Circular 22/2026/TT-BCT: MOIT Rules for Developing and Applying National Standards and Technical Regulations
Circular 22/2026/TT-BCT, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) on April 29, 2026 and effective the same day, sets out the internal process for planning, drafting, appraising, and publishing or issuing Vietnamese national standards (TCVN) and national technical regulations (QCVN) in sectors under MOIT's management. It is based on the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations (as amended in 2018 and 2025) and Decree No. 22/2026/ND-CP, which implements that law. In essence, this is an internal division-of-responsibility document among MOIT units - chiefly the Department of Innovation, Green Transition and Industrial Promotion (the focal point managing the TCVN/QCVN system) and the Legal Affairs Department (which leads appraisal of draft Circulars issuing QCVN) - rather than a rule that creates new compliance obligations directly for businesses. It fixes deadlines for five-year and annual TCVN/QCVN development plans, an appraisal-council procedure, mandatory consultation with the Ministry of Science and Technology, and steps for amending, repealing, or correcting existing standards and regulations. Manufacturers and importers of goods in MOIT-regulated sectors (electricity, chemicals, industrial materials, etc.) do not need to take any action under this Circular itself, but may want to watch the annual QCVN development plan - published on the National Database on Standards, Metrology and Quality and MOIT's web portal - to anticipate new technical regulations that could later require conformity certification (hop quy). The Circular replaces Circular No. 46/2014/TT-BCT dated December 3, 2014.
VAT Guidance for Wood and Wood Products under VAT Law 2024 and Decree 181/2025/ND-CP
The Ministry of Finance provides guidance on VAT treatment of wood and wood products effective 1 July 2025 under VAT Law 48/2024/QH15 and Decree 181/2025/ND-CP. The key point: wood is explicitly excluded from the 5% VAT group applicable to minimally processed agricultural and forestry products; processed wood and commercially traded wood is subject to 10% VAT. Specifically: self-produced minimally processed forestry products sold by the producer are VAT-exempt. However, wood (even minimally processed) does **not qualify for the 5% rate** because the new law explicitly excludes wood from that category. Commercially traded or further-processed wood products attract **10% VAT**. On 13 April 2026 the Ministry of Finance issued Official Letter 4582/BTC-CST providing detailed guidance on VAT treatment of minimally processed wood to provincial and city tax departments.
Guidance on PIT Withholding Receipts Issued after the Settlement Deadline and Related Penalties
The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department (Long Bien - Gia Lam area tax sub-department) provides guidance on a case where a business filed its 2024 PIT annual settlement on 25 March 2025 but issued 11 withholding tax receipts to employees on 15 April 2025, after the settlement deadline. Under Decree 70/2025/ND-CP amending Decree 125/2020/ND-CP, late issuance of withholding receipts (after the settlement date) may attract administrative tax penalties. However, if Official Letter 1992/CT-CS applies and no actual tax loss occurred, the authority may exercise discretion on penalty level. The business is advised to proactively contact the local tax authority for specific guidance on whether penalties apply and at what level, and to ensure correct electronic tax filing going forward.
Clarification of "Internal Audit Committee Member" under Securities Law 2019 and its Relation to the Audit Committee under Enterprise Law 2020
The Ministry of Finance clarifies that the "internal audit committee member" referenced in Article 4.45(a) of the Securities Law 2019 corresponds to a member of the Audit Committee attached to the Board of Directors under Article 137.1(b) of the Enterprise Law 2020 - meaning a governance-level body, not operational-level dedicated internal audit staff. Dedicated staff within the internal audit department (operational level) are not "insiders" under the Securities Law and therefore do not have disclosure obligations for insider transactions. Internal audit matters are governed by Decree 05/2019/ND-CP dated 22 January 2019 on internal audit.
Circular 35/2026/TT-BGDĐT Guides Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Investment in Education and Training
The Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular No. 35/2026/TT-BGDĐT dated April 21, 2026, guiding certain aspects of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment activities for general education projects (preschool, primary, and lower-secondary schools). The circular does not apply to vocational or continuing education. It sets out how to calculate a project's socio-economic efficiency indicators (economic net present value ENPV, benefit-cost ratio BCR, economic internal rate of return EIRR); an equity-return framework for investors using the formula i = iv + f (where iv is the borrowing rate referenced from at least three state-owned commercial banks and f is the 10-year average CPI inflation rate); quality-assessment criteria for school facilities delivered by the project enterprise; and the depreciation period for infrastructure under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contracts, applied per Circular No. 23/2023/TT-BTC. The circular also guides the methods and criteria for evaluating bids and proposals in investor selection (open bidding, competitive negotiation, direct appointment, or special-case selection), and issues a standard BOT contract template as an appendix. It takes effect on June 6, 2026. The parties affected are mainly investors and project enterprises bidding on PPP school-construction projects, not general tax, accounting, or invoicing rules that apply to typical SMEs.
Consolidated Document 40/VBHN-NHNN: Guidelines for Lending with SME Credit Guarantee Fund Guarantees
The State Bank of Vietnam issued Consolidated Document 40/VBHN-NHNN, consolidating Circular 45/2018/TT-NHNN (effective February 12, 2019) on guidelines for credit institutions lending with SME Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF) guarantees under Decree 34/2018/ND-CP, as amended by Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN. The document prescribes coordination procedures between credit institutions and CGFs, minimum content of cooperation agreements, lending principles for guaranteed loans (loans denominated in Vietnamese dong, with credit institutions bearing their own lending decision responsibility), and interest rates not exceeding the lender's rates for the same term and sector. Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN amendments are primarily organizational: repealing Article 7(2), replacing "provincial/municipal SBV branch" with "Regional SBV branch", and updating responsibilities of SBV internal units. This is a technical consolidation effective December 31, 2025.
Consolidated Document 41/VBHN-NHNN: Regulations on Letter of Credit Operations and Related Business Activities
The State Bank of Vietnam has issued Consolidated Document 41/VBHN-NHNN, merging Circular 21/2024/TT-NHNN (effective July 1, 2024) with amendments under Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN (effective December 31, 2025), providing a comprehensive framework for letter of credit (L/C) operations and related banking services offered by commercial banks, cooperative banks, and foreign bank branches. The regulation sets out the conditions customers must meet to request issuance, confirmation, negotiation, or reimbursement of an L/C (legal capacity, a viable capital-use plan, and financial capacity to pay); caps interest rates on overdue balances (no more than 150% of the in-term rate) and late-payment interest (no more than 10% per year); requires banks to publicly post their fee schedules; and permits electronic L/C operations subject to minimum security, authentication, and customer-record retention standards. For import-export businesses and foreign investors, this is the foundational text to understand before negotiating contracts settled by L/C: the credit amount cannot exceed the value of the underlying sale contract or the L/C itself, the issuing currency must match the payment currency in the contract, and non-resident customers can only obtain issuance or confirmation when they meet additional conditions on capital contribution, full collateral, or a resident beneficiary. The most notable change in this consolidation is a procedural update to which State Bank unit receives banks' internal L/C regulations (now the Credit Institution Supervision Department and regional State Bank branches) - reflecting the State Bank's internal restructuring rather than a substantive change to L/C operations themselves.
Consolidated Document No. 37/VBHN-NHNN: Credit Policy Guidelines for Building and Upgrading Offshore Fishing Vessels under Decree 67/2014/ND-CP
This is a consolidated document issued by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on 23 January 2026, merging Circular No. 22/2014/TT-NHNN with three subsequent amendments (Circulars 21/2015, 12/2018, and 85/2025) into a single reference text. It guides commercial banks on lending under Decree No. 67/2014/ND-CP on fisheries development policy, specifically loans to build or upgrade offshore fishing vessels and offshore fishing-logistics vessels, plus working-capital loans for offshore fishing operations. The document sets loan conditions (newly built vessels must have a main engine capacity of 400CV or more; vessel owners must be on a list approved by the provincial People's Committee), loan limits and interest rates (partially subsidized by the State Budget per Ministry of Finance guidance), loan terms, collateral (the vessel itself), debt classification and risk-handling rules for force-majeure situations, and a mechanism for transferring a loan from an old vessel owner unable to complete the project to an approved new owner. The most recent amendment (Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN, effective 31 December 2025) only updates the names of the internal SBV units responsible for implementation (the Credit Department for Economic Sectors, Monetary Policy Department, SBV Inspection, Banking Supervision Agency, and regional SBV branches) following an organizational restructuring, without changing the underlying lending policy. This is a narrow, sector-specific credit program for fishing vessel owners and the commercial banks financing them, not a general tax, accounting, e-invoice, customs, or labor rule applicable to typical SMEs.
Consolidated Circular No. 39/VBHN-NHNN: Lending Policy for Supporting Industry Development (Updated per Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN)
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has issued Consolidated Document No. 39/VBHN-NHNN, merging Circular No. 01/2016/TT-NHNN (effective 22 February 2016), which guides lending policy for supporting industry development, with the amendments introduced by Circular No. 85/2025/TT-NHNN (effective 31 December 2025). This is a technical consolidation for ease of reference and does not create new legal obligations. The core policy is unchanged: credit institutions and foreign bank branches lending to projects that produce supporting-industry products on the priority list (under Decree 111/2015/ND-CP) must apply short-term VND interest rates that do not exceed the ceiling set periodically by the SBV Governor. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) borrowing with a guarantee from an eligible credit guarantee organization (such as the SME Credit Guarantee Fund or the Vietnam Development Bank) may also be considered for loans of up to 70 percent of the project's investment capital. The changes introduced by Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN are mainly organizational: they update the legal basis to reference the SBV Law, the 2024 Law on Credit Institutions (No. 32/2024/QH15, as amended by Law No. 96/2025/QH15) and Decree 26/2025/ND-CP, and rename the receiving unit for reports from the 'Banking Supervision Agency' to the 'Department of Credit Institution Supervision' following an SBV restructuring. SMEs and enterprises investing in supporting-industry projects should update the address for their quarterly reports (Forms 01 and 02, due before the 10th of the month following each reporting quarter) and reference the updated legal basis when preparing loan or credit guarantee applications.
VAT on Sale of Minimally Processed Wood By-Products (Bark, Wood Chips) Purchased from Individuals and Resold to Enterprises
The Ministry of Finance provided guidance on VAT for companies purchasing wood by-products (ground bark, chipped bark, chipped acacia firewood, wood chips, etc.) from non-business individuals and reselling them to other enterprises for use as boiler fuel. Under VAT Law No. 48/2024/QH15 (amended by Law 149/2025/QH15) and Decree 181/2025/NĐ-CP (amended by Decree 359/2025/NĐ-CP effective January 1, 2026): Plantation/forest products not processed into other products or only minimally processed (including cutting, chopping, grinding, drying) are VAT-exempt when sold by the producing organization or individual. When a company purchases and resells to another enterprise: no VAT declaration or payment required. When sold to individual business households or other organizations/individuals: 5% VAT rate applies. Business households using direct calculation method when selling commercially: 1% rate on revenue.
PIT Finalization: Handling Incorrect Authorization, Issuing Withholding Certificates, and Re-Filing by Individuals
The Ministry of Finance provided guidance on three common issues in enterprise personal income tax (PIT) finalization: (1) when an employee has delegated authorization but is later found to be required to self-file (due to additional tax payable); (2) how to complete withholding certificates in this scenario; (3) employees needing to re-file independently when eTax Mobile does not yet support this function. Per Ministry of Finance guidance (based on Circular 80/2021/TT-BTC and Decree 126/2020/NĐ-CP), enterprises must amend their PIT finalization returns when an individual is found to be ineligible for delegation. The withholding certificate records the amount withheld/provisionally paid during the year. Individuals must physically attend the tax authority to re-file if the application does not support this. Enterprises are not subject to late payment penalties if they properly fulfill withholding and declaration obligations based on actual income paid during the period.
VAT on EXW Costs Incurred Abroad Recovered by Logistics Companies from Domestic Customers
The Ministry of Finance cited the VAT legal framework applicable to EXW costs (foreign domestic transport, loading/unloading, and warehouse-handling fees at the seller's premises) that a logistics company pays to foreign partners and then recovers from domestic customers. Article 9(3) of VAT Law 48/2024/QH15 sets the 10% rate for goods and services not covered by the 0% or 5% schedules, with an explicit inclusion for services supplied by foreign providers without a permanent establishment in Vietnam to Vietnamese organisations or individuals via e-commerce channels and digital platforms; Article 13 of Decree 181/2025/ND-CP sets the VAT base for foreign contractors or sub-contractors at the total revenue received, including costs borne on their behalf by the Vietnamese party. The Ministry did not rule definitively that 10% applies to this exact EXW-recovery scenario - it cited the framework and instructed the enterprise to study the provisions and self-determine its obligations.
VAT and PIT Rates for Household Business Making Bamboo Lanterns, Teaching Crafts, and Selling Coffee
The Ministry of Finance provided guidance on VAT and PIT rates for the Tieng Vong Pho household business (Da Nang) operating multiple activities: bamboo lantern manufacturing (code 3290), lantern-making and coffee-brewing instruction (codes 8559, 8552), lantern and coffee retail (codes 4773, 5630), and craft experience services. Per guidance from the Da Nang Tax Department (issued June 25, 2014, effective July 1, 2014), based on Decree 65/2013/NĐ-CP and the PIT Law: Craft experience and coffee-brewing experience services are classified as distribution/goods supply services - 10% VAT, 1% PIT. Lantern and coffee bag sales - 10% VAT, 0.5% PIT. Art teaching and artistic education - 0% VAT (exempt), 1.5% PIT. The household business applies presumptive or percentage-of-revenue tax calculation methods.
CIT: Depreciation, Land Rent, and Maintenance Costs for Unleased Factory Building Are Tax-Deductible
The Ministry of Finance confirmed Dorco Living Vina Co., Ltd.'s interpretation of Article 9, Clause 2, Point i of Decree 320/2025/NĐ-CP: Costs related to assets held for lease during a period with no tenant (including depreciation, land rent, infrastructure maintenance and management costs) are deductible when determining taxable CIT income, provided the assets are owned or legally used by the enterprise. Specific case: Phase 2 factory building (construction completed December 2022, investment certificate amended to add leasing purpose on January 17, 2025, officially leased from April 2025). Costs from January 17, 2025 to March 31, 2025 are deductible in the 2025 tax year. The Ministry of Finance advises the company to apply per regulations and contact the direct tax authority for any remaining issues.
Consolidated Document 35/VBHN-NHNN: Housing Support Loan Regulations Under Resolution 02/NQ-CP
The State Bank of Vietnam has issued Consolidated Document No. 35/VBHN-NHNN (dated January 23, 2026), which compiles the full text of Circular 11/2013/TT-NHNN on housing support loans under Government Resolution 02/NQ-CP (January 7, 2013), together with all subsequent amendments made by Circular 32/2014/TT-NHNN, Circular 25/2016/TT-NHNN, and most recently Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN (effective December 31, 2025). This is a reference consolidation, not a new legal rule - it lets readers see the entire amendment history of the original circular in a single document. The housing support loan program uses refinancing capital from the State Bank, channeled through state-owned commercial banks and a limited set of designated joint-stock banks, to subsidize interest rates for individuals buying, renting, or rent-purchasing social housing or affordable commercial housing (under 70 sqm, priced below VND 15 million/sqm, or with a total contract value not exceeding VND 1.05 billion), as well as for enterprises developing social housing projects. The maximum lending rate is 6% per year, reset annually; the subsidized-rate period runs up to 15 years for individual homebuyers, 10 years for new-build or renovation loans, and 5 years for enterprise and household social-housing investment loans. New refinancing disbursements stopped back in 2016 and only apply to credit contracts signed before March 31, 2016 - banks now simply manage and wind down existing balances, with a final repayment deadline of June 1, 2031. For SME owners generally, the practical impact of this document is minimal since the program has been closed to new lending since 2016. The most recent update, Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN, mainly updates legal citations to reflect the new SBV Law, Credit Institutions Law, and Decree 26/2025/ND-CP, revises the refinancing procedure in Article 8, and reissues the appendix form templates - it does not touch tax, accounting, e-invoicing, labor, or customs rules. Enterprises still holding social-housing project loans under the old refinancing scheme, and the participating commercial banks, should note the repayment timelines running through 2031.
Consolidated Decree 29/VBHN-BCT Implementing the Consumer Protection Law, Amended for Multi-Level Marketing Management
Consolidated Document 29/VBHN-BCT combines Decree 55/2024/ND-CP, which implements the Consumer Protection Law, with the latest amendments from Decree 137/2026/ND-CP on multi-level marketing (MLM) management (effective July 1, 2026). It is a reference-only consolidation and has no independent legal effect on its own. For businesses selling to consumers, the rules require standard-form contracts and general trading conditions to be in Vietnamese, use at least 12pt font when printed on paper, and be registered with the regulator before use if the product or service is on the mandatory registration list. When a product defect is found, a business has only 24 hours to stop sales and 3 to 5 working days, depending on risk level, to publicly announce a recall. Large e-commerce platforms and social networks with 3 million or more active accounts a year must disclose their ranking algorithms, label sponsored content, and verify seller identities on regulator request. The biggest change is the new legal framework for MLM in Decree 137/2026/ND-CP, which replaces Decree 40/2018/ND-CP starting July 1, 2026. Existing MLM companies have 12 months to meet the new conditions and must keep a security deposit of at least VND 10 billion or 5% of charter capital.
Consolidated Circular Guiding Loans to Reduce Agricultural Losses Under Decision 68/2013/QD-TTg
This consolidated document of Circular 13/2014/TT-NHNN (amended by Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN) guides lending under Decision 68/2013/QD-TTg on supporting reduction of agricultural losses. Eligible borrowers include enterprises, cooperatives, cooperative groups, households, and individuals purchasing machinery and equipment for agricultural production, harvesting, preservation, and processing. The Circular applies to loan contracts signed before 31 December 2020. Commercial banks provide the loans and receive interest rate subsidies from the state budget under Decision 68. Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN updates SBV's organizational implementation structure (effective 31 December 2025). This program relates to agricultural credit with limited direct impact on SME tax and accounting matters.
3-Year Corporate Income Tax Exemption for Newly Registered SMEs Under Decree 20/2026/ND-CP
The Ministry of Finance clarifies the conditions for a 3-year corporate income tax (CIT) exemption for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) registering for the first time under Decree 20/2026/ND-CP, implementing National Assembly Resolution 198/2025/QH15 on private sector development. The exemption period runs continuously from the first year of initial business registration. However, the benefit does not apply to enterprises formed through mergers, splits, or where the legal representative or largest shareholder previously held the same role at another enterprise that is still operating or was dissolved less than 12 months before the new enterprise was established. Enterprises self-determine their eligibility and file tax returns accordingly. If the tax-exempt operating period in the first tax year is less than 12 months, the enterprise may choose to apply the exemption that year or register to begin from the following tax year.
Land Use Fee Exemption for Resettlement Project Developers Under the 2024 Land Law
The Ministry of Finance clarifies land use fee exemption policies for resettlement project developers who develop land for state-mandated resettlement purposes (not for commercial housing). Under the 2024 Land Law (Article 118, clause 8), land allocated without land use fees applies to organizations using land to build housing for resettlement **under state projects**. For displaced persons, they pay land use fees from land clearance compensation funds (Article 111 of the 2024 Land Law). Exemption and reduction policies are set in Articles 18 and 19 of Decree 103/2024/ND-CP (amended by Decree 291/2025/ND-CP). The Ministry of Finance directs parties to contact the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment for detailed guidance on compensation and resettlement policies.
Non-Cash Payment Requirement for Wages of VND 5 Million or More as Deductible Expense Under Decree 320/2025/ND-CP
The Ministry of Finance confirms that salary and wage payments of **VND 5 million or more per transaction** must be accompanied by **non-cash payment documentation** to qualify as a deductible expense for corporate income tax (CIT) purposes, effective from 15 December 2025 (the effective date of Decree 320/2025/ND-CP). What constitutes "non-cash payment documentation" is determined under Article 26 of Decree 181/2025/ND-CP dated 01/7/2025, implementing the VAT Law. This requirement applies under Article 9, clause C of Decree 320/2025/ND-CP and makes no distinction between wages and other goods/services payments. The authoritative reference is Official Letter 218/CST-TN dated 27/01/2026 from the Department of Tax, Fee and Charge Policy Management, Ministry of Finance.
Consolidated Decree on Decentralization of State Authority in Industry and Trade (Updated Through 2026)
This document is a consolidated version of Decree No. 146/2025/ND-CP (effective July 1, 2025) merged with three later amending decrees: Decree 235/2025/ND-CP (industrial promotion, effective October 15, 2025), Decree 26/2026/ND-CP (chemicals, effective January 17, 2026), and Decree 137/2026/ND-CP (multi-level marketing, effective July 1, 2026). It transfers approval and licensing authority away from the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) down to MOIT itself or to provincial People's Committees, across 25 chapters covering almost every sector MOIT regulates: oil and gas, chemicals, trade promotion, petroleum retail, LPG/LNG/CNG gas trading, tobacco, alcohol, market development, industrial explosives, electrical safety, occupational health and safety, import-export trade, trading activities of foreign-invested enterprises, food safety, product quality, electricity, consumer protection, e-commerce, energy efficiency, minerals, supporting industries, and automobiles. For businesses operating in these conditional business lines, the most important change is which agency now receives and processes applications. Many licenses and certificates that previously required approval from MOIT or the Prime Minister, such as alcohol production and distribution licenses, LPG/LNG/CNG export-import certificates, and tobacco raw-material processing permits, are now handled by provincial People's Committees or the Minister of Industry and Trade. Detailed procedures sit in 16 appendices to the original decree, so businesses should check the appendix matching their industry to identify the correct new authority and avoid filing with the wrong agency. The decree also sets general principles: agencies receiving delegated authority bear full responsibility for exercising it, the state budget funds the resources needed, and procedures involving fees continue to follow existing fee regulations. The entire decentralization framework stays in effect until March 1, 2027, unless extended by a law or National Assembly resolution, or superseded earlier by new legislation in the relevant sector.
Circular 20/2026/TT-BCT: Amending the Avoided-Cost Tariff Calculation Method for Small Renewable Energy Plants
Circular 20/2026/TT-BCT (issued April 17, 2026, effective June 2, 2026) amends Circular 10/2025/TT-BCT, which sets the avoided-cost tariff methodology applied to power purchase agreements (PPAs) between small renewable energy plants, mainly small hydropower, and Vietnam Electricity (EVN). Key changes include redefining wet-season and dry-season date ranges based on the regional power-dispatch control area rather than administrative borders, so the tariff stays stable through provincial mergers; shifting tariff authority from the general "state electricity management agency at MOIT" to the Electricity Authority under MOIT; updating Article 3 of the standard PPA template; and reissuing the entire tariff calculation methodology (replacing Appendix II) covering avoided energy cost, avoided transmission loss, and avoided capacity cost. This is a sector-specific energy-pricing regulation aimed at small renewable power plant investors, operators, and EVN. It has no direct VAT, corporate income tax, e-invoicing, accounting-standard, labor, or customs content, so it has limited direct relevance to the SME owners and accountants who make up most of RegHub's audience.
Clarification on eligible persons for reduced land-use fees upon change of land purpose under Resolution 254/2025/QH15
The Ministry of Finance clarified that the preferential land-use fee calculation under Point c, Clause 2, Article 10 of Resolution 254/2025/QH15 and Article 6 of Decree 50/2026/ND-CP applies once per household or individual who lawfully uses a plot whose origin is garden or pond land within the same residential plot, or garden/pond land attached to residential land. The question raised was whether persons who received land through inheritance (including substituted inheritance in the first line) or as a gift from a first-line heir qualify for this preferential rate. The Ministry directed the questioner to apply the relevant legal provisions to their specific circumstances without giving a direct yes or no answer. This reflects a practical ambiguity under Resolution 254: the policy applies once per chosen plot per household, and eligibility hinges on lawful land use rights, making case-by-case assessment necessary.
Circular 21/2026/TT-BCT: Revocation of Kerosene Provisions in Petroleum Retail Regulations
The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular 21/2026/TT-BCT on 28 April 2026, effective 29 April 2026, revoking the term "kerosene" (dầu hỏa) from Article 1.2 of Circular 18/2025/TT-BCT on petroleum retail business regulations. This revocation implements Conclusion 14-KL/TW of the Politburo dated 20 March 2026 on ensuring fuel supply and price stability. The effect is that kerosene is no longer within the scope of the amendments introduced by Circular 18/2025. This is a technical legal document affecting petroleum distribution businesses and is not directly related to general enterprise tax or accounting obligations.
Household Business with Revenue Exceeding VND 3 Billion: Can It Continue Using the Percentage-of-Revenue Tax Method?
The Ministry of Finance (through Tay Ninh Tax Department) provided guidance on VAT and PIT calculation methods for a household business registered in October 2025 that selected the percentage-of-revenue method from the start. If total 2026 revenue exceeds VND 3 billion by year-end, can the household business continue using this method? Per Decree 141/2026/NĐ-CP dated December 6, 2026 and the VAT and Tax Administration Laws: A household business that selected the percentage-of-revenue method in the previous year continues to apply this method for the entire 2026 tax year, even if revenue exceeds VND 3 billion during that year. Only from the following tax year must it consider switching to another method if conditions are met. The Tay Ninh Tax Department responded for Mr. Nguyen Van Hai's reference and implementation.
CIT Incentives for Science and Technology Enterprises: Applying Remaining Incentives from 2025
The Ministry of Finance provided guidance on CIT incentives for a science and technology (S&T) enterprise that received its certification in 2017 but has not yet applied the incentives, and now seeks to claim the remaining benefits from 2025. Under CIT Law No. 67/2025/QH15, certified S&T enterprises may apply a 10% tax rate for 15 years, with a 4-year tax exemption and a 50% reduction for the following 9 years. Article 68 of Decree 268/2025/NĐ-CP confirms that enterprises already holding S&T enterprise certificates that have not yet claimed incentives may continue to do so for the remaining eligible period. Note that certification conditions have changed under Decree 268/2025/NĐ-CP (authority to issue now rests with provincial People's Committees; additional R&D spending and S&T workforce conditions now apply). Enterprises must review their actual documentation and contact the direct tax authority to determine the remaining incentive period and applicable conditions.
Accounting Guidance for Fixed Asset Depreciation from Service Revenue Sources Under Circular 24/2024/TT-BTC Transition
The Ministry of Finance clarifies how public service units (category 3, with 10-30% self-financing) should handle the accounting transition for fixed assets purchased from service revenue before 31 December 2024, as they move from Circular 107/2017/TT-BTC to Circular 24/2024/TT-BTC. Under Circular 107/2017, the residual value of fixed assets was tracked on separate accounts by funding source (accounts 3661, 3662, 3663, 43142, 421, etc.). The unit must identify which account currently carries the residual value of fixed assets purchased from service revenue as of 31 December 2024. The absence of a balance on Account 366 does not mean the source is missing - the unit must trace which accounting account reflects that residual value, then transfer the corresponding source balance to Account 421 and continue accounting under Circular 24/2024/TT-BTC from fiscal year 2025.
Consolidated Document 38/VBHN-NHNN: Guidelines for Production Forest Planting and Livestock Development Loans
This consolidated document integrates Circular 27/2015/TT-NHNN with amendments from Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN, providing guidelines for unsecured lending to households for production forest planting (timber and non-timber forest products) and livestock development under Decree 75/2015/ND-CP on forest protection and development linked to poverty reduction for 2015-2020. The policy operates through two banks: Vietnam Bank for Social Policies and Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. The preferential interest rate is 1.2% per year. Loan contracts were signed until 31 December 2020, and existing agreements remain valid until expiry. Circular 85/2025/TT-NHNN (effective 31 December 2025) abolished Article 8 and attached forms, and updated the State Bank's implementation responsibilities to reflect its new organizational structure.
Circular 17/2026/TT-BKHCN: Model Charter for Science, Technology and Innovation Development Funds
Circular 17/2026/TT-BKHCN from the Ministry of Science and Technology (effective April 16, 2026) issues a Model Charter for Science, Technology and Innovation Development Funds set up by ministries, central agencies, and provincial People's Committees. It is essentially an internal governance document, setting out how these state funds operate: their structure (Management Council, Executive Agency, Control Board), funding sources, procedures for funding or commissioning science and technology tasks, and risk-management mechanisms. For businesses, particularly those doing R&D, technology application, or technology transfer, the notable point is that these funds can provide grant funding and interest-rate subsidies for technology innovation, and operate a co-financing mechanism - businesses participating in tasks with commercialization potential must contribute part of the funding, with the co-financing share rising as the technology matures. This can be a potential funding channel to support a company's R&D activities. That said, the Circular does not create any new tax, invoicing, labor, or customs obligation for businesses - it is purely a rule governing the internal organization and management of state science funds. Businesses interested in applying for science and technology funding should watch for the specific Charter issued by the relevant ministry or provincial fund to learn the application procedures.