Amazon asking for a Certificate of Incorporation to get a VAT refund
Hi all,
I’m trying to get a fee VAT refund from Amazon on what has been paid to them, they initially asked for a Certificate of Incorporation but I’m a sole trader so obviously I can’t get that.
I replied saying all I have is a letter from HMRC confirming my unique taxpayer reference which I sent to prove I’m a sole trader previously.
They’ve replied asking for a valid certificate that confirms my legal name, business address, and the effective date of registration which must match my seller central account information.
Does anyone know where I can get this? It seems basically impossible to get because they won’t accept the letter from HMRC.
Cheers
Seller_ngdNdvk119gqt
Okay so literally everyone in this thread has no idea about VAT law and how it applies to Amazon, and are acting as if they do.
If you don’t know what you’re talking about, just don’t reply, and especially don’t be so sassy about it.
I’m getting a VAT refund at the end of the month when my June VAT invoice has been generated.
I finally got a support rep who was helpful and explained I needed proof I was trading for dates prior to May to get a refund prior to that date, because I provided proof I was trading from May on wards, they’ll issue a refund from May on wards in July.
48 replies
Seller_ejwc84JNL5Uk6
Don’t know the story here but Amazon don’t normally refund Vat. Can’t you claim it on your next Vat submission?
Seller_BS5lg2keRs2QO
At the risk of asking the obvious are you actually VAT registered?
Seller_ngdNdvk119gqt
Yea I’m not. If the reason this is being difficult is that I’m not VAT registered I’m just gonna be disappointed in my self because I feel like all I’ve done for the past few weeks is read up on VAT tax law.
I’m trying to claim back the VAT paid on the 15% referral and FBA fee, and in the email, to Amazon, I said how I’m under the threshold so can I claim, and that’s how I got to them asking for the certificate.
Seller_BS5lg2keRs2QO
Yeah that’s not how it works. You have to be VAT registered to do that.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
If you not registered for VAT you cant’t get a VAT refund.
You dont charge VAT and also cant reclaim it.
Seller_ngdNdvk119gqt
Okay so literally everyone in this thread has no idea about VAT law and how it applies to Amazon, and are acting as if they do.
If you don’t know what you’re talking about, just don’t reply, and especially don’t be so sassy about it.
I’m getting a VAT refund at the end of the month when my June VAT invoice has been generated.
I finally got a support rep who was helpful and explained I needed proof I was trading for dates prior to May to get a refund prior to that date, because I provided proof I was trading from May on wards, they’ll issue a refund from May on wards in July.
Seller_BS5lg2keRs2QO
Congratulations on getting closer to your refund. I hope you don’t have to post again soon asking for advice if it doesn’t go as you expected.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
Ha ha. I was trying to think up a suitable reply. Yours is perfect.
Seller_NoLYurmb006tq
Yea good luck with that been repaid I imagine the person you spoke to just got sick of listening to you and agreed with you to move onto the next person 
If by some miracle they actually do end up crediting you it I guarantee they will take it back when the system picks up your not VAT registered.
The only way in which any business can reclaim VAT back from HMRC is if they are VAT registered and I am sure if you ask with a little common sense will tell you this is the case also
Seller_64jziShTiTjOq
Good job you didn’t reply. Fancy trying to teach an expert on VAT who’s been selling here for a whole 2 months when you’re still a novice with only 6 years’ experience
Seller_cedsnRIkO32W2
You can register for VAT voluntarily and reclaim VAT in retrospect. We did this when we first became VAT registered.
I think they’re incorrect about certificate of incorporation - they probably mean VAT certificate.
Also, it’s certainly not a bad idea incorporating your business to limit risk - just in case Amazon or their customer ever sues you.
Seller_cedsnRIkO32W2
I suspect you won’t get a refund in all honesty. I’m very clued up on VAT law and you can’t get a VAT refund if you’re not VAT registered, if Amazon DO give you a VAT refund, they will be in breach of VAT law if they don’t pay the VAT they have charged you on their VATable services.
Seller_cedsnRIkO32W2
Are you VAT registered? If not, you’re not entitled to a VAT refund…
Seller_ssr3IED195LLh
Hey,
Just to clarify what’s already been mentioned in a few replies above:
You can’t claim back VAT that you’ve been charged if you are not VAT registered. This includes the VAT that Amazon charges you on FBA and referral fees.
When you hit the threshold of £85,000 in sales over 12 months, you must register for VAT and HMRC sends you a VAT certificate with your own personal VAT number on it. You can become VAT registered as a sole trader, you do not need to be a limited company or ‘incorporated’. You can register for VAT at any time but most people wait till they hit the £85k threshold.
Once you are VAT registered and you have your number, you add this to your Amazon account in settings, and Amazon checks your VAT number against the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES).
Once verified, Amazon simply stops charging you VAT on your FBA and referral fees - you don’t need to claim anything back, they just don’t charge you anymore. They do however continue to charge VAT on advertising so watch out for that.
Hope this helps!
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
The OP seems to be under the misapprehension that as they under the VAT threshold (And therefore not registered) that VAT should not be charged to them on services they use.
Oh well we have all tried to help and have all given the exact same advice - they are in for a rude awakening.
Seller_NoiIsy6f69nz8
I was under the impression, you can only have the VAT removed from Amazon fees, if you are a VAT registered, as per EU guidlines. And your VAT number is validated on the EU website before they stop charging you VAT on fees. How can you get a VAT refund if you are not VAT registered?
Extract from EU VAT website…
“For example, if you sell a product to an EU-VAT registered business operating in another EU country, you don’t charge VAT on that sale. If the same product is sold to the final consumer within the EU, you may need to charge VAT at the rate applicable in their country.”
Maybe I have misunderstood the rules
Seller_IZMia0ASJ6cAm
If someone is not vat registered and Amazon will accept for whatever reason, not to collect the vat on services they are providing to them it sounds like Amazon are responsible for the decision, maybe there is a loophole somewhere? I never thought about reclaiming vat from services Amazon provided before we were vat registered, never occurred to me there might have been a case for it.
We’re vat registered now and Amazon has the vat number so they don’t charge vat and we reverse charge it.
IF Amazon are in the wrong about not collecting the vat then the vat would need to be paid i suppose? Would they just pay it themselves or try and back date it from their customer i.e the seller who they are providing the service for.
There must a law on this so its either illegal for Amazon to put vat on the services they provide to businesses who are not vat registered or its illegal for them not to.
I’m not aware of any loophole so i would put my money on its illegal for them not to.
Could always be wrong though? I’ve never seen the European directive about fees for “digital services”
Will have a look for it.
