Set up your VAT periods
Updated 2026-09-06
Set up your VAT periods
BusyBee Hub prepares a VAT return for every VAT period once it knows how HMRC has split your year.
1. Go to Settings → VAT and turn on VAT registered.
2. Enter your VAT number and registration date.
3. Choose your scheme, Standard or Flat rate (with your percentage), and tick Cash accounting scheme if HMRC approved you for it.
4. Under VAT periods, pick Quarterly or Monthly. For quarterly returns, choose the months your quarters end in: HMRC set this when you registered and it's on your VAT registration certificate and in your HMRC online account.
5. If your first VAT period didn't start on your registration date, set First VAT period starts on.
Save, then open Taxes → VAT returns. You'll see one row per period, with the date each return is due, one calendar month and 7 days after the period ends, so a quarter ending 30 June is due by 7 August.
Once you connect BusyBee Hub to HMRC for VAT, the periods and references HMRC holds replace the ones you set here.

