How do I register for VAT as a sole trader?

How do I register for VAT as a sole trader? You register online, signed in to HMRC, within 30 days of the end of the month your last 12 months' turnover went over £90,000, the threshold in October 2026. HMRC then posts your 9-digit VAT number. It varies. HMRC checks your application first, and its check when you can expect a reply tool shows current times. VAT Notice 700/1 says to contact the VAT Registration Service only if you have heard nothing after 40 working days. You cannot show VAT on an invoice until you have the number, but you can put your prices up to cover it. Once the number arrives, send VAT-registered customers proper VAT invoices within 30 days. It is the date VAT starts. If your last 12 months went over £90,000, it is the first day of the second month after you went over. If one job will take you over in the next 30 days, it is the date you realised. Read the full answer, with every source, at rightotax.co.uk.