Accounting treatment for the 'Fund for the Poor' at commune-level Vietnam Fatherland Front committees
The Ministry of Finance provides guidance on accounting for the 'Fund for the Poor' (Quy vi nguoi ngheo) at commune-level Vietnam Fatherland Front (MTTQ) committees under Circular No. 41/2022/TT-BTC. Two approaches apply depending on whether the unit maintains a separate accounting system for the fund. If the unit maintains a separate accounting system: use the account structure under Circular 41/2022, specifically Account 337 (earmarked contributions) and Account 511 (non-earmarked pooled contributions); do not use accounts under Circular No. 24/2024/TT-BTC. If no separate accounting is maintained: record fund activities within the entity's main books under Circular 24/2024, using Accounts 338, 512, or 711 as appropriate, and open separate sub-ledgers for the fund. In both cases, periodic income/expenditure reports must be prepared and financial information publicly disclosed in accordance with regulations.
Draft Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Articles of the Customs Law
The Ministry of Finance is leading the drafting of a Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Customs Law, expected to be submitted and approved at the 2nd Session of the XVI National Assembly. This draft aims to improve the legal framework for customs, meeting practical requirements in the context of increasingly deep international economic integration and the strong development of cross-border e-commerce. The amendment of the Customs Law is expected to create more favorable conditions for import and export activities, simplify customs procedures, shorten customs clearance times, while strengthening inspection and supervision to combat trade fraud and tax loss. For small and medium enterprises, especially those involved in import-export and cross-border e-commerce, monitoring this draft is crucial to timely adjust operational processes and comply with new regulations. The draft is currently in the consultation phase and is being reviewed by the Economic and Financial Committee. Businesses should proactively update information from official channels to grasp specific changes regarding customs procedures, declaration obligations, import-export tariffs, and regulations related to import-export goods in the coming period.
Applicability of Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC on Personal Income Tax from January 2026
Hanoi Tax Department responds to the question of whether Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC remains applicable after the 2025 Personal Income Tax Law takes effect from 01/01/2026. According to the tax authority's guidance, Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC and its amending documents continue to apply from 01/01/2026 (tax year 2026) for employment income of resident individuals, under the transitional provision in Article 29, Clause 2, of the 2025 PIT Law — until new implementing Decrees and Circulars are issued. Taxpayers and income-paying enterprises must continue to withhold, declare, and finalize PIT in accordance with Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC and existing documents while awaiting new detailed guidance from the Ministry of Finance.
Decision No. 352/QD-TTg approving Vietnam's Public Borrowing and Debt Repayment Plan for 2026
Prime Minister Decision No. 352/QD-TTg dated 27 February 2026 approves Vietnam's public borrowing and debt repayment plan for 2026. Total government borrowing is capped at VND 969,796 billion, of which up to VND 583,700 billion covers the central budget deficit and up to VND 376,005 billion repays principal. Government debt repayment is estimated at approximately VND 534,739 billion, comprising direct repayments of up to VND 493,405 billion and on-lending project repayments of about VND 41,334 billion. The self-borrowed, self-repaid medium- and long-term foreign commercial borrowing limit for enterprises is approximately USD 6,124 million per year. The Decision emphasizes maintaining debt-safety indicators within limits, optimizing the debt portfolio, developing the domestic government bond market, and achieving an investment-grade sovereign credit rating by 2030.
Requirements for appointing chief accountants or accounting managers at commune-level units and registering transactions with the State Treasury
The Ministry of Finance confirms that to be appointed as chief accountant or accounting manager, an individual must hold a chief-accountant refresher certificate AND have actual working experience in accounting, as required by Article 53(4) and Article 54(1) of the 2015 Law on Accounting. A person who holds only a second accounting degree but has never practiced accounting and lacks the refresher certificate does not meet the appointment requirements. For State Treasury transaction registration, the Ministry of Finance directs compliance with Article 7(1)(a) of Circular No. 157/2025/TT-BTC dated 31 December 2025. The second signatory on transaction documents must be the chief accountant, the accounting manager, or an authorized delegate. Appointing a person who does not meet these standards violates the Law on Accounting, and such a person does not have legal standing to register as the second signatory at the State Treasury.
Personal income tax on gifts of jointly-owned land-use rights to multiple recipients, including direct relatives and non-relatives
The tax authority clarifies the personal income tax (PIT) treatment when two co-owners of a land parcel (Ms. Hao and Ms. Thao) jointly gift the land to three recipients: Ms. Hao's biological child (Mr. Trai), Ms. Thao's biological child (Mr. Hieu), and a nephew/niece (Hoang Dinh Ai Huu). The PIT exemption for gifts between parents and biological children applies only to the specific donor-recipient pair with that direct relationship. The tax authority determines: Mr. Trai is exempt on the portion received from Ms. Hao (his biological mother) but must pay PIT on the portion from Ms. Thao. Likewise, Mr. Hieu is exempt on the portion from Ms. Thao (his biological mother) but owes PIT on the portion from Ms. Hao. The nephew/niece has no parent-child relationship with either donor and must pay PIT on the full amount received. This analysis reflects the principle that the exemption applies to the individual donor-recipient relationship, not to the overall multi-party transaction.
Consolidated Document No. 04/VBHN-BXD: Decree on Urban Development Investment Management
This is Consolidated Document No. 04/VBHN-BXD issued by the Ministry of Construction, merging the original Decree 11/2013/ND-CP on urban development investment management with five rounds of amendments over the years (Decrees 100/2018, 31/2021, 35/2023, 96/2024, and most recently 35/2026/ND-CP, effective from 22 January 2026). The consolidated text sets out the full management process for urban area projects: urban planning approval, proposal dossiers for urban development areas, approval authority, obligations of primary and secondary project investors, capital mobilization, sale of project products, and procedures for handing over urban infrastructure management to local authorities. The substance sits squarely within urban planning and construction / real-estate-business law, applying to urban development project investors (including foreign investors) and provincial People's Committees. It does not directly address taxation, e-invoicing, accounting, or labor matters - a key distinction for readers of this platform. Because its regulatory scope falls outside RegHub's core coverage areas (VAT, corporate income tax, e-invoicing, IFRS, labor, and customs), this document has been assessed as not a fit for publication on the platform, even though it may hold reference value for real estate developers and urban infrastructure investors.
VAT Rates for Air Ducts, Air Duct Accessories, and Fire-Resistant Air Ducts
VAT on air ducts, air duct accessories and fire-resistant air ducts is not a flat figure: goods currently taxed at 10% are reduced to 8% (1 July 2025 - 31 December 2026) under Decree 174/2025/ND-CP, but products classified as "metal products" under Appendix I remain at 10%. The tax authority does not assign a rate; businesses must self-determine by cross-referencing the Vietnam Product Classification System (Decision 43/2018/QD-TTg).
Circular No. 03/2026/TT-BXD Guiding Smart Urban Development
Circular No. 03/2026/TT-BXD, issued by the Ministry of Construction on January 28, 2026, provides detailed guidance for implementing Decree No. 269/2025/ND-CP on smart urban development. It sets out how to evaluate and recognize a province's or city's «smart urban maturity level» across three ascending tiers - foundation building, system linkage, and governance innovation - based on 52 criteria and indicators grouped into six pillars: institutions, planning and construction, technical infrastructure, socio-economic infrastructure, digital infrastructure and platforms, and governance. The circular also lays out the process for evaluating and certifying «smart urban zones» for urban development investment projects, including the competency requirements for assessment organizations and a mandate to partner with a reputable international body for large-scale projects (50 hectares or more, or a population of 15,000 or more). It further assigns data-reporting responsibilities to ministries, provincial People's Committees, and project developers feeding into the National Smart Urban Information Portal. This is a specialized urban planning and city-management document that mainly affects local governments and developers of large-scale urban zone projects. It contains no provisions on tax, accounting, e-invoicing, labor, or customs, so it falls outside the core interest area of most SMEs. The circular takes effect from its date of signing (January 28, 2026).
Special Consumption Tax on On-Premise Mixed Beverages (Fresh Pepsi, Fresh 7Up) at Cinemas
Nghe An Tax Department provides guidance on whether on-premise mixed beverages (Fresh Pepsi, Fresh 7Up) are subject to special consumption tax (SCT) under the Law on Special Consumption Tax 2025. Under Clause 4, Article 3 of Decree No. 360/2025/ND-CP dated 31/12/2025, soft drinks subject to SCT must satisfy two conditions: (1) they must be a ready-to-drink product manufactured according to Vietnam national standard TCVN 12828:2019 on soft drinks, and (2) they must have sugar content exceeding 5g/100mL. On-premise beverages mixed to order at the counter (using sugar, milk, canned fruit ingredients, carbonated water, etc.) are NOT subject to SCT if they do not qualify as a ready-to-drink product under TCVN 12828:2019 or do not have sugar content exceeding 5g/100mL. Businesses must assess each specific case to determine their SCT declaration and payment obligations.
Personal Income Tax Calculation for Teachers Providing Tutoring at School
Tay Ninh Tax Department responds to a question about personal income tax calculation for a teacher's income from providing tutoring at school - specifically 30 sessions per year at 700,000 VND each, totaling 35,000,000 VND per year, paid by parents. According to the tax authority's guidance, tutoring income at school constitutes employment income (Article 2 of Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC). Taxable income is determined after deducting allowable deductions (personal deductions, mandatory insurance, etc.). The 35,000,000 VND per year is not the full taxable amount but rather gross income before deductions. Since this is employment income, the progressive tax schedule applies. The teacher must combine all employment income (including tutoring) for the year and calculate tax under the progressive schedule after applying eligible deductions.
Are Special Allowances and Long-Service Allowances in Border Areas Exempt from Personal Income Tax
Dien Bien Tax Department responds to a civil servant working in a particularly difficult border area regarding PIT exemptions for special allowances and long-service allowances. Per guidance in Point b, Clause 2, Article 2 of Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC and Clause 1, Article 11 of Circular 92/2015/TT-BTC: area allowances (phu cap khu vuc) and attraction allowances (phu cap thu hut) paid in accordance with regulations of competent State authorities are excluded from PIT taxable income. Note: The tax authority's official conclusion addresses only phu cap khu vuc and phu cap thu hut - it does not directly confirm the exemption of phu cap dac biet (special border allowance) or phu cap lau nam (long-service allowance) that the taxpayer asked about. The excess of any allowance above the level set by competent State authorities must be included in taxable income.
VAT Rate on Domestically Produced and Imported Industrial Chains under Decree 174/2025/ND-CP
Ho Chi Minh City Tax Authority (Unit 17) responded to PLB Vietnam Co., Ltd. regarding the VAT rate applicable to industrial chains under Decree 174/2025/ND-CP dated 30 June 2025 on VAT reduction pursuant to Resolution 204/2025/QH15 (effective 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2026). The guidance states that where a business sells goods currently subject to 10% VAT that do not appear in Appendix I or Appendix II attached to Decree 174/2025/ND-CP, the reduced VAT rate applies from 01/07/2025 to 31/12/2026. Where goods qualify for the reduction, the business may credit input VAT accordingly. The tax authority requires businesses to cross-reference their product industry codes against the Vietnamese Product Industry Classification System (under Decision 43/2018/ND-TTg) and against Appendix I and II of Decree 174/2025/ND-CP to self-determine the applicable VAT rate for each product in their actual operations. No blanket ruling of 8% or 10% is issued for domestically produced industrial chains.
Requirements for Tax Code and Budget Code on Invoices for Public Non-Business Units under Decree 70/2025/ND-CP
The Ministry of Finance provides guidance on how to record buyer information on invoices when a public non-business unit has both a tax identification number (TIN) and a budget unit code (MQHNS), pursuant to Clause 7, Article 1 of Decree 70/2025/ND-CP dated 20 March 2025 (amending Decree 123/2020/ND-CP on invoices). According to the guidance of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department (confirmed by the Ministry of Finance) and Clause 5, Article 10 of Decree 123/2020/ND-CP (as amended by Clause 7, Article 1 of Decree 70/2025/ND-CP): where the buyer is a unit holding both a TIN and a budget unit code, the invoice must record both the TIN and the budget unit code. This is a mandatory requirement, not optional, to ensure accuracy in state budget management. The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department notifies taxpayers to be aware of and comply with this requirement.
Consolidated Document No. 09/VBHN-NHNN: Rules on Purchase, Sale and Handling of Bad Debts by the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC)
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has published Consolidated Document No. 09/VBHN-NHNN, merging Circular No. 19/2013/TT-NHNN with six subsequent amendments (the latest being Circular No. 69/2025/TT-NHNN, effective from February 15, 2026) into a single reference text governing how the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC) purchases, sells, and resolves non-performing loans (NPLs). As a consolidated document, it does not create new legal obligations by itself, but gives businesses and credit institutions one authoritative source for the full current legal framework instead of having to cross-reference seven separate documents. The rules apply to VAMC, credit institutions and foreign bank branches that sell debt, borrowers, guarantors, and other related parties. The text defines key terms such as bad debt, restructuring of a bad debt, special bonds, and directly issued bonds, and sets out detailed foreign-exchange settlement requirements for debt trades: buyers pay through a VND account for transactions in Vietnamese dong, or through an eligible foreign-currency account if a non-resident buyer purchases debt in a foreign currency. For business owners and accountants, the practical takeaway is this: if your company's loan is sold by a credit institution to VAMC - a common NPL-resolution tool - your creditor relationship shifts to VAMC or to whoever later buys the debt from VAMC, and any rescheduling of repayment terms or interest rates must follow the principles set out in this Circular. Businesses should also know that VAMC can buy bad debts using special bonds (original term plus any extension capped at 10 years total) subject to the specific eligibility conditions set out from Article 16 onward.
Guidance on VAT and PIT for Household Businesses Slaughtering and Selling Fresh Livestock Meat
A household business that buys buffalo or cattle from farmers, slaughters them, and sells fresh meat to restaurants and markets is trading at the commercial stage and must pay VAT by the direct method at 1% of revenue, plus personal income tax (PIT) at 0.5% of revenue. Fresh slaughtered meat is a "normally pre-processed" livestock product (slaughtering, deboning, skinning, mincing all count as normal pre-processing). When the self-producing farmer sells such products they are not subject to VAT, but when a household business buys and re-sells them at the commercial trading stage it must pay VAT of 1% on revenue. This is set out in Decree 359/2025/NĐ-CP (amending Decree 181/2025/NĐ-CP detailing the VAT Law), effective 1 January 2026, with the household-business presumptive rates of 1% VAT and 0.5% PIT for distribution/supply of goods under Circular 40/2021/TT-BTC. Exemption applies only if the household raises the animals itself and then slaughters and sells the meat: products from a household's own direct farming are exempt from VAT and PIT (income from direct agricultural/livestock production). Buying live animals from others for slaughter and resale does not qualify for this exemption.
Guidance on Establishing Provincial Civil Defense Funds under the Civil Defense Law and Politburo Resolution 79-NQ/TW
The Ministry of Finance provides guidance to the Hai Phong City Department of Finance on establishing a provincial-level Civil Defense Fund, addressing a question about an apparent conflict between the Civil Defense Law No. 18/2023/QH15 and Politburo Resolution 79-NQ/TW dated 6 January 2026. According to the Ministry of Finance: Hai Phong is permitted to establish a provincial Civil Defense Fund (as an off-budget state financial fund). The legal basis is Articles 39, 40 and 41 of Civil Defense Law No. 18/2023/QH15 - this law took effect on 1 July 2024, before Politburo Resolution 79-NQ/TW was issued on 6 January 2026, and the National Assembly had already authorized the fund's establishment. Government Decree No. 200/2025/ND-CP dated 9 July 2025 provides detailed provisions in Articles 23 through 40 on the fund's organization and operations. The Ministry of Finance issued Official Letter No. 1577/BTC-NSNN dated 6 February 2026 guiding the establishment and issuance of operational regulations for provincial Civil Defense Funds, specifying that the fund has legal personality, its own seal, and may open accounts at the State Treasury and commercial banks.
Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BCT amending regulations on auctioning used-car import tariff-rate quotas under the CPTPP Agreement
The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BCT dated 25 February 2026 amending Circular No. 04/2020/TT-BCT on the auction of tariff-rate quotas for importing used vehicles under the CPTPP Agreement. The Circular adds a rules-of-origin requirement: vehicles imported under the CPTPP tariff-rate quota must meet the Agreement's rules of origin and must present a certificate of origin when clearing customs. The auction procedures are also updated to follow the general Law on Asset Auctions. Annex I is amended to replace the term 'engine power' (cong suat dong co) with 'engine displacement' (dung tich dong co) to reflect correct technical terminology. The Circular took effect on 25 February 2026 and revokes Decision No. 731/QD-BCT dated 4 March 2020.
Circular No. 07/2026/TT-BCT amending regulations on importing cigarettes and cigars
The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 07/2026/TT-BCT dated 24 February 2026 amending Circular No. 37/2013/TT-BCT on importing cigarettes and cigars. Only tobacco manufacturing enterprises with 100% state capital, designated by the Ministry, may import cigarettes and cigars under the state-trade mechanism, and they must conduct imports directly without delegating to other traders. The Circular also transfers licensing authority from the Ministry's Import-Export Department to the 'Licensing Authority' (i.e., the provincial People's Committee where the trader is headquartered), reflecting administrative decentralization reforms. Automatic import registration applications must be submitted in person at the provincial People's Committee or via postal or online services. The Circular takes effect from 10 April 2026.
Business lines of science and technology organizations must align with their registered science and technology certificate
The Ministry of Finance confirms that under Article 9(3)(a) of Decree No. 262/2025/ND-CP dated 14 October 2025, the business lines of a science and technology (S&T) organization must align with the fields of activity stated in its S&T organization registration certificate issued by a competent authority. This means S&T organizations may not freely register business lines that fall outside the scope of their issued S&T certificate. Local business registration authorities have the power to reject non-conforming business lines. The rule is intended to ensure consistency between actual business activities and the stated purpose for which the S&T organization was established.
Consolidated Document No. 12/VBHN-NHNN: Conditions, Dossiers, and Procedures for Reorganizing Commercial Banks and Non-Bank Credit Institutions
Consolidated Document No. 12/VBHN-NHNN merges Circular No. 62/2024/TT-NHNN with amendments introduced by Circular 26/2025/TT-NHNN and Circular 69/2025/TT-NHNN. It sets out the conditions, application dossiers, and approval procedures the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) uses to approve the reorganization of commercial banks and non-bank credit institutions. Covered forms of reorganization include mergers, consolidations, conversion of legal form (from limited liability company to joint stock company and vice versa), and conversion between general-purpose and specialized finance companies. Under the rules, a credit institution formed through a merger or consolidation must maintain charter capital at or above the legal minimum for its institution type and comply with prudential safety ratios after reorganization. Approval proceeds in two stages - in-principle approval followed by final approval - each with its own processing timeline and a detailed dossier requirement, including a merger or consolidation scheme, the merger or consolidation contract, three years of audited financial statements, and documentation confirming the transaction is not a prohibited economic concentration under competition law. This document governs the internal restructuring process for banks and finance companies themselves. It is not a tax, accounting, e-invoice, labor, or customs regulation applicable to ordinary SMEs. As such it falls outside RegHub's core coverage areas and has been assessed as not suitable for publication on the platform.
Consolidated Circular No. 13/VBHN-NHNN: Rules on the Operating Network of Microfinance Institutions
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has issued Consolidated Document No. 13/VBHN-NHNN, merging Circular 19/2025/TT-NHNN (effective September 15, 2025) with its amending Circular 64/2025/TT-NHNN (effective February 15, 2026) into a single, unified set of rules governing the operating network of microfinance institutions (MFIs) - that is, their branches, transaction offices, representative offices, support units, and transaction points. Key content includes the financial conditions an MFI must meet to open a branch or transaction office (at least 12 months of operation, a Tier 1 capital-to-total-assets ratio of at least 10 percent, bad debt capped at 3 percent); a formula that caps the number of branches and transaction offices an MFI may operate based on its actual charter capital; a three-tier approval structure (the SBV Governor, the Department of Credit Institution Supervision, and SBV Regional Branches); and tight controls on transaction points, including a cap of VND 1.5 million per customer per day on voluntary cash deposits. This document mainly affects microfinance institutions themselves - lenders that serve poor and near-poor households and micro-enterprises. General SME owners and household businesses are not directly bound by it, but should be aware of it if they borrow through a microfinance channel or partner with a local MFI, since it shapes how widely and how quickly those institutions can expand or contract their branch networks.
Personal Income Tax Obligation for 1989 Land Transfer when Obtaining First-Time Land Certificate in 2026
The Ministry of Finance provides guidance (through the Dak Lak Tax Department) on the PIT obligation for a land transfer that took place in 1989, with the buyer only applying for the first-time Land Use Rights Certificate in 2026. According to the Ministry of Finance's guidance: because the land transfer occurred in 1989 (before the PIT Law existed and before 1 January 2009, when the PIT Law took effect with respect to income from real estate transfers), this transaction does not give rise to a PIT obligation on the part of the transferor (Mr. Luong Dinh Thap). The buyer, when applying for the first-time certificate in 2026, is not required to pay PIT on behalf of the 1989 seller for this transaction.