Invoicing US firm + VAT?

[firehawk]

I am working remotely, from the UK, for a US based company as a consultant. They only have US offices.
I am charging an hourly rate

but when it comes to making the invoice, do I have to include VAT @ 20%? I AM VAT registered in the UK (my own LTD company)

Thanks

[SueEllen]

HMRC VAT people are very helpful on their helpline.

As they are closed now you can have a look at the web pages here - HMRC international VAT

I tend to use google to find the relevant pages on the HMRC.

(BTW I can give you the answer but I won't as otherwise when you are stuck again you won't know where to look, who you should ask and make the effort to do so.)

[firehawk]

I was only asking politely.... I did find this forum from google too you know!

[SueEllen]

I was only asking politely.... I did find this forum from google too you know!

I know you are but you had to wait for the answer when if you went on to the HMRC VAT pages you would have found the answer there within a few minutes.

Also sometimes it's actually good to talk to the people who run the show. HMRC VAT people are very helpful as long as you aren't trying to evade paying VAT. If you are then they will come down on you like a tonne of bricks.

[firehawk]

Thanks SueEllen, I appreciate that. Just didnt know hence why I asked here where the experts reside

[SueEllen]

Thanks SueEllen, I appreciate that. Just didnt know hence why I asked here where the experts reside

It may be worth your while going on a free VAT course.

You get to ask awkward questions and you also get told how much information you should reveal to HMRC VAT which is useful if the amount of VAT you pay to them fluctuates due to who your customers are.

[jamesbrown]

There are place of supply rules. In all likelihood, as a B2B transaction, the place of supply of the services will be the U.S. and the services will be outside of the scope of VAT. In that case, you will not charge VAT.