VAT registered business deadline calendar

Most VAT returns are submitted every 3 months. GOV.UK says the online submission deadline is usually one calendar month and 7 days after the accounting period ends, and this is usually also the payment deadline.

The calendar should show the accounting period end, the return submission date and the date the payment must clear HMRC. Those can feel like one date, but payment method and bank processing still matter.

HMRC says VAT-registered businesses should keep VAT records and submit VAT returns using compatible software unless exempt. That makes the weekly or monthly record routine part of the deadline system, not an optional extra.

Add reminders for sales invoices, purchase invoices, bank reconciliation, reverse-charge checks and unusual transactions before the return deadline. The return should be a review of maintained records, not a rushed reconstruction.

Businesses that are not yet registered should review taxable turnover against the VAT registration threshold. GOV.UK says registration is required if taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over GBP 90,000 or if it is expected to go over GBP 90,000 in the next 30 days.

A growing business should not wait for year end to check this. A monthly rolling turnover review is more useful because the VAT test looks at a moving 12-month period and near-future expectations.

Use Business Sorted's tools to keep the deadline visible, then connect the calendar to your VAT online account and software. If you use an accountant or bookkeeper, agree who checks the records and who submits the return.

This page is not VAT advice. It is a planning guide that points to official sources, so check HMRC guidance for exemptions, schemes, unusual supplies or cross-border rules.