VAT and tax guides for sole traders in Ireland
A little know-how. A clearer working day.
Plain answers on Irish VAT and tax, taken from Revenue’s own pages, and the steps to do the same work in NumWise.
VAT and tax for sole traders

How to Complete a VAT3 Return in Ireland
What goes in each VAT3 box (T1 to T4, E1, E2, ES1, ES2, PA1) as Revenue defines it, when the return is due, and what the NumWise VAT3 draft prepares.

VAT Registration Threshold in Ireland: When You Must Register
Register for VAT once annual turnover passes a threshold: €42,500 for services, €85,000 for goods. Revenue's list, how turnover counts and registering early.

Pro Forma Invoice in Ireland: What It Is and When VAT Is Due
What a pro forma invoice is, how it differs from a quote and a VAT invoice, and Revenue's rule for deposits: VAT falls in the period you are paid.

VAT Rates in Ireland for 2026, and Where to Check Yours
Irish VAT rates from 1 January 2026 (23%, 13.5%, 9%, 4.8% and the farmers' 4.5% flat rate), the changes since 2020 and where to check the rate you charge.

Sole Trader Expenses in Ireland: What You Can Claim
The expenses Revenue lets a business deduct, the ones it cannot, how to treat costs you also use privately, and the records to keep for six years.

Sole Trader Tax in Ireland for 2026: Income Tax, USC and PRSI
The 2026 income tax bands and credits, USC rates and PRSI Class S rate from Revenue and gov.ie, and the 31 October pay and file date, with every source.
How to do it in NumWise

Your first invoice in NumWise, with a discount
Add the customer, write the lines, take a discount off before VAT, check the totals and issue the invoice, with the names of the buttons you will see.

Check a receipt read by NumWise before you save the cost
Add a receipt photo or a supplier invoice, let NumWise fill the expense form, then check each value against the document before you save, field by field.

Prepare an export of your records for your accountant
Prepare one Accountant pack with period reports, registers and available source documents. Check the gaps before handing it over, or export single reports.
Choosing software

Best Small Business Accounting Software in Ireland: Sage, Xero, QuickBooks and NumWise Compared
Sage, Xero, QuickBooks and NumWise compared for Irish small businesses and sole traders: prices, logins, bank transactions and VAT, checked 28 September 2026.
Follow the guides in your own account.
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