Vietnam Service Contract Template
A Civil Code–based service contract completed with an acceptance clause, the statutory 8% cap on penalties, VAT rates and the e-invoicing points — and with the source’s heading, which read “People’s Republic of China”, corrected.
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In .docx format, free and without sign-up. The Vietnamese version prevails within Vietnam; the Chinese and English versions are for comprehension.
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Key compliance points
- A penalty may not exceed 8% of the value of the obligation breached. The base is that obligation, not the total contract value; anything agreed above 8% is reduced in practice.
- VAT is 10% as standard, temporarily reduced to 8% for certain goods and services until 31 December 2026. Telecommunications, finance, banking, securities, insurance, real estate, metal products and mining (except coal) are excluded.
- Without an acceptance clause, neither the payment trigger nor any finding of breach has a reference point — the most common starting point of service disputes. This template adds an acceptance period and deemed acceptance on expiry.
- A foreign service provider may trigger foreign contractor tax withholding. The corporate income tax provisions of the old Circular 103/2014 were repealed from 12 March 2026 by Circular 20/2026/TT-BTC, with transitional rules.
Legal basis
| Instrument | Substance | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Bộ luật Dân sự 91/2015/QH13 | General provisions on service contracts | — |
| Luật Thương mại 36/2005/QH11 — Điều 301 | Penalty not exceeding 8% of the value of the obligation breached | — |
| Luật Thuế GTGT 48/2024/QH15 · Nghị quyết 204/2025/QH15 · Nghị định 174/2025/NĐ-CP | Standard 10%; certain goods and services reduced to 8%, expiring 31 Dec 2026 | 2025-07-01 → 2026-12-31 |
| Nghị định 70/2025/NĐ-CP | Invoice issued when ownership or right of use passes; a written agreement precedes correcting an incorrect invoice | 2025-06-01 |
Establish these before use
- 1Whether the services qualify for the 8% VAT reduction (expiring 31 Dec 2026)
- 2Whether the agreed penalty falls within the 8% cap
- 3Whether the provider is a foreign entity (raising contractor-tax withholding)
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Disclaimer
This document is general reference material and does not constitute legal advice. Rules vary with sector, locality and the specific arrangement; have a Vietnamese-qualified lawyer or tax practitioner review your circumstances before relying on it. Vietnamese law changed frequently across 2025–2026 — confirm the position remains current before use.