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When should I sign up for MTD for Income Tax?
By the VoxaMTD team. Last verified 31 October 2026
Sign up before the date you need to start. That is 6 April 2026 for income over £50,000, and HMRC says to sign up now if you need to use it for 2026 to 2027. You can also volunteer for the current or next tax year.
Before you start, you must have submitted your Self Assessment return for the tax year before you begin using the service. If you volunteer, you need compatible software to send any quarterly updates for the year so far that you have missed.
Volunteers have different penalty rules, and HMRC confirms when you become liable. If you are required to use the service later, such as from 6 April 2027 or 6 April 2028, you can choose to join sooner to practise.
Agents can sign clients up with their permission. Whenever you sign up, choose your software first, because you will need to authorise it before creating records.
Read next
- What is MTD voluntary sign-up? →
- HMRC Signed You Up for MTD? What to Do Next →
- MTD quarterly filing in VoxaMTD →
Sources
- GOV.UK: Sign up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
- GOV.UK: Check if you can use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax