Value Added Tax Act 1994

6 Time of supply. U.K.

(1) The provisions of this section shall apply, subject to [F1 sections 18, 18B [F2 , 18C and 57A]] for determining the time when a supply of goods or services is to be treated as taking place for the purposes of the charge to VAT.

(2) Subject to subsections (4) to (14) below, a supply of goods shall be treated as taking place—

(a) if the goods are to be removed, at the time of the removal;

(b) if the goods are not to be removed, at the time when they are made available to the person to whom they are supplied;

(c) if the goods (being sent or taken on approval or sale or return or similar terms) are removed before it is known whether a supply will take place, at the time when it becomes certain that the supply has taken place or, if sooner, 12 months after the removal.

(3) Subject to subsections (4) to (14) below, a supply of services shall be treated as taking place at the time when the services are performed.

(4) If, before the time applicable under subsection (2) or (3) above, the person making the supply issues a VAT invoice in respect of it or if, before the time applicable under subsection (2)(a) or (b) or (3) above, he receives a payment in respect of it, the supply shall, to the extent covered by the invoice or payment, be treated as taking place at the time the invoice is issued or the payment is received.

(5) If, within 14 days after the time applicable under subsection (2) or (3) above, the person making the supply issues a VAT invoice in respect of it, then, unless he has notified the Commissioners in writing that he elects not to avail himself of this subsection, the supply shall (to the extent that it is not treated as taking place at the time mentioned in subsection (4) above) be treated as taking place at the time the invoice is issued.

(6) The Commissioners may, at the request of a taxable person, direct that subsection (5) above shall apply in relation to supplies made by him (or such supplies made by him as may be specified in the direction) as if for the period of 14 days there were substituted such longer period as may be specified in the direction.

F3 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F4 (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(10) The Commissioners may, at the request of a taxable person, by direction alter the time at which supplies made by him (or such supplies made by him as may be specified in the direction) are to be treated as taking place, either—

(a) by directing those supplies to be treated as taking place—

(i) at times or on dates determined by or by reference to the occurrence of some event described in the direction; or

(ii) at times or on dates determined by or by reference to the time when some event so described would in the ordinary course of events occur,

the resulting times or dates being in every case earlier than would otherwise apply; or

(b) by directing that, notwithstanding subsections (5) and (6) above, those supplies shall (to the extent that they are not treated as taking place at the time mentioned in subsection (4) above) be treated as taking place—

(i) at the beginning of the relevant working period (as defined in his case in and for the purposes of the direction); or

(ii) at the end of the relevant working period (as so defined).

(11) Where goods are treated as supplied by an order under section 5(5), the supply is treated as taking place when they are appropriated to the use mentioned in that section.

(12) Where there is a supply of goods by virtue only of paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 4, the supply is treated as taking place when the goods are transferred or disposed of as mentioned in that paragraph.

(13) Where there is a supply of services by virtue only of paragraph 5(4) of Schedule 4, the supply is treated as taking place when the goods are appropriated to the use mentioned in that paragraph.

(14) The Commissioners may by regulations make provision with respect to the time at which (notwithstanding [F5 subsections (2) to (6)] and (11) to (13) above or section 55(4)) a supply is to be treated as taking place in cases where—

(a) it is a supply of goods or services for a consideration the whole or part of which is determined or payable periodically, or from time to time, or at the end of any period, or

(b) it is a supply of goods for a consideration the whole or part of which is determined at the time when the goods are appropriated for any purpose, or

(c) there is a supply to which section 55 applies, or

(d) there is a supply of services by virtue of paragraph 5(4) of Schedule 4 or an order under section 5(4);

and for any such case as is mentioned in this subsection the regulations may provide for goods or services to be treated as separately and successively supplied at prescribed times or intervals.

[F6 (14A) F7 ... this section and any regulations under this section or section 8(4) shall have effect subject to section 97A.]

(15) In this Act “VAT invoice” means such an invoice as is required under [F8 paragraph 2A] of Schedule 11, or would be so required if the person to whom the supply is made were a person to whom such an invoice should be issued.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 6(1) substituted (1.6.1996 with application to any acquisition of goods from another member State and any supply taking place on or after that day) by 1996 c. 8, ss. 25, 26, Sch. 3 para. 1; S.I. 1996/1249, art. 2

F2 Words in s. 6(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 15 para. 8 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 15 para. 2

F3 S. 6(7)(8) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 6(2) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)

F4 S. 6(9) repealed (1.12.2003) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 24(5), Sch. 40 Pt. 2; S.I. 2003/3043, art. 2

F5 Words in s. 6(14) substituted (31.12.2020) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 6(3) (with Sch. 8 para. 99) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)

F6 S. 6(14A) inserted (retrospective to 17.3.1998) by 1998 c. 36, s. 22(2)(3)

F7 Words in s. 6(14A) omitted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 36 para. 14(3) of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 36 para. 2 (with Sch. 36 para. 19)

F8 Words in s. 6(15) substituted (1.12.2003) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 24(4)(a)(5); S.I. 2003/3043, art. 2