When do I have to register for VAT?
Once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12 months. Very few delivery drivers ever get near it.
Last checked 12/09/2026.
When your taxable turnover passes £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period. Rolling, not the tax year, so it is checked continuously rather than once a year.
You also have to register if you expect to pass it in the next 30 days alone, which is a rule aimed at businesses about to win a large contract rather than at couriers.
Turnover means everything the platforms paid you, before expenses. Most full-time delivery drivers turn over well under half the threshold, so this is a question about multi-vehicle operations rather than about one person in a car.
If you are registered and your turnover falls below £88,000 you can apply to deregister.
Sources
Related
Do I need to register for VAT?
Almost certainly not. VAT registration is compulsory above £90,000 of taxable turnover in a rolling 12 months.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
Should I register for VAT voluntarily?
Rarely worth it for a delivery driver. Your customers are platforms that would not care, and you would be charging VAT on services you currently supply VAT-free.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
How much do Yodel drivers actually earn per week?
A realistic look at Yodel take home pay, covering parcel rates, van costs, fuel, and what drivers actually keep after expenses.
Earnings & profitabilityUpdated 17/10/2026
How to set up as a DPD owner driver franchisee
A step by step guide to setting up your business, buying a round, and getting on the road as a DPD owner driver franchisee.
Getting startedUpdated 17/10/2026
Riding for Deliveroo: the full guide
How Deliveroo works for a rider: what you need to join, how each fee is worked out, the pay floor agreed with the GMB union, when the money arrives, the insurance Deliveroo gives you for free, and the parts that are left to you.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026
Delivering for Uber Eats: the full guide
How Uber Eats works for a courier: signing up, how each delivery is paid, Quests and batched orders, the weekly pay cycle and the two ways to cash out early, the free Allianz cover, Uber Eats Pro, and the tax side.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026