10 Notable New Tax Policies from Late 2025 to Early 2026 That Businesses Must Update

The period from late 2025 to early 2026 marks a series of significant changes in Vietnam’s tax legal system. According to Notice 1221/TB-DAN issued by the tax authority, numerous new laws and guiding documents have been promulgated, directly impacting enterprises, household businesses, and individuals. Timely updates not only help businesses comply with regulations but also minimize risks during tax inspections and audits.

A. 10 New Tax Policies Businesses Must Update

In the context of continuously evolving and refined tax policies, businesses must not only stay updated but also correctly understand the substance of regulations and accurately assess their impact on actual operations.

The following 10 groups of policies clearly reflect the trend toward tighter and more transparent tax management, while also demonstrating the authorities’ orientation toward data standardization, risk control, and taxpayer classification based on operational scale.

1. New Updates on the Law on Tax Administration and Implementation Guidance

The Law on Tax Administration 2025 has been approved by the National Assembly and will officially take effect from July 1, 2026. However, several important provisions related to household businesses and individual businesses (particularly regulations on tax declaration, tax calculation, and the use of electronic invoices) have been applied earlier from January 1, 2026.

A notable point is the increasing trend of data management and transparency in tax obligations, especially for household businesses—a group that previously had many gaps in management.

At the same time, Decree 373/2025/ND-CP has amended and supplemented detailed provisions of Decree 126/2020/ND-CP, thereby further clarifying procedures for tax declaration, tax payment, and tax record management in the context of digital transformation.

2. Key Changes in Value-Added Tax (VAT) Policy

The VAT Law continues to be one of the most frequently adjusted taxes during this period.

• VAT Law 2024 takes effect from July 1, 2025

• The amended law in 2025 takes effect from January 1, 2026

• Guiding decrees (181/2025, 359/2025) and Circular 69/2025/TT-BTC have specified many important contents

Notably, the VAT reduction policy under Decree 174/2025/ND-CP continues to be applied until the end of 2026, helping support business cash flow in the context of economic recovery.

However, businesses must note that preferential tax rates must be applied correctly to the right subjects and industries; otherwise, they may face tax arrears and penalties.

3. Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Law 2025 and Guiding Regulations

The Corporate Income Tax Law 2025 takes effect from October 1, 2025, and is applied immediately to the 2025 tax period. This is a critical point that businesses must pay attention to when preparing financial statements and finalizing taxes.

Decree 320/2025/ND-CP plays a key role in providing detailed guidance, particularly regarding:

• Determination of deductible expenses

• Taxable income

• Principles for cost allocation

One of the most notable changes is the tightening of estimated expenses or long-term allocated costs, aiming to limit situations where businesses “over-optimize” taxes.

4. Personal Income Tax (PIT) Law 2025 – Direct Impact on Individuals and Businesses

The Personal Income Tax Law 2025 will take effect from July 1, 2026. However, regulations related to:

• Income from salaries and wages

• Income from business activities

will be applied starting from the 2026 tax period. This means businesses must prepare payroll systems, tax withholding mechanisms, and tax finalization processes from the beginning of 2026 to avoid errors.

5. Special Consumption Tax (SCT): Tightened Management from 2026

The Special Consumption Tax Law 2025 officially takes effect from January 1, 2026, along with its guiding documents.

Businesses producing or trading goods subject to SCT (alcohol, beer, tobacco, automobiles, etc.) need to pay special attention to:

• Determination of the taxable price

• Timing of tax obligation recognition

• Tax declaration and payment regulations

Errors in this tax category often lead to significant tax arrears and heavy penalties.

6. Environmental Tax and Fee Policies

From 2026, several new environmental-related policies will officially take effect:

• Adjustment of environmental protection tax on petroleum products

• New regulations on environmental protection fees for wastewater

The general trend is to increase the financial responsibility of businesses toward environmental protection, especially in manufacturing and energy sectors.

7. Updates on Natural Resource Tax

A new price framework for natural resource taxation has been issued and will take effect from January 1, 2026.

This directly impacts resource-extracting enterprises because:

• Tax calculation prices change

• Tax obligations may increase

Businesses need to review their cost structures and tax obligations to avoid accounting discrepancies.

8. Policies on Land and Land Use Fees

A series of new decrees and resolutions have been issued to:

• Extend exemptions for agricultural land use tax

• Adjust land use fees and land rental fees

• Provide guidance on the implementation of the Land Law

This group of policies has a significant impact on real estate, manufacturing, and agricultural businesses.

9. Important Changes in Accounting Regimes

From January 1, 2026, two important circulars take effect:

• Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC (for enterprises)

• Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC (for household and individual businesses)

A key highlight is the standardization and simplification of the accounting system, along with increased data connectivity with tax authorities.

10. Additional Regulations on Penalties and Financial Mechanisms

Many new decrees have been issued to complete the legal framework, including:

• Amendments to administrative penalties for tax and invoice violations

• Regulations on fees and charges

• Policies supporting private sector development

• Specific financial mechanisms

The common trend is stricter compliance enforcement while simultaneously creating conditions for transparent and sustainable business development.

B. New Guidance on E-Invoices and Tax Filing Deadlines (2026)

One of the key concerns for household businesses is the regulation on electronic invoices based on revenue thresholds:

• Revenue from VND 1 billion/year or more: Mandatory use of e-invoices

• Revenue from VND 500 million to under VND 1 billion: Not mandatory but optional registration

• Revenue ≤ VND 500 million: Not required

In addition, tax filing deadlines are also classified based on revenue scale, ranging from annual, quarterly, to monthly filings.

This is an important change that clearly reflects a tax management approach based on risk levels and operational scale.

C. Important Notes on Asset Leasing Costs in CIT Calculation

According to Decree 320/2025/ND-CP, certain expenses related to leased assets will not be considered deductible if conditions are not met.

Specifically:

• Repair and upgrade costs of leased assets can only be allocated for a maximum of 3 years

• Costs related to intangible assets (brands, technology, etc.) can also only be allocated for a maximum of 3 years

• Goodwill and brand value contributed as capital are not deductible

This is an area where tax authorities often disallow expenses during audits, especially for businesses with many related-party transactions or intangible assets.

Conclusion

The period of 2025–2026 is marked by major changes in tax and accounting policies. The new regulations not only expand the scope of management but also require businesses to:

• Proactively update policies

• Review accounting and tax systems

• Control compliance risks

In a context where tax authorities increasingly apply technology and data, correctly understanding and properly applying policies will be a key factor for sustainable business development.

Viet Australia
Viet Australia Auditing Company is an independent auditing organization licensed and established in 2007 in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.