VAT registration accountant
The VAT registration form takes twenty minutes; the decisions inside it follow you for years. Effective date, scheme choice, whether to register voluntarily at all — each has a right answer for your specific margins and customers, and HMRC's form doesn't explain any of them. For £49 we make the decisions with you, file the application, and handle HMRC's follow-ups until the VAT number arrives.
How we handle it
The threshold test catches people out: £90,000 of taxable turnover in any rolling 12 months — not your accounting year — and you must also register if you expect to cross it in the next 30 days alone. If you're near the line, ask us to check your position for free before HMRC checks it for you.
The fixed fees behind this service
| Service | Fixed fee |
|---|---|
| VAT Registration | £49 |
| VAT Returns | from £35/mo |
VAT Registration
Registered with HMRC properly — the right scheme chosen before the first return, not after.
- Application prepared and submitted to HMRC, with your effective date chosen deliberately
- Scheme recommendation before you're locked in — flat rate, cash accounting or standard
- HMRC's follow-up questions handled by us until the VAT number arrives
| VAT registration with HMRC | £49 |
| Registration + scheme advice (flat rate, cash accounting) | £79 |
| Registration + first VAT return | £119 |
VAT Returns
Quarterly VAT prepared and submitted under Making Tax Digital.
- Quarterly VAT returns prepared and filed under Making Tax Digital
- The right scheme for you — standard, flat rate or cash accounting
- VAT registration and deregistration handled when needed
| VAT returns only (your bookkeeping) | £35/mo |
| VAT + bookkeeping bundle | £119/mo |
| VAT registration (one-off) | £79 |
From first message to done
WhatsApp or the form — a few sentences is enough. A real person replies the same working day.
One price for the job, confirmed before anything starts. Complex case? We say so now, not on the invoice.
Photos of documents are fine. We chase whatever's missing — that's part of the job, not yours.
You review everything first; filings go to HMRC or Companies House electronically with same-day confirmation.
Deadlines that apply here
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 month + 7 days after quarter end | VAT return filing and payment deadline for each quarter |
| £90,000 rolling turnover | Compulsory VAT registration threshold — measured over any rolling 12 months, not your accounting year |
Why choose Bohzo Accountants in the UK?
Your fee is agreed before any work starts and never changes mid-job. No hourly billing, ever.
Secure portal and WhatsApp — no office visits, no printing, no waiting rooms.
Bohzo Accountants is a trading name of IGI Security Services Ltd, Company No. 15881180.
We track every HMRC and Companies House date that applies to you, so you don't have to.
Terms you'll meet along the way
Rolling 12-month test
The £90,000 threshold is measured over any consecutive 12 months, not your accounting year — the detail that catches most late registrants.
Effective date of registration
The date your VAT obligations start — set by when you crossed the threshold, or chosen deliberately for voluntary registrations.
Voluntary registration
Registering below the threshold — often smart for B2B businesses (reclaim input VAT, look established), usually a price rise for B2C.
Making Tax Digital (MTD)
HMRC's regime requiring digital records and software-filed returns — long mandatory for VAT, arriving for Income Tax from April 2026.
Flat Rate Scheme
Pay HMRC a fixed percentage of turnover instead of tracking every input. Simpler, but the 16.5% limited-cost-trader rate killed the old easy win for many.
Input vs output VAT
Output VAT is what you charge customers; input VAT is what you pay suppliers. You hand HMRC the difference — which is why missed input claims are pure loss.
Penalty points
Each late VAT return earns a point; at your threshold (4 for quarterly filers) every late return costs £200. Points expire after sustained good behaviour.
VAT registration accountant: your questions answered
How long does VAT registration take?
The application goes to HMRC immediately; the VAT number typically takes days to a few weeks, occasionally up to 40 when HMRC raises questions — which we answer for you. You can and should keep trading while waiting; we'll show you how to invoice in the gap so no VAT is lost.
Should I register before I have to?
If your customers are VAT-registered businesses, usually yes — you reclaim VAT on costs while your effective prices to them don't change. If you sell to the public, registration is a real price rise or margin cut, so voluntary registration needs a genuine reason. This is exactly the ten-minute conversation we have first.
What happens if I should have registered months ago?
HMRC backdates your registration to when you crossed the threshold, expects VAT on everything since, and adds a penalty scaled to the delay. It's fixable — and dramatically better handled proactively than discovered in a compliance check. We handle late registrations without judgement; speed matters more than embarrassment.
When do I legally have to register?
When your taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period — not your accounting year, which is the detail that catches people. You must also register if you expect to cross it in the next 30 days alone. We'll check your position for free before you commit to anything.
Is registering voluntarily ever worth it?
Often, yes — if your customers are VAT-registered businesses, you reclaim VAT on your costs while your prices stay effectively unchanged to them. If you sell to the public, it's usually a straight price rise. That's exactly the conversation we have before filing.
When do I have to register for VAT?
When your taxable turnover in any rolling 12-month period passes £90,000 — a rolling test, not your accounting year, and the most common way businesses get caught out. We monitor it for bookkeeping clients automatically.
Which VAT scheme is best for me?
It depends on your margins and customers. The flat-rate scheme suits some service businesses; cash accounting helps if customers pay slowly; standard suits most. We'll compare them for your numbers before registering you.
Recent client feedback
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