What is the W-8BEN?
By completing this form, UK investors can claim exemption from paying US tax on dividends and interest from shares traded in the US, as such income will already fall under UK income tax rules.

The W-8BEN is valid for three calendar years after the year in which it is signed, e.g. a form signed in February 2008 will expire on 31st December 2011. A new form must be submitted when the existing one expires, and Selftrade will inform all customers in advance of expiry.

The Selftrade US trading service is only available to customers who are UK resident.

How do I complete the W-8BEN?
Complete the following sections only:

Part I

• Line 1: Enter your full name here if an individual, or the full name of the investment club.
• Line 3: Tick the one box only, either "individual" for individual accounts or "partnership" for investment club accounts.
• Line 4: Enter your permanent residence, i.e. your tax address. Do not enter the name of a financial institution, a post office box or an address used solely for mailing purposes.
• Line 7: Enter your National Insurance number here.
• Line 8: Enter your Selftrade account number here.

Part II

• Line 9a: Enter your country of residency for tax purposes here, i.e. United Kingdom.
• Line 9c: Tick this box if an investment club only.

Part IV

• If you hold an individual account, sign and date the form yourself, leaving "Capacity in which acting" blank. If you are an investment club, the lead investor should sign and date the form, noting "Lead Investor" in "Capacity in which acting".

Where do I get the form?
The form is in PDF so you'll need the Acrobat reader. You can download a copy from the Adobe web site if you haven't got one.

Download W-8BEN (17Kb)

What do I do with the form once I've filled it in?
If you would like the form to arrive as soon as possible, you should use the address:

Customer Accounts Administration
Selftrade
Boatman's House
2 Selsdon Way
London E14 9LA

If time is not critical then you should use our FREEPOST address:

Customer Accounts Administration
Selftrade
Freepost LON18047
London E14 9BR