Sri Lanka’s IRD has urged taxpayers to pay September 2026 value added tax (VAT) and VAT on financial services, and to file the monthly VAT return on time, warning of penalties for non-compliance.
Sri Lanka’s Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has issued two notices reminding taxpayers of the deadlines for paying VAT and VAT on financial services and for filing the VAT return for September 2026.
In the first notice, the department said VAT for September 2026 must be paid on or before 20 October 2026. Taxpayers should use Tax Type Code 70, Period Code 26330 and Payment Category S.
The monthly VAT return for September must be furnished online on or before 31 October 2026. The Return Period Code is 2633.
The department said penalties will be imposed for non-payment or late payment of taxes. Penalties will also apply to any person who fails to submit a return or submits an incorrect one. A payment by cheque, bank draft or pay order that is realised after the due date will also be treated as a late payment.
The notice also warned that input tax credit on local purchases or imports will be disallowed for late filing of the VAT return by 12 or 24 months from the due date.
VAT paid on a local purchase invoice must be claimed against the output tax for any taxable period ending on or before the expiry of 12 months from the date of the tax invoice. The return for that taxable period must be furnished before the 12 months expire.
VAT paid on imports must be claimed against the output tax for any taxable period ending on or before the expiry of 24 months from the date of the Customs Declaration. The return for that taxable period must be furnished before the 24 months expire.
In a separate payment reminder, the department asked taxpayers to pay VAT on financial services for September 2026 on or before 20 October 2026. The applicable Tax Type Code is 75, the Payment Period Code is 26090 and the Payment Category is S.
Taxpayers are encouraged to pay through the Online Tax Payment Platform. Payments of VAT on financial services can also be made at any branch of the Bank of Ceylon.
As with VAT, penalties will be imposed on non-payment or late payment of taxes, and a cheque, bank draft or pay order realised after the due date will be considered a late payment.
Taxpayers needing assistance or having queries can contact the department’s hotline 1944 or visit its website for updated information. Both notices were issued by the commissioner general of Inland Revenue.
