Get your software ready
How to authorise software and check your accounting period before you use your chosen software.
Before you continue, check you have:
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authorised an agent to act on your behalf, if you have one
After signing up, you or your client need to use your chosen software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax to create digital records and send quarterly updates.
Before you start creating digital records, you must:
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authorise your software
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check your accounting period in your software
You need to authorise your compatible software, so it is connected to HMRC.
How to authorise your software as a sole trader or landlord
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Select the option to connect with HMRC in your compatible software.
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Enter the user ID and password you used when you signed up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
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Pass the identity check by entering personal information and details from your identity documents (if you need to).
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Give permission for your software to connect with HMRC.
You’ll need to repeat these steps every 18 months, but you will not need to pass the identity check again. Your software should remind you when it’s time to reconnect.
How to authorise your software as an agent
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Select the option to connect to HMRC in the compatible software.
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Enter the user ID and password you, or the firm, used to sign up for an agent services account.
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Pass the identity check by entering personal information and details from identity documents.
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Give permission for your firm’s software to connect with HMRC.
Personal information from you or an employee at the firm is required for fraud prevention. You can find out how we store and process personal information in the Government Gateway Privacy Notice and HMRC Privacy Notice.
You’ll need to repeat these steps every 18 months. Your software should remind you when it’s time to reconnect.
Your software will automatically default to an accounting period that aligns with the tax year (6 April to 5 April).
If your accounting period runs from 1 April to 31 March, you need to select calendar periods in your software before you send your first quarterly update. This will also make your record keeping simpler if your accounting period aligns with the end of another month.
You cannot change your accounting period after you have sent a quarterly update, so it’s important you check this when you set up your software.
Find out how to access your new tax service and what you can do in your account for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.