Dear Sir,

We have received a letter from IRAS dated xx month xxxx asking your company to register for GST as your turnover has crossed the S$1million mark.

WHAT IS GST?

GOODS AND SERVICES TAX IS A TAX ON THE SUPPLY OF GOODS AND SERVICES MADE IN SINGAPORE BY A TAXABLE PERSON IN THE COURSE OR FURTHERANCE OF ANY BUSINESS CARRIED ON BY HIM AND ON THE IMPORTATION OF GOODS INTO SINGAPORE.

TAXABLE SUPPLY

A supply of Goods and Services made in Singapore other than an exempt supply. GST will be charged on taxable supplies.

EXEMPT SUPPLY

GST will not be charged on exempt supplies. Any GST incurred in making exempt supplies. Any GST incurred in making exempt supplies cannot be claimed as input tax.

OUT-OF-SCOPE SUPPLY

This supply is not made in Singapore. These supplies fall outside the scope of GST. GST is not chargeable on these supplies.

TAXABLE TURNOVER

The taxable turnover is the total value of all taxable supplies made in Singapore (excluding GST) in the course or furtherance of business. This includes the value of all standard-rated (GST at prevailing rate) and zero-rated supplies (GST at 0%) but excludes exempt supplies, out-of-scope supplies and the sale of capital assets. For the purpose of determining your liability for GST registration, the value of exempt supplies that are International services under Section 21(3) of the GST Act should also be excluded from your total taxable supplies.

HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR LIABILITY TO REGISTER FOR GST?

Retrospective View

Your liability will arise at the end of any quarter where the total value of all your taxable supplies made in Singapore in that quarter and the previous 3 quarters is more than S$1million. If you expect that the value of your taxable supplies in the next four quarters will not be more than S$1million, you are not required to be registered.

Note: If the value of your taxable supplies for the next four quarters subsequently is more than S$1million, the Comptroller will backdate your GST registration.

Prospective View

At any time, if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the total value of your taxable supplies in the next 12 months will be more than S$1million.

Note: You must be currently making taxable supplies to come under this basis. Otherwise, you should apply for voluntary registration.

After you have voluntarily registered GST, you must remain registered for 2 years. In addition, you are required to comply with the following conditions:

• Make taxable supplies within two years; and
• Attend the course “Introduction to GST” by IRAS within three months from the effective date of GST registration; and
• Be on Giro payment plan for GST payment and/or refund.

HOW DO I REGISTER?

• Complete and submit GST F1 “Application for GST Registration” together with the required documents to the Comptroller.
• For partnership, you must complete and submit an additional Form, GST F3, together with the Form GST F1 to the Comptroller.
• The company also has to provide a security deposit.

Please do contact us if you need any further clarifications.

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