There are two registration schemes under Malaysia's SST, depending on whether your business is based in Malaysia or outside of it.
This scheme applies to businesses with a physical presence or permanent establishment in Malaysia. Registration is done through the MySST portal.
Covers both B2B and B2C taxable services
Filing frequency: bi-monthly (every two months), due by the last day of the month following the end of the taxable period
Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Local bank account required for tax payments
This scheme applies to foreign businesses with no physical establishment in Malaysia that provide digital services to Malaysian customers. Registration is done through the MySToDS portal.
This is the relevant scheme for most Kintsugi customers.
Covers both B2B and B2C digital service transactions
Filing frequency: quarterly, due by the last day of the month following the end of the quarter
Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR); foreign currency amounts must be converted using a consistent and reasonable exchange rate
No local bank account required for tax payments
No input tax credit available under this scheme
No. A business registers under one scheme only. If a non-resident provider later establishes a permanent establishment in Malaysia, it would need to cancel its SToDS registration and register under the standard SST scheme instead.
Non-resident digital service providers register directly through the MySToDS portal (mysst.customs.gov.my). Once registered, the business becomes a Foreign Registered Person (FRP) and is required to charge and remit 8% service tax on all taxable digital services provided to Malaysian customers.
Once registered as an FRP, you must:
Charge 8% SToDS on all B2B and B2C digital service transactions to Malaysian customers
Issue invoices showing the 8% SToDS as a separate line item
File quarterly returns via the DST-02 return form through MySToDS
Remit tax by the last day of the month following each quarter
If a non-resident seller is not registered and has not charged SToDS on a transaction, the Malaysian business buyer is responsible for self-assessing the 8% service tax using Form SST-02A. This obligation does not apply to individual consumers.
If you sell exclusively through a platform that qualifies as an FSP and that platform is already registered as an FRP, you may not be required to separately register, provided all your Malaysian sales are covered by the platform's registration.
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