I recently started a graphic-design business and I have applied for a VAT number but it hasn’t come through yet. Should I be adding VAT to my invoices or not?
The application for a VAT registration can sometimes take many weeks to be processed. If you haven’t received your VAT number you can’t issue a full VAT invoice that shows the separate VAT due and the VAT number. However, you will be required to pay over VAT on all sales made after the effective date of VAT registration that you put on the registration form. So you can’t show VAT on your invoices, but you will need to charge your customers a sufficient amount to include the VAT due. When your VAT number arrives you will need to issue full VAT invoices to all those customers you have invoiced since the effective date of VAT registration. Please contact us if you need more practical help on how to do this.
