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VAT6 min read

When to Register for VAT in Ireland (2026 Guide)

Everything sole traders and limited companies need to know about the €85,000 threshold.

If you are a sole trader or limited company in Ireland, you must register for VAT once your annual turnover exceeds €85,000 in any continuous 12-month period — or if you expect to exceed it in the next 30 days alone.

Many businesses register voluntarily below the threshold. This can make sense if most of your clients are VAT-registered businesses that can reclaim VAT on your invoices.

Key thresholds for 2026

The standard VAT registration threshold remains €85,000 for goods and services. Distance sales to consumers in other EU countries have separate rules under OSS schemes.

FinnAccountings monitors your rolling 12-month turnover automatically and alerts you when you approach 80% of the threshold, giving you time to prepare.

What happens after registration

Once registered, you charge VAT on taxable supplies, file bi-monthly or monthly returns with Revenue, and can reclaim VAT on eligible business purchases.

Our VAT Agent prepares draft returns, flags anomalies, and estimates your quarterly liability so you are never surprised by a bill.

Next steps

Use our free VAT Calculator to check if registration applies to you, or start a trial and connect your bank accounts for real-time turnover tracking.

Sources & references

This article draws on official guidance and publications from the sources below.

  1. 1.
    Registering for VAT

    Revenue Commissioners · Accessed 2026-06-26

  2. 2.
    VAT registration thresholds

    Revenue Commissioners · Accessed 2026-06-26

Put this into practice

FinnAccountings helps with bookkeeping, tax, and VAT prep for Ireland and the UK — with Chartered Accountant insight on AI drafts. Educational articles are not filing advice.

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