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The Ministry of Finance promulgated Circular 20/2026/TT-BTC on March 12, 2026, providing guidance on the 2025 Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Law and Decree 320/2025/ND-CP.
1. Effectiveness
The Circular takes effect on March 12, 2026, and is applicable starting from the 2025 tax year.
Provisions on non-cash payment documents and capital transfers apply from December 15, 2025.
For deductible expenses incurred before March 12, 2026, within the 2025 tax period:
- If Circular 96/2015/TT-BTC has specific provisions, Circular 96/2015/TT-BTC shall apply.
- In cases where there are no specific provisions in Circular 96/2015/TT-BTC but they fall under Article 3 of Circular 20/2026/TT-BTC, the required dossier components include invoices and documents per legal regulations (including documents proving legal ownership/right of use regarding depreciation expenses for assets available for lease but not yet rented).
Contractor/subcontractor contracts under the hybrid method signed before March 12, 2026, shall continue to apply the CIT regulations in effect at the time of signing.
If the normative legal documents cited in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, the new documents shall apply.
2. Replacements and Annulments
Circular 20/2026/TT-BTC replaces Circular 78/2014/TT-BTC and Circular 96/2015/TT-BTC.
This Circular also annuls provisions relating to CIT policies in various other documents, such as:
- Certain articles of Circular 103/2014/TT-BTC;
- Article 6 of Circular 119/2014/TT-BTC;
- Chapter 1 of Circular 151/2014/TT-BTC;
- Article 5 of Circular 130/2016/TT-BTC;
- Article 3 of Circular 25/2018/TT-BTC;
- Certain clauses of Circular 67/2022/TT-BTC;
- Article 4 of Circular 83/2016/TT-BTC;
- Article 4 of Circular 128/2011/TT-BTC (Pursuant to Article 10 of Circular 20/2026/TT-BTC).
