Making Tax Digital for Income Tax checker
See if and when MTD for Income Tax hits you as a UK sole trader or landlord, count down to your start date, and download your quarterly deadline calendar. Free, no signup.
for sole traders, landlords & accountants
going digital before your deadline?
We build the practical side of MTD: simple bookkeeping and receipt-capture apps, client portals, and white-label MTD checkers for accountancy firms that want to capture these leads. Talk to the engineers who would build it.
Thresholds, dates and deadlines reviewed 24 September 2026. Sources: GOV.UK — find out if and when you need to use MTD for Income Tax and work out your qualifying income.
How the MTD for Income Tax timetable works
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax changes how UK sole traders and landlords report to HMRC. Instead of one Self Assessment return a year, you keep digital records, send an update every quarter, and finish with a final declaration. It is phased in by income, and the year the income was reported in decides your start date.
The thresholds are:
- Over £50,000 qualifying income in 2024-25 — mandated from 6 April 2026.
- Over £30,000 in 2025-26 — mandated from 6 April 2027.
- Over £20,000 in 2026-27 — mandated from 6 April 2028.
Qualifying income is self-employment plus property income only, measured gross. Employment, pension, dividend, savings and partnership income are excluded, which is where most people get the threshold wrong. Jointly owned property counts at your share. This tool applies those rules to the figures you enter, shows your start date and countdown, and builds the quarterly deadline calendar you can drop straight into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar. The figures are indicative — confirm your position on GOV.UK or with your accountant before you act.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax — frequently asked questions
Do I need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?
It depends on your qualifying income and the tax year it was reported in. If your qualifying income was over £50,000 in 2024-25 you were mandated from 6 April 2026. Over £30,000 in 2025-26 means 6 April 2027. Over £20,000 in 2026-27 means 6 April 2028. The earliest year you cross the relevant threshold sets your start date, and once you are in you stay in even if your income later falls.
What counts as qualifying income for MTD?
Qualifying income is your gross self-employment income (turnover before expenses) plus your gross property (rental) income. It is measured before deducting any expenses. Employment (PAYE) income, pensions, dividends, savings interest and partnership income do not count towards the threshold, even though they still appear on your tax return.
I'm a landlord. Does MTD apply to my rental income?
Yes, if your property income (plus any self-employment income) crosses the threshold for the relevant year. It applies to UK and overseas property, furnished holiday lets and residential and commercial lettings. Only the income counts towards the threshold, not the profit, so a portfolio with high rents but thin margins can still be mandated.
How does jointly owned property count?
You count only your share of the rental income, not the whole property's income. If you and a partner own a property 50/50, each of you includes half of the gross rent in your own qualifying income. Enter your share in the checker, not the total.
I've just started a business or started letting a property. Am I in straight away?
Not usually in your first year, because MTD is triggered by the qualifying income on a submitted tax return. HMRC looks at your most recent return, and for a part-year of trading or letting it annualises the figure to decide whether you cross the threshold. New businesses without a prior return are generally brought in later, once a full year has been reported. Check the GOV.UK guidance for your exact position.
What are the MTD quarterly deadlines?
For standard quarterly periods the deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. Each period ends on the 5th of the month and the update is due on the 7th of the following month. After the four quarterly updates you submit a final declaration by 31 January, replacing the old Self Assessment return. The checker builds these dates for your first MTD tax year and exports them as a calendar file.
Does dividend or partnership income change my start date?
No. Dividends, salary, pension and partnership income are excluded from qualifying income, so they do not bring you into MTD for Income Tax on their own. Partnerships have their own separate MTD timetable that has not yet been confirmed. Only your sole-trade and property income determine whether you are mandated.
What software do I need for MTD for Income Tax?
You need MTD-compatible software that can keep digital records and send quarterly updates and the final declaration to HMRC. If you prefer spreadsheets, bridging software can connect them to HMRC. Many sole traders and landlords want something simpler than full accounting suites, which is exactly the kind of lightweight bookkeeping and receipt-capture app we build.
Is this checker official tax advice?
No. It is a plain-English planner that applies the published thresholds and deadlines to the figures you enter. It does not access HMRC and cannot confirm whether you have signed up or met an obligation. Always confirm your position on GOV.UK or with your accountant before acting.
Make going digital simple for your clients
We build lightweight bookkeeping and receipt-capture apps, client portals and white-label MTD tools for accountants. Book a call with the engineer who would build it.