Free tool
Do you need Making Tax Digital, and when?
Type in your turnover for each tax year. You'll see the date it applies to you, and the deadlines for your first year of quarterly updates.
Your start date will show here
Fill in at least one year on the left. Making Tax Digital starts in the first year your income is over the threshold for that year.
- April 2026over £50,000
- April 2027over £30,000
- April 2028over £20,000
This is a guide, not tax advice. HMRC works out your date from the return you submit, so check your HMRC online account or ask your accountant. Read the full Making Tax Digital guide.
Questions people ask
- Is Making Tax Digital based on profit or turnover?
- Turnover. HMRC uses your qualifying income: your gross income from self-employment and property before any expenses or allowances are taken off. A trader with £40,000 of takings and £15,000 of profit is counted as £40,000.
- Which year's income decides my start date?
- HMRC looks at the tax return from two years before each start date: your 2024-25 return for April 2026 (over £50,000), your 2025-26 return for April 2027 (over £30,000) and your 2026-27 return for April 2028 (over £20,000).
- What happens if I'm under the threshold?
- You don't have to use Making Tax Digital for that year. If your income grows past a threshold, you'll be brought in from the following April. You can also choose to join early.
- Do I still need a tax return?
- Yes, in a new form. Quarterly updates don't replace the yearly step: you confirm your figures and make a final declaration by 31 January after the tax year ends.
Next: read the full guide to see what you have to do, or tidy up your expenses. Figures checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026.