VAT & Making Tax Digital
VAT 9-box always live. File when you're ready.
Real-time VAT 9-box updated with every transaction. Period management with auto-quarter creation, period locking after submission, and per-period reconciliation. Direct HMRC MTD submission shipping next — calculation already live.
In short
AccountsOS calculates the HMRC VAT 9-box live from your transactions. We auto-create quarters from your accounting year-end, lock periods after submission, and round to nearest penny per HMRC rules. Direct MTD submission to HMRC is the next milestone — the calculation engine is fully live and tested.
Free during Early Access — no credit card required
Everything VAT & Making Tax Digital can do
Live 9-box calculation
- Box 1 – VAT due on sales (output VAT)
- Box 2 – VAT due on EC acquisitions
- Box 3 – Total VAT due (B1 + B2)
- Box 4 – VAT reclaimed on inputs
- Box 5 – Net VAT to pay or reclaim
- Box 6 – Total sales ex-VAT
- Box 7 – Total purchases ex-VAT
- Box 8 – EC supplies ex-VAT
- Box 9 – EC acquisitions ex-VAT
- Recalc on every transaction post — never stale
Period management
- Auto-quarter creation from accounting year-end
- Period locking after submission to prevent retro-edits
- Visual history of past returns
- Manual period creation for non-standard schemes
- VAT obligation tracking — know what's due and when
Compliance
- HMRC rounding rules (nearest penny)
- Cited HMRC guidance for borderline transactions
- VAT capture enforced on every transaction at source
- VAT registration number printed on invoices automatically
- Reverse charge and EC handling
Capabilities at a glance
Live HMRC 9-box from your live transactions
Auto quarter creation aligned to your year-end
Period locking after submission
HMRC rounding rules built in
Cited HMRC guidance inline
Direct MTD submission (calculation live; submission shipping next)
VAT registration auto-shown on invoices
Reverse charge handled
How It Works
Set your VAT scheme
Standard, flat-rate, cash basis — pick your scheme in Settings.
Transact normally
Every invoice, bill, receipt and bank transaction captures VAT at source.
Watch the 9-box
Open the VAT page any time — every box live, period-by-period.
File when ready
Lock the period and submit (direct MTD shipping next; export-and-file works today).
By the numbers
Real-world Use Cases
Quarterly return prep
On the 1st of the new quarter, your 9-box is already done. Sanity-check, lock, file.
Mid-quarter sanity
Check Box 5 mid-quarter to know roughly what you'll owe. No surprises at deadline.
Standard rate vs flat rate decision
Compare both schemes side by side from your real data before switching.
Plays nicely with
HMRC MTD
Code completeDirect VAT return submission via the MTD API.
GOV.UK Guidance
LiveLive HMRC pages cited inline for borderline calls.
Why founders pick this over the spreadsheet
No spreadsheet — the 9-box is always live
No 'close the books' ritual — locking happens at submission
HMRC rounding handled correctly so the number you see is the number you owe
Compliant invoices by default (VAT reg printed)
Audit-ready: every change to a filed period is locked out
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file my VAT return directly to HMRC?
Direct MTD submission is in our final test cycle and shipping next. The calculation engine is fully live today, so the 9-box you see is the 9-box you'll submit.
Which VAT schemes do you support?
Standard rate, flat-rate scheme and cash basis are supported today. Margin schemes are on the roadmap.
How do you handle reverse charge?
We capture reverse charge VAT on the supplier transaction (e.g. EC services from a US SaaS) and reflect it in Box 1 and Box 4 simultaneously, with a net-zero impact on Box 5.
What happens after I file a period?
The period locks — no further edits or new transactions for that period are accepted. Adjustments go through a clearly-labelled 'prior period adjustment' workflow.
Will it round correctly?
Yes — HMRC rounding to nearest penny is built in. Every box rounds independently per HMRC rules.
What if I need to amend a filed return?
Use the prior-period adjustment workflow. The original return stays locked; the adjustment shows on the next return with full audit trail.
Explore more of AccountsOS
Financial Reports
P&L, Balance Sheet, Trial Balance, Cash Flow Forecast — instant, accurate, exportable.
Corporation Tax
See your CT bill in real time. Generate the workpaper for filing.
Making Tax Digital Compliance
Digital records, digital links, digital submissions — by default.
Invoicing
Issue, send, track and get paid — without lifting a finger after the first invoice.
Tax Optimisation Alerts
The AI spots savings you'd miss. You get nudged in time to act.
Ready to try VAT & Making Tax Digital?
Get started with AI-powered accounting for your UK limited company.
Get Started FreeFree during Early Access — no credit card — cancel anytime