What You Need Before Registering
Government Gateway credentials, your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), National Insurance number, business start date, and chosen MTD-compatible software ready to authorise.
Step-by-Step MTD Registration Process
- Log in to your HMRC online services account.
- Select Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
- Confirm your income sources.
- Authorise your MTD software.
- Choose your MTD start date.
- Save HMRC’s confirmation for your records.
Authorising Your MTD Software
Software authorisation gives your chosen tool permission to read your tax information and submit on your behalf. The link is created via OAuth between HMRC and your software.
Choosing Your MTD Start Date
Your start date determines when your first quarterly update begins. For most people in phase one, this is 6 April 2026.
What Happens After MTD Registration
Your software can now retrieve obligations from HMRC and submit quarterly updates and your year-end final declaration.
Registering through an agent
You do not have to do this yourself. An accountant or tax agent authorised to act for you can sign you up for MTD for Income Tax and authorise the software on your behalf through their agent services account. This is often the simplest route if you already have an adviser — or we can act as your agent and handle registration for you.
Do you have to wait for HMRC to contact you?
No. HMRC may write to taxpayers it believes are in scope, but you do not need to wait for a letter — once you know MTD applies to you, you (or your agent) can sign up. Registering in good time before your start date means your software is authorised and tested well before the first quarterly deadline, rather than at the last minute.
The step you must do first: your Self Assessment
Before you can be signed up for MTD, you need to be registered for Self Assessment and have a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and a personal tax account. This is the one part an agent cannot do for you — if you are newly self-employed or a new landlord, register for Self Assessment at gov.uk first, because getting a UTR and passing identity checks can take a couple of weeks. Once that is in place, the MTD sign-up itself is quick.
Common MTD Registration Mistakes to Avoid
Mistakes include using the wrong Government Gateway account, leaving software authorisation incomplete, registering before your software is fully set up, and leaving the whole thing until days before the first deadline. Give yourself time so that any UTR or identity delays do not push you past 7 August.