IRAS e-Tax Guide
GST: Guide for Advertising Industry
(Third Edition)
This guide explains the GST principles applicable to the advertising industry
and is applicable to the following suppliers of advertising services:
(i) Media owner,
(ii) Media agency, and
(iii) Creative agency / full range advertising agency.
Some of the common forms of advertising and related services which they
provide and will be discussed in this guide are:
(i) Media Sales,
(ii) Media Planning,
(iii) Creative and Production Sales,
(iv) Brand Public Relations (PR) and Events Organising.
This guide also covers the change in the GST treatment of media sales with
effect from 1 Jan 20221 and the transitional rules applicable for supplies of
media sales straddling 1 Jan 2022.
A supply of service is made in Singapore if the supplier belongs in Singapore
(i.e. has a business or fixed establishment in Singapore). A supply of service
in Singapore attracts GST unless it qualifies for zero-rating relief as an
international service under section 21(3) of the GST Act, or it is an exempt
financial service listed under the Fourth Schedule to the GST Act.
Table 1 below explains briefly the zero-rating provisions of the GST Act
applicable to the supplies of advertising and related services2
while Table 2 shows the GST treatment of media sales before and after the change
Source: gov.sg
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