How to Register for MTD (Making Tax Digital) for Income Tax

If your income is over the £50,000 threshold, Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax becomes mandatory for you in April 2026.

HMRC will not automatically move you to the new system. You (or your accountant) must actively register for MTD. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to register for MTD.

When Should You Register?

You must be registered and ready to go before your first MTD tax year begins. For most people mandated in the first wave, this means you must be registered before 6 April 2026.

However, you cannot sign up until you have submitted your Self Assessment tax return for the previous tax year.

Step 1: Get Your Software Ready

This is the most important step. You cannot register for MTD until you have chosen your MTD-compatible software. During the registration process, HMRC will ask you to authorize your software to connect to your tax account.

You have two main choices:

1. Full Accounting Software: Complex platforms like Xero or QuickBooks.
2. Bridging Software: Simple tools like Abridge that let you keep using your existing spreadsheets.

If you want to keep your current workflow and avoid expensive subscriptions, bridging software is the easiest choice.

Step 2: Gather Your Information

Before you start the registration process on the HMRC website, make sure you have the following information to hand:

• Your Government Gateway user ID and password.
• Your National Insurance number.
• Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number.
• The start date of your accounting period.
• Your business email address.

Step 3: Sign Up on the HMRC Website

Once you have your software ready and your details gathered, follow these steps:

1. Go to the official HMRC page for signing up to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
2. Log in using your Government Gateway credentials.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your business details.
4. When prompted, authorize your chosen MTD software to interact with HMRC.

Step 4: Link Your Software

After completing the sign-up process with HMRC, you need to log into your chosen MTD software (like Abridge) and complete the connection. The software will guide you through a secure login process to finalize the link between your digital records and HMRC.

What if I Have an Accountant?

If you have an accountant, they can handle the entire registration process for you. They will use their Agent Services Account to sign you up. You simply need to confirm which software you will be using to keep your digital records.