Pay your VAT bill

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Pay using another payment method

You鈥檒l need to use your 9-digit聽VAT聽registration number, without spaces, as the payment reference. You can find your registration number:

  • in your聽
  • on your聽VAT聽registration certificate

If you鈥檙e paying a surcharge or penalty, you鈥檒l need to use your 14-character reference number starting with X.

You鈥檒l find this on the letter HMRC sent you about your surcharge or penalty.

You can use the VAT payment deadline calculator to work out how much time to allow.

Pay your VAT bill online

You can pay HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) online by:

  • approving a payment through your bank account using your online banking details
  • debit or corporate credit card

You鈥檒l need your online banking details or your card ready before you start.

If you pay through your online bank account

You can select a date to pay, as long as it鈥檚 before your payment is due.

Check your account to make sure that the payment has gone out on the correct day. If the payment has not gone out as expected, speak to your bank.

The payment is usually instant but can take up to 2 hours to show in your bank account.

If you pay by debit or corporate credit card

You can pay with:

  • a corporate credit card
  • a corporate debit card
  • a personal debit card

You cannot pay with a personal credit card.

There鈥檚 a non-refundable fee if you pay with a corporate credit card or a corporate debit card. There鈥檚 no fee if you pay with a personal debit card.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will accept your payment on the date you make it (even on bank holidays and weekends) - not the date it reaches their account.

If you鈥檙e unable to pay your VAT bill in full by card, you should use another payment method like a bank transfer.

Paying from a UK bank account

You can pay HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) directly from a UK bank account with Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs.

Contact your bank or use your online bank account or banking app to make the payment.

Use the following bank details for HMRC:

  • Sort code - 08 32 00
  • Account number - 11963155
  • Account name - HMRC VAT

How long it takes

Check your bank鈥檚 processing times before you pay.

Faster Payments usually reach HMRC on the same or next day, including weekends and bank holidays.

CHAPS payments usually reach HMRC the same working day if you pay within your bank鈥檚 processing times.

Bacs payments usually take 3 working days.

Paying from an overseas bank account

You can make a transfer from your overseas bank account by CHAPS.

To pay from an overseas bank account, use the following bank details for HMRC:

  • Account number (IBAN) - GB36 BARC 2005 1773 1523 91
  • Business Identifier Code (BIC) - BARCGB22
  • Account name - HMRC VAT

Barclays Bank PLC
1 Churchill Place
London
United Kingdom
E14 5HP

At your bank or building society

You鈥檒l need to聽order paying-in slips online or by phone聽from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) before you can pay this way. It can take up to 6 weeks for them to arrive.

Use the paying-in slips to pay at your own bank or building society by cash or cheque. Make your cheque payable to 鈥楬M Revenue and Customs only鈥�.

You need to write a reference number on the back of your cheque:

  • if you鈥檙e paying a VAT bill - use your 9-digit VAT registration number

  • if you鈥檙e paying a surcharge or penalty - use your 14-character reference number starting with X

Allow 3 working days for your payment to reach HM Revenue and Customs鈥� bank account.

Standing order

Businesses using the聽Annual Accounting Scheme聽or making payments on account can pay a聽VAT聽bill by standing order. Standing orders take 3 working days to reach HM Revenue and Customs鈥� (HMRC) bank account.

Annual Accounting Scheme

Ask to pay by standing order on your application form for the聽Annual Accounting Scheme.

After you鈥檝e received a letter from聽HMRC聽accepting your application, set up a standing order either:

Payments on account

Set up a standing order either:

View a printable version of the whole guide

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