Signing up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax requires a Government Gateway account, compatible software, and a few minutes on the HMRC website. Here's exactly how to do it.
Compare Software →Before you open a browser tab to sign up, gather three things. Missing any one of them will stop the process cold.
You'll also need to have chosen and set up your MTD-compatible software before or immediately after signing up. HMRC requires you to submit through approved software — you cannot file quarterly updates manually or through HMRC's own portal.
If you're a landlord with property income, have your income figures ready. HMRC may ask whether your qualifying income is above the threshold: £50,000 for Wave 1 (April 2026), £30,000 for Wave 2 (April 2027), or £20,000 for Wave 3 (April 2028).
Sign-up is done through your existing HMRC online account — there is no separate MTD portal.
The whole process takes around 10–15 minutes if you have everything ready. You'll get a confirmation email to your Government Gateway registered address.
If you use an accountant or tax agent, they can sign you up on your behalf through HMRC's agent services. Your agent will need to be authorised to act for you — they'll send you an authorisation request if they aren't already.
Many accountants are handling sign-ups in bulk for their clients ahead of April 2026. If you have an accountant, ask them to handle this — it's often quicker and they can check your eligibility at the same time.
Signing up for MTD is not the same as connecting your software to HMRC. You need to do both.
After signing up, open your MTD-compatible software and find the option to connect to HMRC or authorise with HMRC — the exact wording varies by product. This will redirect you to a HMRC sign-in page inside your browser.
This authorisation lasts indefinitely unless you revoke it or switch software. If you change software provider, you'll need to repeat this step for the new product.
Not sure which software to authorise? Compare the main options on our MTD software comparison page — we cover pricing, ease of use, and which ones work best for sole traders versus landlords.
Once you're signed up and your software is connected, your Self Assessment tax return process changes permanently.
Instead of one annual tax return, you'll submit four quarterly updates per tax year — one for each quarter ending 5 July, 5 October, 5 January, and 5 April. These are summaries of your income and expenses, not full tax calculations. Your software does the maths; you just need to keep your records up to date.
After the fourth quarter, you'll submit an End of Period Statement (EOPS) — a final declaration that your figures are correct. This replaces the current Self Assessment return for your trading or property income.
You'll still submit a Final Declaration each year to include any other income (dividends, employment income, etc.) and claim reliefs. This replaces the annual SA100 tax return. The deadline remains 31 January following the tax year end.
HMRC will send you payment reminders as normal. The amounts owed and deadlines don't change — only the way you report income does.
HMRC is rolling out the sign-up feature to eligible accounts in phases. If you don't see it yet, check back closer to April 2026 — or call HMRC's Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310 to confirm your eligibility and request sign-up.
Use the Forgot your user ID or password link on the HMRC sign-in page. You'll need access to the email address or phone number registered to your account. If you've lost access to both, you'll need to call HMRC to recover your account — allow extra time for this before any deadlines.
Check your gross income from self-employment and property combined for the 2024–25 tax year. If it's over £50,000, you're in Wave 1 and must be signed up by April 2026. Under £50,000 but over £30,000? You have until April 2027. Wave 3 (over £20,000) follows in April 2028.
First, confirm your software is on HMRC's approved software list. If it is, try the authorisation step again in a fresh browser window. Clear your cookies if the redirect fails. If the problem persists, contact your software provider's support team — the connection issue is almost always on the software side, not HMRC's.
Once. A single MTD sign-up covers all your qualifying income sources. Your software will let you track self-employment and property income separately, and you'll submit combined quarterly updates through the same account.
Sign-up is straightforward once you have the right software in place. The software you choose will handle the quarterly submissions, keep your records MTD-compliant, and guide you through the authorisation with HMRC. Compare the leading MTD-compatible products — including free options — on our MTD software comparison page and find the right fit before you sign up.
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