Pay your VAT bill
Pay by Direct Debit
Use your VAT online account to set up a Direct Debit.
Set up the Direct Debit at least 3 working days before you submit your VAT return, otherwise the payment will not be taken from your bank account.
If you file your VAT return late, your payment will be taken 3 days after you file your return.
If you’ve not used your Direct Debit for 2 years or more, check with your bank that it is still set up.
Set up a Direct Debit
Before you start
You’ll need your 9-digit VAT registration number to make a payment.
Find your registration number:
- in your VAT online account
- on your VAT registration certificate
Do not put any spaces between the digits when paying your VAT bill.
If you need to pay a VAT surcharge or penalty
You’ll need to use your 14-character reference number starting with X when you pay.
You’ll find this on the letter HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sent you about your surcharge or penalty.
After you’ve set up the Debit Debit
Once you’ve set up the Direct Debit and submitted your return, payments will be collected automatically from your bank account 3 working days after the payment deadline on your VAT return.
When you cannot pay by Direct Debit
You must pay in a different way if you:
- use an overseas bank account to pay your VAT bill
- are an insolvency practitioner
- have a VAT payments on account arrangement
- are approved to send paper VAT returns
You cannot set up a Direct Debit to automatically take payments for a VAT surcharge or penalty, you can pay these in a different way.