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MTD ITSAUpdated 13 May 2026Live

Making Tax Digital deadlines: MTD quarterly update dates

Every MTD deadline, before it sneaks up.

MTD for Income Tax has four quarterly update deadlines each tax year: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May, followed by a final declaration by 31 January. The rules are phased in for sole traders and landlords: over £50,000 from April 2026, over £30,000 from April 2027 and over £20,000 from April 2028.

Not sure whether these dates apply to you? Use the MTD eligibility calculator to check your start date.

Download all deadlines · See the full table

By Mehmet Demir · Last reviewed: 13 May 2026 · Source: HMRC · Independent guide, not affiliated with HMRC.

Quick answer

The first MTD for Income Tax quarterly update deadline is 7 August 2026. The four quarterly update deadlines are 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. The final declaration deadline is 31 January after the end of the tax year.

The 2026-27 tax year at a glance

Four quarterly updates plus one final declaration. Standard tax-year periods start 6 April. You can elect calendar-month periods, which cover slightly different windows but share the same due dates.

  1. Next

    Q1

    7 Aug 2026

    6 Apr to 5 Jul

  2. Q2

    7 Nov 2026

    new records 6 Jul to 5 Oct

  3. Q3

    7 Feb 2027

    new records 6 Oct 2026 to 5 Jan

  4. Q4

    7 May 2027

    new records 6 Jan to 5 Apr

  5. Final

    31 Jan 2028

    Year-end declaration

All deadlines, all tax years

Click any date to add that single deadline to your calendar.

Tax yearQ1 updateQ2 updateQ3 updateQ4 updateFinal declaration
2026-27
7 Aug 2026FridayHMRC period: 6 Apr to 5 Julics
7 Nov 2026SaturdayHMRC period: 6 Apr to 5 Octics
7 Feb 2027SundayHMRC period: 6 Apr 2026 to 5 Janics
7 May 2027FridayHMRC period: 6 Apr 2026 to 5 Aprics
31 Jan 2028Mondayics
2027-28
7 Aug 2027SaturdayHMRC period: 6 Apr to 5 Julics
7 Nov 2027SundayHMRC period: 6 Apr to 5 Octics
7 Feb 2028MondayHMRC period: 6 Apr 2027 to 5 Janics
7 May 2028SundayHMRC period: 6 Apr 2027 to 5 Aprics
31 Jan 2029Wednesdayics
2028-29
7 Aug 2028MondayHMRC period: 6 Apr to 5 Julics
7 Nov 2028TuesdayHMRC period: 6 Apr to 5 Octics
7 Feb 2029WednesdayHMRC period: 6 Apr 2028 to 5 Janics
7 May 2029MondayHMRC period: 6 Apr 2028 to 5 Aprics
31 Jan 2030Thursdayics

Standard vs calendar update periods

By default, MTD for Income Tax uses standard tax-year update periods. HMRC's official periods are cumulative: 6 April to 5 July, 6 April to 5 October, 6 April to 5 January, and 6 April to 5 April. In plain English, each deadline mainly adds the new records from the latest quarter, while your software can also include earlier records and corrections. You can elect calendar update periods (1 April to 30 June and so on). The deadlines themselves do not change: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May. What changes is the period covered, not the deadline.

DeadlineStandard update periodCalendar update period
7 August6 April to 5 July1 April to 30 June
7 November6 April to 5 October1 April to 30 September
7 February6 April to 5 January1 April to 31 December
7 May6 April to 5 April1 April to 31 March

Source: HMRC, Send quarterly updates.

Making Tax Digital deadline FAQs

When are MTD for Income Tax deadlines each year?
For most sole traders and landlords in scope, five filings fall in each tax year: quarterly updates due 7 August, 7 November, 7 February, and 7 May, followed by a final declaration on 31 January (the same date as the existing self-assessment deadline). The countdown at the top of this page always shows the next live date.
What happens if I miss an MTD deadline?
For 2026-27, HMRC says there are no penalty points for missing quarterly update deadlines, but you still need to send the updates before you can submit your tax return. From later tax years, missed quarterly updates can earn penalty points, and reaching 4 points can trigger a £200 penalty. Late final declarations and late tax payments follow separate self-assessment rules.
Are the quarters based on the tax year or calendar months?
By default the four quarterly update periods follow the UK tax year. In plain English each deadline mainly adds the new records from the latest quarter (6 April to 5 July, 6 July to 5 October, 6 October to 5 January, and 6 January to 5 April), but HMRC's official update periods are cumulative and run from 6 April to the end of each quarter. You can elect to use calendar-month update periods (1 April to 30 June and so on), which cover slightly different windows but share the same statutory due dates of 7 August, 7 November, 7 February, and 7 May.
Do MTD deadlines move if the 7th falls on a weekend?
HMRC lists the quarterly update deadlines as fixed dates: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February, and 7 May. Some of these fall on weekends in future years, so it is safest to submit before the listed date and to check your software or HMRC online account for the exact obligation shown.
Do I file one update if I have more than one business or property income source?
No. HMRC says quarterly updates are sent for each self-employment and property income source. If you have more than one business or property income source, your software may need to send separate updates for each source, all due by the same statutory date.
Who has to file by these dates from April 2026?
Sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income was over £50,000 for the 2024-25 tax year must join MTD for Income Tax from 6 April 2026. The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028.
Can I file a quarterly update early?
Yes. Once the quarter has ended you can submit at any time up to the due date. Filing an update early does not change the 31 January final declaration deadline.
What if my business doesn't use the standard 6 April to 5 April tax year?
MTD for Income Tax still applies even if your accounting period does not line up with 6 April to 5 April. HMRC says calendar update periods can make record keeping simpler where your accounting period is not aligned to the tax year. Your software or agent can help you choose the right update-period setting. The filing deadlines stay the same: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February, 7 May and 31 January.

Read next

Free, no signup

Calendar reminders, without the inbox.

Download a single .ics file with every quarterly update and final declaration for tax years 2026-27 to 2028-29. Imports into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook and Fastmail.

Download all deadlines (.ics)

All 15 events, 8 KB, updated 2026-05-13