What to send for MTD quarterly update 3 by 7 February 2027
Who has to send it, the period it covers, the deadline for standard and calendar quarters, and a short list to run through before you send.
The short version. The third quarterly update is a year-to-date total from 6 April 2026 to 5 January 2027, and it has to be with HMRC by 7 February 2027.
Who must send it
You must send quarterly updates if you are in Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. That has applied since 6 April 2026 to sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income was over £50,000 on their 2024/25 tax return. Qualifying income is your gross self-employment turnover plus gross property income, before expenses. Wages, pensions and dividends do not count, and joint property counts your share only. If you are not sure whether you are in, use the Making Tax Digital checker.
What it covers
Update 3 covers 6 April 2026 to 5 January 2027 if you use standard quarters. If you chose calendar quarters, it covers 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026. Either way it is year to date: the figures include everything since the start of the tax year, not just the last three months. You send totals, not receipts or invoices.
The deadline
Standard and calendar quarters have the same deadline: 7 February 2027. You cannot change your quarter type once you have sent your first update of the tax year.
Turnover under £90,000
If your turnover from a self-employment, or from UK property, is under £90,000, you can record each transaction as just income or expense, with no category detail. Landlords with residential property still need to flag restricted finance costs. At £90,000 or more, you need the full expense categories from the start of the tax year.
Late updates in 2026/27
Each missed quarterly deadline normally earns a penalty point, and four points bring a £200 penalty. For 2026/27, HMRC is not giving points for late quarterly updates. A late final declaration still earns one, so the pause is not a reason to skip the update. Send it on time anyway, because the year-to-date figures feed straight into your year-end work.
Check before you send
- Every sale, rent payment and cost up to the end of the quarter is entered.
- The year-to-date totals match your bank.
- Your quarter type (standard or calendar) is the one you chose at the start.
- If your turnover is under £90,000, each line is marked as income or expense.
- Landlords: finance costs are flagged separately.
- You note the date you sent it, and put money aside for the tax on this profit.
Keep the totals ready
The Sole Trader MTD Record Book costs £8.99 as a one-off download. You log income, costs and miles in a spreadsheet, and it totals them the way each quarterly update asks.
Get the record book, £8.99Questions people ask
Who has to send MTD quarterly updates this year?
Sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income was over £50,000 on their 2024/25 tax return. They have been in Making Tax Digital for Income Tax since 6 April 2026.
What does the third quarterly update cover?
Everything from 6 April 2026 to 5 January 2027 (standard quarters), or 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026 (calendar quarters). It is a running total, not just the last three months.
Is the deadline different for calendar quarters?
No. Standard and calendar quarters both have a deadline of 7 February 2027 for the third update.
Do I get a penalty point if I send it late?
Not in 2026/27. HMRC is not giving penalty points for late quarterly updates this tax year. A late final declaration still earns a point.
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.
General information, not tax advice. Check your own figures on gov.uk or with an accountant if you are unsure.
Checked against gov.uk on 7 November 2026. Sources: the gov.uk pages on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, Self Assessment deadlines and payments on account, and penalties.