Getting VAT for UK business while located in the US

[theive]

I have a business in the UK I'm looking to get a VAT for. I'm not sure if this is possible to do as I'm located in the US.

Does anyone know if this is possible, even better if you'd be able to guide me through everything.

 

[Not Ste Hughes]

It's a 2 min process to become VAT registered on the HMRC website.

The pure fact you have had to ask this question says to me you are just not smart enough to understand the responsibilities of being VAT registered.

I would speak to an accountant and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into as there are very important steps you need to take to avoid trouble.

 

[theive]

It's a 2 min process to become VAT registered on the HMRC website.

The pure fact you have had to ask this question says to me you are just not smart enough to understand the responsibilities of being VAT registered.

I would speak to an accountant and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into as there are very important steps you need to take to avoid trouble.

Instead of just insulting me, you could answer the question. I realize getting a VAT is super easy to do, but does it matter if I'm physically located in the U.S., but my business only sells to those in the UK and ships to/from the UK?

I've spoke to people in the U.S. before that have no idea about the legalities for the U.K., which is why I'm asking this forum for help to get pointed in the right direction. But I appreciate your incredibly useful reply.

 

[davids355]

Has the business got a registered address in the UK? If so I can't see why it couldn't be VAT registered.

might be worth a post here maybe:
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

 

[theive]

It doesn't have a registered address in the UK. Any idea if this is something I could do with a P.O. box or virtual location?

Has the business got a registered address in the UK? If so I can't see why it couldn't be VAT registered.

might be worth a post here maybe:
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

 

[Not Ste Hughes]

Instead of just insulting me, you could answer the question. I realize getting a VAT is super easy to do, but does it matter if I'm physically located in the U.S., but my business only sells to those in the UK and ships to/from the UK?

I've spoke to people in the U.S. before that have no idea about the legalities for the U.K., which is why I'm asking this forum for help to get pointed in the right direction. But I appreciate your incredibly useful reply.

The fact you do not know that says it all.

If its a registered UK business it is its own legal entity, it does not matter where you are based... London, Brazil, Panama, the fucking moon....

You can register for VAT.

Can I ask also, before you asked on the forum, what exactly did you do?

Did you go on the HMRC website, where they have published all this information for you for example?

Again, I advise you speak to an accountant.

 

[theive]

It's not a registered UK business at the moment. Okay, I'll speak to an accountant. What type of accountant would one look for in this situation?

Edit: All of the legalities with owning a business are new to me. I understand both SEO and online marketing, and thought owning a small business would be a fun project. Just because I don't know anything about business, as of yet, doesn't necessarily mean I'm 'dumb.' I can rank websites in Google, I understand how to get the best bang for your buck with PPC ads, I can create websites, but I have yet to learn everything I need to about business. Feel free to belittle me as much as you'd like, I'm new to this area of expertise and every business owner was new to this at one point as well. I'm having a difficult time figuring out everything I need to do in order to get my feet on the ground in regards to this, and even business owners I've talked to seem to not be able to help much in the current position I'm in.

Anyways, call me a moron, but hope your site is never in the same niche as me, as I will take it over in terms of SEO.

 

[cataratas]

I'm a UK accountant but VAT isn't my area. If you find the HMRC page titled "VAT: what to do if you?re an overseas business selling goods in the UK" you get some good basics. Some business HAVE to register and some choose to because it is advantageous. Are you thinking of registering because you want to or because you think you might have to? Note what it says about the definition of "distance selling" under the law as well- something I didn't know about at all.

By the way, the forum mentioned by someone above is a decent forum, though I have no idea if you will find the right help there for this matter.

 

[Not Ste Hughes]

I'm a UK accountant but VAT isn't my area. If you find the HMRC page titled "VAT: what to do if you're an overseas business selling goods in the UK" you get some good basics. Some business HAVE to register and some choose to because it is advantageous. Are you thinking of registering because you want to or because you think you might have to? Note what it says about the definition of "distance selling" under the law as well- something I didn't know about at all.

By the way, the forum mentioned by someone above is a decent forum, though I have no idea if you will find the right help there for this matter.

How on earth are you an accountant then?

OP, if the business is not registered yet, have you considered registering it in whatever country you're currently in.

Please do not view a business as a small project, get it wrong and you are bankrupt and without decent knowledge of the process you're going to get it wrong.

If you view my posts as insults its because I am trying to protect you from fucking up.

 

[theive]

I appreciate your reply. I'm not sure whether or not I HAVE to register for a VAT, but I do know it'd be an advantage as I can greatly reduce the costs on the products I'm purchasing and then selling by having one.

Distance selling seems to be about just countries in the EU area, and the U.S. is not part of this. I read it and found it interesting, I'm thinking as the sales of the site are so low right now, I'm not required to have a VAT.

I'm a UK accountant but VAT isn't my area. If you find the HMRC page titled "VAT: what to do if you're an overseas business selling goods in the UK" you get some good basics. Some business HAVE to register and some choose to because it is advantageous. Are you thinking of registering because you want to or because you think you might have to? Note what it says about the definition of "distance selling" under the law as well- something I didn't know about at all.

By the way, the forum mentioned by someone above is a decent forum, though I have no idea if you will find the right help there for this matter.

 

[theive]

I'm going to be registering the business in the U.S. this Wednesday.

I appreciate your concerns, I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I have a talent, which is SEO/online marketing, and figured I could benefit a lot more by having my own business(es) instead of working for someone who has one. I plan on registering it as a LLC, in order to protect my other assets.

Can you recommend a book, or somewhere I can start reading more about what I need to learn to protect myself/my business(es)?

How on earth are you an accountant then?

OP, if the business is not registered yet, have you considered registering it in whatever country you're currently in.

Please do not view a business as a small project, get it wrong and you are bankrupt and without decent knowledge of the process you're going to get it wrong.

If you view my posts as insults its because I am trying to protect you from fucking up.

 

[longrun]

Yes you can do it. First you need to form a Ltd company with a UK registered office. Since a Ltd company in the UK is a separate legal entity HMRC will allow the Ltd company to register for VAT as long as it is satisfied that the business is "OK". It is an easy thing to set up but you have to be an accountant with experience of how to do this kind of work to be able to accomplish the process. Hope that helps.

 

[theive]

For some reason, something being an "easy thing to do," yet requiring an accountant that has experience doing it doesn't make sense to me. Would this be something I could possibly achieve without an accountant?

Yes you can do it. First you need to form a Ltd company with a UK registered office. Since a Ltd company in the UK is a separate legal entity HMRC will allow the Ltd company to register for VAT as long as it is satisfied that the business is "OK". It is an easy thing to set up but you have to be an accountant with experience of how to do this kind of work to be able to accomplish the process. Hope that helps.

 

[cataratas]

Be careful now because there's bad advice starting to creep in to the thread. You DO NOT have to be registere as a limited company. The benefits/disadvantages of that are entirely separate to whether you should or need to register for VAT. Don't be steered in the wrong direction by wrong advice here. Good luck and let us know how you go.

 

[cataratas]

To Not Ste Hughes- it's like with people thinking a lawyer can advise on every corner of the law. They can't. same with accountants. I have only ever worked in insolvency and corporate rescue and qualified there.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

 

[islandman1010]

What are you trying to achieve by registering for a VAT as you call it. Are you thinking that you can reclaim the VAT you are charged or something? Are you thinking about filing quarterly VAT returns on the UK and paying the VAT to the taxman? Also registering for a limited company in the UK is fairly straightforward, the rules and regulations on reporting profits, directors etc etc is a real pain without an accountant here. Also the costs of all of this is quite high (personal experience). Best thing is to post what you think you are trying to do then maybe you will get more useful answers.

 

[theive]

 

[Not Ste Hughes]

To Not Ste Hughes- it's like with people thinking a lawyer can advise on every corner of the law. They can't. same with accountants. I have only ever worked in insolvency and corporate rescue and qualified there.

I did my own VAT returns for over 3 years and the only 'accounting training' I had was a mornings lecture by some jumped up retard at a free event.

VAT is not complicated.

 

[islandman1010]