Toolkeel

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax checker

Enter your income from self-employment and property before expenses to see when you must start keeping digital records and sending quarterly updates to HMRC.

  • Free
  • Private
  • No sign-up

Tax year 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025

Tax year 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026

Tax year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027

Use income before expenses (turnover and gross rent). Leave a year at 0 if you do not know it yet.

You must use MTD from

—

First quarterly update due

—

An estimate from the rules published on GOV.UK. Exemptions, deferrals and special cases are decided by HMRC; use HMRC’s own checker or ask an accountant before relying on it.

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How to use it

  1. Enter self-employment and property income before expenses for each tax year you know.

  2. Read the date you must start and your first deadline.

  3. Choose MTD-compatible software and sign up with HMRC before your start date.

About this tool

Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax applies to sole traders and landlords. You must keep digital records in compatible software and send HMRC a summary every quarter, then file your tax return through the same software. It starts in stages, based on your qualifying income: your self-employment and property income added together, before expenses.

  • More than £50,000 in 2024 to 2025: you must use MTD from 6 April 2026.
  • More than £30,000 in 2025 to 2026: from 6 April 2027.
  • More than £20,000 in 2026 to 2027: from 6 April 2028.

Quarterly updates cover 6 April to 5 July, 5 October, 5 January and 5 April, and are due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. The tax return for the year is still due by 31 January. HMRC has said it will not give penalty points for late quarterly updates in the 2026 to 2027 tax year.

Employment income, pensions, savings and dividends do not count towards qualifying income. If you own property jointly, count only your share of the rent.

Good to know

  • Thresholds checked on GOV.UK on 5 November 2026.
  • Partnerships, and people who are digitally excluded or otherwise exempt, are not modelled.
  • Not tax advice. HMRC decides who must use MTD.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Making Tax Digital in 2026?

Yes, if your self-employment and property income before expenses was more than £50,000 in the 2024 to 2025 tax year. You must use it from 6 April 2026.

Is the £30,000 threshold before or after expenses?

Before expenses. Add your turnover from self-employment and your gross property income.

Does my salary count towards MTD?

No. Only self-employment and property income count. Salary, pensions, savings interest and dividends do not.

When is the first quarterly update due?

By 7 August after the quarter ending 5 July. For someone starting on 6 April 2027, that is 7 August 2027.

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Last updated 2026-10-20 by the Toolkeel team. How we build and check our tools.