After reading this article, sellers will learn
- ✅ When to register a business, and when only tax registration is needed
- ✅ The difference between declared household businesses and self-assessed household businesses
- ✅ Business types: offline, online, asset leasing
- ✅ Regulations on accounting regimes for household businesses from 2026
1. Do I need to register a business if I sell online?
Case 1: Selling online only (no physical store)
According to regulations: Business registration is not mandatory, but tax registration is required.
If you:
- Sell goods via Facebook, Zalo, TikTok
- Sell on e-commerce platforms (Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop)
- Do not have a fixed place of business
→ You need to go to the Tax Department in your place of residence to register for tax. Your tax identification number will be your Citizen ID number.
Important Note
Although regulations do not mandate business registration, some local Tax Departments still require a business license before tax registration.
Recommendation: Contact the Tax Department in your place of residence directly for clarification before proceeding.
Case 2: Having a store or place of business
Business registration is mandatory at the Commune/Ward People's Committee where the place of business is located.
Process:
- Submit the household business registration application at the Commune/Ward People's Committee
- Receive the Household Business Registration Certificate (with a household business code)
- This code also serves as the household business's tax identification number
Case 3: Leasing assets (houses, vehicles, equipment...)
Business registration is not mandatory, only tax registration is required.
However, similar to selling online, some localities may have different requirements.
2. What's the difference between declared and self-assessed household businesses?
These are two different tax calculation methods for household businesses:
| Criteria | Declared Household Business | Self-Assessed Household Business |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Revenue > 500 million VND/year | Revenue ≤ 500 million VND/year |
| Tax Calculation Method | Self-declare actual revenue | Tax authority determines a fixed tax amount |
| Tax Declaration Period | Monthly or quarterly | Annually (receive notification from tax authorities) |
| Invoices | Must use electronic invoices | Not mandatory |
| Accounting Records | Must keep accounting records | Simpler |
| Digital Signature | Required | Not mandatory |
Example: Ms. Lan sells cosmetics
Scenario 1: Ms. Lan sells online via Facebook, with an annual revenue of about 300 million VND. → Ms. Lan falls under the self-assessed category or declares per transaction occurrence.
Scenario 2: Ms. Lan opens a shop, with an annual revenue of 800 million VND. → Ms. Lan falls under the declared category, must declare taxes quarterly, and use electronic invoices.
3. What about selling on e-commerce platforms?
When you sell on e-commerce platforms with payment functionality (Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop...), the platform will:
- ✅ Deduct tax directly from each order
- ✅ Pay tax on your behalf to the state budget
This means: For revenue that has been taxed by the platform, you do not need to declare taxes again.
But note:
If you sell on platforms AND sell outside of platforms (Facebook, Zalo, your own website...), then:
- Revenue deducted by the platform → No need to declare
- Revenue from sales outside the platform → Must self-declare taxes
❓ Question: If annual revenue is under 500 million VND, can I get a refund for deducted taxes?
If your total annual revenue is under 500 million VND (eligible for tax exemption), but taxes were already deducted by the platform during the year → There is no specific guidance yet for tax refunds; you need to wait for new circulars.
4. Accounting regulations for household businesses from 2026
Key New Points
From 2026, household businesses will be required to implement accounting regimes (keeping records), depending on revenue group:
| Group | Annual Revenue | Number of Accounting Books |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | ≤ 500 million VND | 1 type of book (revenue book) |
| Group 2 | > 500 million - 3 billion VND | 1 type of book |
| Groups 3, 4 | > 3 billion VND | 4 types of books |
Good news: The accounting regime for household businesses is very simple, not as complex as for companies. You don't need to understand debits/credits or accounting principles to do it.
Do household businesses have to submit financial statements?
No. Financial statements only apply to companies/enterprises.
5. Who is allowed to do accounting for household businesses?
According to regulations, the following individuals are permitted to do accounting for household businesses:
- ✅ The owner of the household business
- ✅ Parents, spouse, children, siblings of the business owner
- ✅ Managers and operators at the household business
- ✅ Storekeepers, cashiers (concurrently)
- ✅ Outsourced accountants or accounting service providers
In other words: Almost anyone can do accounting for a household business, as long as the owner agrees.
6. Opening a bank account for a household business
If you have a business license:
Bring your Household Business Registration Certificate to the bank to open an account in the name of the household business.
If you only have tax registration (selling online):
Bring your Tax Registration Certificate to the bank to open an account.
Checklist: Starting a Business Correctly
- Determine business type: Online sales / Physical store / Asset leasing
- Contact local Tax Department to inquire about registration requirements
- Register business (if needed) at the Commune/Ward People's Committee
- Register for tax and receive tax identification number
- Open a separate bank account for business
- Understand tax declaration obligations (read the next article)
Common Mistakes
-
Thinking selling online requires no registration → Wrong! Tax registration is still required.
-
Using a personal bank account for business → It's advisable to open a separate account for easier management and transparency during tax authority inspections.
-
Not keeping purchase invoices → If you are a declared household business, you need invoices to prove deductible expenses.
-
Ignoring revenue from sales outside platforms → Platforms only deduct tax for sales made on the platform; you must self-declare the remaining portion.
7. Conclusion
Selling online or offline both come with tax obligations and financial management responsibilities. Understanding correctly when to register a business versus when only tax registration is needed, as well as grasping the applied tax management methods, will help sellers avoid legal risks and operate their businesses more sustainably. In the context of increasingly popular multi-channel sales, manual management of orders, revenue, and cash flow can easily lead to errors. GTG CRM supports sellers in centrally managing orders from multiple channels such as e-commerce platforms, social networks, and independent sales channels, while also consolidating revenue and generating reports for tracking and tax declaration. This is a solution that helps sellers operate effectively and comply with current regulations.
GTG CRM helps you manage orders from multiple sales channels (Shopee, Lazada, Facebook...) in one place, automatically calculates revenue, and generates reports for tax declaration. Learn more →
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