Do you have to register, or is MTD automatic?
MTD for Income Tax is not automatic. Even if your qualifying income is over the threshold, you (or an agent acting for you) must actively sign up with HMRC and authorise compatible software before your start date. Missing this step means your quarterly updates cannot be filed, so it is worth getting it done early and correctly.
What you need before you register for MTD
- A Government Gateway user ID and password — if you’ve filed Self Assessment online before, you already have one.
- Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) — the 10-digit number on your Self Assessment correspondence.
- Your National Insurance number — used to confirm your identity with HMRC.
- MTD-compatible software already set up — you need software authorised before you can complete sign-up, not after.
- Details of your qualifying income sources — self-employment and/or property, so HMRC can confirm which quarterly updates apply to you.
How to register for Making Tax Digital: 4 steps
- Confirm you're eligible and choose your software. Check your qualifying income against the current threshold, then set up an HMRC-recognised software product or bridging tool before you start the sign-up process.
- Sign in to your HMRC online account. Use your existing Government Gateway details, or create an account if this is your first time filing digitally.
- Sign up for MTD for Income Tax and confirm your income sources. HMRC asks you to confirm each self-employment and property income source that will be reported under MTD.
- Authorise your software to connect to HMRC. This is a separate step from signing up itself — your software needs its own authorisation to submit on your behalf, and this is also where an agent’s authorisation (if you're using one) is confirmed separately from the software connection.
Prefer a fuller walkthrough? See our step-by-step guide.
Common registration mistakes to avoid
- Registering before software is set up. Software authorisation and HMRC sign-up work together — starting sign-up before your software is ready often means repeating steps.
- Missing an income source. If you have both self-employment and rental income and only register one, your quarterly obligations won’t match your actual position.
- Confusing agent authorisation with software authorisation. Authorising an accountant to act as your agent with HMRC is a separate step from authorising your software — both are needed if an agent is filing on your behalf.
What happens after MTD registration
Once registered, your software is authorised to submit quarterly updates and your final declaration to HMRC. Your first quarterly deadline depends on your MTD start date — for the April 2026 cohort, the first update was due 7 August 2026, with the next due 7 November 2026. We confirm your deadlines in writing so nothing is missed.
Let us register you
Our MTD registration support guides you through the whole process, or we register and authorise your software as your agent so you don’t have to. Call 0114 327 1480 or email shjenquiry@msc-g.com.