New policies in the economic, financial, and labor law sectors will all take effect from January 1, 2026, creating a significant turning point for businesses and households. Timely understanding of changes in personal allowances, land price lists, or regulations on invoice penalties is crucial for businesses to optimize costs and avoid legal risks.
Experts at MAN – Master Accountant Network believe this is a large-scale reform requiring accounting departments to proactively update their documentation systems. From abolishing business license fees to adopting new accounting forms according to Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC, all changes are aimed at transparency and comprehensive digitalization. Let's analyze the key points in detail below.
Tightening invoice regulations: New policy on penalties for issuing invoices at the wrong time.
According to Decree 310/2025/ND-CP, Furthermore, the act of issuing invoices at the wrong time when selling goods or services will be dealt with more severely. This regulation forces accountants to closely control the issuance of invoices immediately upon completion of delivery or provision of services, instead of accumulating them at the end of the month.
The maximum fine is up to 70 million VND for violations involving 100 or more invoices. This is a new, highly deterrent policy aimed at ending the widespread practice of backdating invoices in many businesses today, ensuring transparency in the tax system.
Below is a summary table of fines for issuing invoices at the wrong time, for your convenience:
| Number of invoices in violation | Expected fine (VND) |
| Less than 10 invoices | A warning or a fine of 3-5 million VND will be imposed. |
| From 10 to under 50 numbers | Fines ranging from 15 to 30 million VND. |
| From 50 to under 100 numbers | Fines ranging from 40 to 50 million VND. |
| From 100 invoices or more | A fine of 60-70 million VND will be imposed. |
New Personal Income Tax Policy: Increasing the personal allowance to 15.5 million VND.
Resolution 110/2025/UBTVQH15 This marks a significant step forward in supporting workers against inflationary pressures. From January 1, 2026, the personal allowance for workers will increase. personal income tax Personal income tax (PIT) will increase significantly, helping to reduce the tax burden and increase real income.
Implementing this new policy requires human resources and payroll accounting departments to update their calculation software promptly. This change has a positive and direct impact on the cash flow of millions of taxpayers in Vietnam, boosting domestic consumption.
| Deduction subjects | Previous level (Before 2026) | New rates (Effective January 1, 2026) | Growth rate |
| For taxpayers | 11,000,000 VND | 15,500,000 VND | ~41% |
| For each dependent | 4,400,000 VND | 6,200,000 VND | ~41% |
Land Law 2024: Application of new land price list and land acquisition.
From January 1st, 2026, localities will officially operate land price tables based on market principles. This new policy eliminates the old "land price framework," making land prices more realistic and directly impacting land clearance costs, land use fees, and related taxes.
Besides, Resolution 254/2025/QH15 The regulations expand the circumstances under which the State can reclaim land for free trade zone projects. The new mechanism also allows for land reclamation before compensation is completed in certain specific situations to ensure the progress of national projects.
Accounting document system: Updated with 33 new forms according to Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC.
Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC This policy aims to standardize accounting practices in the digital age. It's a new requirement for businesses to completely change their current system of forms. Compliance with the standard forms is a prerequisite for financial reports to be accepted and transparent.
These forms cover everything from inventory management to asset liquidation. Failure to apply them correctly puts businesses at risk of having expenses disallowed by tax authorities during tax settlement, resulting in financial losses and damage to the company's reputation.
The list of important document categories applicable from 2026 is as follows:
- Wage earners group: The payroll, bonus, and attendance records will be in the new format.
- Inventory group: Standardized types of inventory receipts, dispatch notes, and material inventory records.
- Fixed asset group: Minutes of asset handover and liquidation, and fixed asset depreciation schedule.
- Cash group: Receipts and payment vouchers have been updated with information structures in accordance with the new regulations.
Regional Minimum Wage Update: New Policy Adjusts Income Floor Level
Decree 293/2025/ND-CP The regional minimum wage will be adjusted upwards from January 1, 2026, to reflect economic fluctuations. Businesses need to proactively review labor contracts and social insurance contributions to ensure compliance with regulations on minimum income levels.
Paying wages below the regional minimum wage will result in administrative penalties under labor law. This new policy forces businesses to rebalance their wage budgets and optimize productivity to offset rising labor costs.
| Area of application | Minimum wage (VNĐ/month) | Note |
| Region I | 5.310.000 | Major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City |
| Region II | 4.730.000 | Neighboring areas, Type II urban areas |
| Region III | 4.140.000 | Districts and towns |
| Region IV | 3.700.000 | The remaining areas |
Changes to the tax method for household businesses: From lump-sum to declaration-based tax.
Resolution 198/2025/QH15 officially abolishes the lump-sum tax method from January 1, 2026, requiring all business households to switch to the declaration method. This is an important step towards increasing revenue transparency and more effective tax management in the digital economy.
This new policy requires business owners to acquire knowledge of accounting records and electronic invoices. This transition helps businesses professionalize their operations, easily access bank loans, and benefit from business support policies.
Exemption from business license fees and extension of agricultural land tax exemption.
Resolution 198/2025/QH15 brings significant benefits by ending the business license fee collection from January 1, 2026, for all businesses and household businesses. This new policy helps reduce the burden of annual compliance costs and encourages individuals to confidently establish businesses.
At the same time, Decree 292/2025/ND-CP extends the exemption from agricultural land use tax until the end of 2030. These policies demonstrate the State's commitment to supporting sustainable agricultural production and protecting the rights of farmers.
Teacher salary classification and personal data protection in businesses.
The new Teacher Law prioritizes placing teachers at the highest salary level within the public service system starting in 2026. This policy aims to attract talent to the education sector, accompanied by flexible professional allowances based on region and job nature.
From the business perspective, the Personal Data Protection Law 2025 requires the deletion of information from unsuccessful job applicants or employees who have left the company starting from January 1, 2026. This is an important new policy aimed at protecting privacy, requiring businesses to establish rigorous data management processes.
Reduce environmental protection tax on gasoline and diesel in 2026.
Resolution 109/2025/UBTVQH15 continues to apply the policy of reducing environmental protection tax on gasoline, diesel, and lubricants until the end of 2026. This new policy helps stabilize commodity prices and directly supports transportation businesses and production units that use a lot of fuel.
Conclude
The new policies, effective from January 2026, offer many opportunities for cost optimization but also impose strict compliance requirements. A thorough understanding of tax, payroll, and invoicing regulations will help businesses proactively operate legally and avoid unnecessary administrative penalties.
To ensure financial security, businesses need a partner with expert knowledge. MAN – Master Accountant Network is committed to providing in-depth auditing and tax accounting services, helping you stay up-to-date with all new policies. Contact MAN for advice on the most effective adaptation plan from our dedicated team of experts.
Service contact information at MAN – Master Accountant Network
- Address: No. 19A, Street 43, Tan Thuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Mobile/Zalo: 0903 963 163 – 0903 428 622
- Email: man@man.net.vn
Content production by: Mr. Le Hoang Tuyen – Founder & CEO MAN – Master Accountant Network, Vietnamese CPA Auditor with over 30 years of experience in Accounting, Auditing and Financial Consulting.
Frequently Asked Questions about New Policies Starting in 2026
Households should adopt simple accounting software and register for electronic invoices as soon as possible. Hiring accounting services from MAN will help ensure an accurate and secure transition from lump-sum tax to declaration-based tax.
No. The new policy only applies to income earned from January 1, 2026. Personal income tax settlement for 2025 will still be done at the old rates (11 million VND for the individual and 4.4 million VND for dependents).
Businesses should establish a data storage system that automatically reminds or deletes data after a specified period following contract termination, ensuring compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law. What preparations do sole proprietorships need to make for tax filing starting in 2026?
Will the new personal allowance be applied retroactively to 2025?
How can businesses comply with the requirement to delete data of former employees?
