Pursuant to
Decree No. 181/2025/ND-CP (Clauses 1 and 2, Article 6):
Decree No. 254/2026/ND-CP (Clause 1, Article 4; Clause 1, Article 9; and Point a.3, Clause 5 of the attached Appendix):
- Goods and services given away, donated, gifted, used internally or provided as promotions must all have electronic invoices issued in the prescribed data format, with complete information.
- A consolidated invoice may be issued monthly or quarterly, accompanied by a detailed schedule.
- If a customer requests it, a separate invoice must be issued for each transaction.
1. How to issue invoices
Time of invoicing: when the gift is given or consolidated monthly or quarterly
Tax rate: 8
Taxable price:
+ Gifts, donations and internal consumption: VAT taxable price is the price of goods or services of the same or equivalent type at the time of the transaction
+ Promotions: VAT taxable price = 0. If the promotion does not comply with commercial law, tax is calculated as for gifts and donations. Example: If a company runs a promotion offering one box of mooncakes with the purchase of 10 cartons of milk, the VAT taxable price of the mooncakes is zero (0).
The company issues a separate invoice for each transaction or one consolidated invoice for mooncake gifts accompanied by a list of recipients.
Where the company issues a separate invoice for each transaction:
+ Enter complete recipient details, including name and tax identification number (TIN).
+ Invoice description: enter the full product name, quantity and value.
Where one consolidated invoice is issued:
+ Buyer name and TIN: enter the company’s details.
+ Invoice description: enter the full product name and state “Accompanied by schedule No. … dated …/…/…, quantity and value.”
+ Schedule contents: include the seller’s name, TIN and address; product name, quantity, unit price, amount, preparation date, and the preparer’s name and signature. If VAT is paid using the credit method, also include the VAT rate and VAT amount. The total payable on the schedule must match the invoice. The schedule must state “Accompanying invoice No. … dated …/…/…”.
2. Examples of accounting entries for Mid-Autumn Festival gift expenses
2.1. Purchasing mooncakes for inventory and subsequently giving them as gifts
– When purchasing mooncakes, the accountant records:
Debit Account 156: Cost of goods purchased for gifting
Debit Account 1331: Deductible input VAT
Credit Accounts 331, 111, 112: Payment
– When issuing mooncakes from inventory as gifts, the accountant records:
Debit Accounts 62x, 632, 641, 642: Cost of goods given as gifts
Credit Account 156: Cost of purchased goods
Credit Account 3331: Output VAT
2.2. Purchasing mooncakes and giving them as gifts immediately
Debit Accounts 62x, 632, 641, 642 (as applicable): Cost of purchasing gifts.
Debit Account 133: Input VAT (if any).
Credit Accounts 331, 111, 112: Payment
Credit Account 3331: Output VAT
3. Documents required for expenses to be recognized as valid and deductible:
- Valid purchase invoices in accordance with current regulations
- Contracts and non-cash payment documents for invoices valued at VND 5 million or more
- Output invoices (issued by the company for goods given as gifts or donations)
- The company’s financial and internal expenditure regulations, or a company/trade union decision on Mid-Autumn Festival gifts for employees (where gifts are given to employees)
- A detailed list of employee and customer recipients containing full information (full name, TIN, product name, quantity, unit price and total amount), signed by both the recipient and the person preparing the list
4. Administrative penalties
– Failure to issue invoices as prescribed is subject to the following penalties:
- A warning for failure to issue 01 invoice
- A fine of VND 1,000,000 to VND 2,000,000 for failure to issue from 02 to fewer than 10 invoices
- A fine of VND 2,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 for failure to issue from 10 to fewer than 50 invoices
- A fine of VND 10,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 for failure to issue from 50 to fewer than 100 invoices
A fine of VND 30,000,000 to VND 50,000,000 for failure to issue 100 or more invoices
