Why This Decision Matters for Resellers
If you're reselling on eBay, Amazon, or any other platform in the UK and you're making regular income from it, you need a business structure. Not eventually — now. HMRC doesn't care whether you think of it as a "side hustle" or a "hobby." If you're buying items with the intention of selling them for profit, you're trading, and you have tax obligations.
The two main options for UK resellers are Sole Trader and Limited Company. Each one affects how much tax you pay, how much personal risk you carry, and how your business looks to suppliers and partners. Picking the wrong one — or worse, not picking at all — can cost you real money.
This guide breaks down both structures in plain English, with specific context for resellers. No jargon, no fluff.
What Is a Sole Trader?
A sole trader is the simplest business structure in the UK. There's no legal separation between you and your business — you are the business. You register with HMRC, keep records of your income and expenses, and file a Self Assessment tax return once a year.
Most resellers start here, and for good reason. It's free to register, takes about ten minutes online, and you can be up and running the same day.
How It Works for Resellers
As a sole trader, every penny of profit from your eBay sales, Amazon FBA earnings, or marketplace income is treated as your personal income. You pay Income Tax and National Insurance on your profits after deducting allowable expenses — things like stock costs, postage, packaging, platform fees, and tools like listing software.
Your first £12,570 of profit each year is tax-free (that's the Personal Allowance for the 2025/26 tax year). After that, you pay 20% on earnings up to £50,270, and 40% on anything above that.
Sole Trader Pros
- Dead simple to set up — register with HMRC online, no Companies House paperwork, no formation fees
- Minimal admin — keep records of income and expenses, file one tax return per year
- You keep everything — all profits after tax are yours, no need to "extract" money from the business
- Full control — every decision is yours, no board meetings or shareholder obligations
- Privacy — your financial records aren't publicly available (unlike a limited company)
Sole Trader Cons
- Unlimited liability — if the business owes money, creditors can come after your personal assets (house, car, savings)
- Higher tax at scale — once you're earning £50k+ in profit, you're paying 40% Income Tax on everything above that threshold
- Perceived as less professional — some wholesale suppliers and trade accounts prefer dealing with limited companies
- Harder to raise investment — you can't sell shares in a sole tradership
- Fewer tax planning options — limited ability to split income or defer tax
What Is a Limited Company?
A limited company is a separate legal entity from you. It has its own identity, its own bank account, and its own tax obligations. You register it with Companies House, and you typically act as both the director (running the business) and shareholder (owning it).
The key difference: the company owns the profits, not you. To get money out, you pay yourself a salary, take dividends, or a combination of both. This is where the tax efficiency comes in — but it also adds complexity.
How It Works for Resellers
Your limited company pays Corporation Tax on its profits (currently 19% for profits under £50,000, scaling up to 25% for profits over £250,000). You then pay yourself a small salary — usually around the National Insurance threshold — and take the rest as dividends, which are taxed at a lower rate than employment income.
This salary-plus-dividends approach is why limited companies can be more tax-efficient once your profits reach a certain level. But "more efficient" doesn't mean "less work" — there's significantly more admin involved.
Limited Company Pros
- Limited liability — your personal assets are protected if the business fails or runs up debts
- Tax efficiency at higher earnings — the salary-plus-dividends structure means you can keep more of your money once profits exceed roughly £40,000/year
- Professional credibility — some suppliers, wholesalers, and trade partners take you more seriously with "Ltd" after your name
- Easier to scale — you can bring in investors, sell shares, or transfer ownership
- Separate finances — cleaner separation between business and personal money
Limited Company Cons
- More paperwork — annual accounts filed with Companies House, Corporation Tax returns, confirmation statements, and payroll if you're paying yourself a salary
- Public records — your accounts, director details, and registered address are all publicly searchable
- Accountant costs — most limited company directors need professional help, which typically runs £800–£2,000+ per year
- Stricter rules on taking money out — you can't just transfer company money to your personal account whenever you want
- More complex to close down — dissolving a limited company takes time and paperwork
So Which One Should You Choose?
There's no universal right answer, but there are clear guidelines based on where you are in your reselling journey.
A common path for UK resellers is to start as a sole trader, build up the business, and then incorporate as a limited company once profits justify the extra admin and accountant fees. There's no penalty for switching — you can transition from sole trader to limited company at any point.
What About VAT?
VAT registration is separate from your business structure — it applies to both sole traders and limited companies. You must register for VAT once your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in a rolling 12-month period (as of 2025/26). You can register voluntarily before that threshold if it makes sense for your business.
For resellers dealing in high-volume, lower-margin items, hitting the VAT threshold can happen faster than you'd expect. If you're buying stock for £5 and selling for £15, your turnover adds up quickly even if your actual profit margins are modest.
Important: VAT is charged on turnover (total sales), not profit. Many new resellers get caught out by this. If your eBay sales hit £90k in a year — even if your actual profit is much lower — you need to register.
Real Talk: Common Mistakes UK Resellers Make
1. Not registering at all
"It's just a hobby" doesn't hold up with HMRC if you're regularly buying to resell. If you're making consistent sales with the intention of profit, you're trading. Register as a sole trader at minimum — it's free and protects you from penalties down the line.
2. Going limited too early
If you're making £15k/year from reselling, the accountant fees and admin overhead of a limited company will likely eat into any tax savings. Stay as a sole trader until the numbers genuinely make it worthwhile.
3. Ignoring expenses
Every legitimate business expense reduces your taxable profit. Stock costs, eBay fees, postage, packaging materials, mileage to the post office, software subscriptions, reselling tools — track everything. A simple spreadsheet or a tool like Sellerfuse can make this painless.
4. Not setting money aside for tax
Your tax bill arrives in January (for the previous tax year). If you haven't been setting aside roughly 20-30% of your profits throughout the year, it can be a nasty surprise. Open a separate savings account and transfer your tax estimate monthly.
Useful Links
These are the official GOV.UK resources for getting set up properly:
- Register as a Sole Trader — GOV.UK
- Set Up a Limited Company — GOV.UK
- VAT Registration — GOV.UK
- Self Assessment Tax Returns — GOV.UK