays with you.

FAQs

Q: How long does a Great Britain registration take?

A: HMRC's published aim is around 40 working days for a straightforward application, and applications from non-established businesses can take longer. Kintsugi shares the expected timeline when your request is submitted.

Q: Do I need a UK tax representative?

A: Usually not. A representative is optional unless HMRC formally directs you to appoint one, or your business is established in a country that does not co-operate with UK tax collection. Kintsugi arranges one through our filing partner where it is required.

Q: Can I register before I become liable?

A: Yes. Voluntary registration is allowed and is the only way to recover UK input VAT on your costs. It commits you to charging VAT and filing returns, so weigh it first if you sell mainly to consumers.

Q: Do I need a UK bank account?

A: Not to register. HMRC accepts payment from an overseas account, though a UK account can make settlement and any repayment simpler.

Q: What happens to sales I made before registering?

A: Sales before your effective registration date are outside the new registration. If you collected UK VAT on them, raise it with us so it can be assessed, because collected tax has its own resolution path.

Q: Can I choose my own effective registration date?

A: For a mandatory registration, HMRC sets it from the date you became liable. For a voluntary registration, you can request a date, including a backdated one within HMRC's limits.

Need Help?

For further concerns, we're always here to help. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, reach out to us using the chat in the bottom right corner of your screen.