Every Making Tax Digital deadline, in your calendar

Quarterly updates are due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. Your tax return for the year is due through your software by 31 January after the tax year ends, along with any tax to pay. Payments on account, if you make them, are due on 31 January and 31 July. Source

For people starting on 6 April 2027 (qualifying income over £30,000), the first update is due by 7 August 2027. For people who started on 6 April 2026, it was due by 7 August 2026. For the April 2028 group, it is due by 7 August 2028. Source

It depends on your qualifying income: self-employment and property income before expenses. Over £50,000 on your 2024 to 2025 return means 6 April 2026. Over £30,000 on your 2025 to 2026 return means 6 April 2027. Over £20,000 on your 2026 to 2027 return means 6 April 2028. Source

Standard quarters run 6 April to 5 July, 6 July to 5 October, 6 October to 5 January and 6 January to 5 April. Each update covers the tax year so far, so the second update covers 6 April to 5 October. Source

Yes. Calendar periods run from 1 April to 30 June, 30 September, 31 December and 31 March, building up through the year. The deadlines stay the same: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. You choose in your software before your first update of the year, you cannot change back during that year, and the choice carries on into later years until you withdraw it. Source

For the April 2027 group, the tax return for 2027 to 2028 is due by 31 January 2029, through your Making Tax Digital software. For the April 2026 group, the 2026 to 2027 return is due by 31 January 2028. Source

No. Quarterly updates are summaries of your income and expenses. Tax is still paid through Self Assessment on 31 January and, for payments on account, 31 July. Source

No. The deadline is the 7th whatever day it falls on, so if it is a Saturday or Sunday, send your update before then. Source

Yes, a little. You can send it up to 10 days before the period ends if you do not expect any more transactions in it, and any time after the period ends up to the deadline. Sending soon after the quarter ends gives you longer to fix anything your software flags. Source

Under the points-based penalty system, each late update earns a penalty point. Reach 4 points as a quarterly filer and you get a £200 penalty, then another £200 for each further late submission while you are at the threshold. Source

For people who started in April 2026, there are no penalty points for late quarterly updates in 2026 to 2027. Points for late quarterly updates apply from 6 April 2027 for both the April 2026 and April 2027 groups. Source

Under the new penalty rules, for 2026 to 2027 a penalty of 3% of the tax unpaid is charged at 15 days late, another 3% at 30 days, then 10% a year on what is still owed. From 2027 to 2028 the first two rise to 4%. In your first year under the new rules nothing is charged until day 30, and late payment penalties do not apply to payments on account. Interest is charged at Bank Rate plus 4%. Source

Advance payments towards next year’s tax, each usually half of this year’s bill, due on 31 January and 31 July. You make them if your last bill was £1,000 or more, unless more than 80% of your tax was collected at source. Source

Yes. The tax return and the balancing payment are still due by 31 January after the tax year ends. The difference is that the return is sent through your Making Tax Digital software, building on your quarterly updates. Source

Register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the end of the tax year in which you started. Making Tax Digital depends on the income on an earlier tax return, so it usually starts about two tax years after you begin trading, if your income is over the threshold. An accountant can confirm your date. Source

You should. There is no separate legal sign-up deadline, but you need to be signed up and using compatible software from your start date. HMRC writes to people it expects to need Making Tax Digital, and since September 2026 it has been signing up people who should have joined, but checking is your responsibility. Signing up needs a Self Assessment registration and a tax return filed in the last two years. Source

Use the calendar tool on this page to download a calendar file, then open it. Outlook and Apple Calendar add the dates straight away. In Google Calendar, go to Settings, then Import and export, and import the file. Source

Yes, if you choose a reminder. Each date in the file can carry an alert 3, 7 or 14 days before, so you have time to finish your records and send the update. Source

They can. Many accountants send the quarterly updates and the tax return for their clients. You still need to keep your records up to date and get them to your accountant in time. Source

Yes. Landlords send quarterly updates for their property income on the same dates, and one tax return for the year. If you have self-employment and rental income, each has its own quarterly update. Source

You can only stop using Making Tax Digital once your qualifying income has stayed below the threshold for 3 tax years in a row, so the deadlines still apply in the meantime. Source