Am I in Making Tax Digital?
Enter your self-employment turnover and property income. You get a yes or no, the date you start, and your next four quarterly deadlines.
Your result shows here. It updates as you type.
This does not send anything to HMRC. You type the totals into HMRC-recognised software or a bridging tool.
Figures are estimates for planning. They are not tax advice.
Rates checked on gov.uk on 6 November 2026.
Keep your records in a spreadsheet
The Sole Trader MTD Record Book is in the shop now, £8.99 as a one-off download. You log income, costs and miles, and it adds them up into the totals each quarterly update asks for. A landlord version is in the shop too. Quarterly update 3 is due 7 February 2027: what to send. Keeping a spreadsheet? How bridging software fits.
See the shopQuestions people ask
What counts towards the £50,000, £30,000 and £20,000 figures?
Gross self-employment turnover plus gross property income, before any expenses. Pay from a job, dividends, pensions and partnership profit shares do not count. For jointly owned property, only your share counts.
Is it "more than" or "at least"?
More than. If your income is exactly £50,000, you are not over the line. HMRC reads your Self Assessment return from two tax years before the start, so the 2024/25 return decides April 2026, 2025/26 decides April 2027 and 2026/27 decides April 2028.
What happens if I miss a quarterly update?
Each missed deadline earns a penalty point. At four points you pay £200, and £200 for each further miss. There are no points for late quarterly updates in 2026/27, but a late return still earns points.
Can I be exempt?
You can apply to HMRC if it is not reasonable for you to use software, for example because of age, health, disability, religious belief or having no internet. Not being used to software is not accepted. Partnerships are not in scope yet.
Free: the one-page MTD checklist
Every quarterly date, what to do before each update, and what happens if you miss one. Join the list and we email you a short reminder a week before each deadline. Unsubscribe any time.
You are on the list. Your checklist is ready: Download the checklist (PDF)
We will also email you the link, so you have it for later.