The VAT registration threshold is the turnover figure that triggers a legal obligation to register for VAT with HMRC. Since 1 April 2024 it has been £90,000 of VAT-taxable turnover in any rolling 12-month period. Crossing it without registering on time leads to backdated VAT, interest, and penalties, so every growing business should know exactly where it sits relative to the limit.
The rolling 12-month test
The threshold is not measured against your accounting year. HMRC asks two questions every month:
- Has your VAT-taxable turnover for the previous 12 months exceeded £90,000?
- Do you expect turnover in the next 30 days alone to exceed £90,000?
If yes to either, you must register. The rolling test catches seasonal businesses long before their year-end accounts are filed.
| Scenario | Registration deadline | Effective date |
|---|---|---|
| Past 12 months exceed £90k | End of the month after you crossed | First day of the second month after |
| Expect to exceed £90k in next 30 days | By the end of that 30-day window | The date you became aware |
| Voluntary registration | Any time | Date of your choosing |
What counts towards taxable turnover
Not every receipt counts. Include:
- Standard-rated, reduced-rated and zero-rated sales
- Goods you take from the business for personal use
- Services received from overseas under the reverse charge
- Sales of business assets
Exclude exempt supplies (such as most insurance, finance, education and health), wages, and capital introduced by the owner. See VAT exemptions for a complete breakdown.
Voluntary registration below the threshold
Many start-ups register voluntarily. The benefits are:
- Reclaim input VAT on costs and capital purchases
- Appear larger and more established to B2B customers
- Avoid a disruptive mid-year switch when growth accelerates
- Recover pre-registration input VAT on goods (4 years) and services (6 months)
The drawback is that prices effectively rise by 20% for non-VAT-registered customers, which matters for B2C businesses.
Deregistration
You may deregister voluntarily if your taxable turnover drops below the deregistration threshold, currently £88,000. Compulsory deregistration applies when you cease trading, sell the business, or join a VAT group.
Planning around the cliff edge
Hovering just below £90,000 is common, particularly for sole traders. Approaches to consider:
- Time large invoices to fall the right side of the rolling 12-month window
- Split genuinely separate businesses (artificial separation is challenged by HMRC)
- Move to the VAT Flat Rate Scheme to simplify compliance once registered
- Increase B2B sales where customers can recover the VAT
- Review pricing so the 20% does not all come out of your margin
Next steps
Once you cross the line, register through the HMRC VAT registration service and switch your bookkeeping to a Making Tax Digital workflow from day one. The internal guide on VAT registration covers the application step by step. See pricing for invoicing, receipt capture and bookkeeping in every plan.