# Making Tax Digital for Income Tax checker - do you need it and when - DIY Accounting Submit Source: https://submit.diyaccounting.co.uk/mtd-income-tax-checker.html Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starts on 6 April 2026, 6 April 2027 or 6 April 2028, by how much self-employment and property income you had. Give your income for each tax year below. The page shows your start date, your first quarterly update deadline and the records to keep. Submit's Income Tax filing awaits HMRC recognition. VAT returns are filed today: see [VAT return from a spreadsheet](https://submit.diyaccounting.co.uk/vat-return-from-a-spreadsheet.html). - [See the Making Tax Digital dates](https://submit.diyaccounting.co.uk/mtd-calendar.html) ## Check your income Type your income before expenses for each tax year. Leave a box empty for no income. The answer is the earliest start date that your income gives. ## What counts as qualifying income The thresholds below apply to your qualifying income. Add your self-employment income and your property income, each before expenses. This is the amount before expenses (also known as turnover), based on the tax return you submitted in the previous tax year. [gov.uk/guidance/work-out-your-qualifying-income-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-your-qualifying-income-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) Retrieved 13 November 2026 ## Who the rule covers The rule covers sole traders and landlords who are registered for Self Assessment. you’re a sole trader or a landlord registered for Self Assessment [gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) Retrieved 13 November 2026 ## The three start dates Each start date has its own threshold and tax year. £50,000 for the 2024 to 2025 tax year, you should’ve started using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from 6 April 2026 [gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) Retrieved 13 November 2026 £30,000 for the 2025 to 2026 tax year, you will need to use it from 6 April 2027 [gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) Retrieved 13 November 2026 £20,000 for the 2026 to 2027 tax year, you will need to use it from 6 April 2028 [gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax) Retrieved 13 November 2026 ## Your first quarterly update The first update covers 6 April to 5 July of your start year. It is due on 7 August of that year. - Update period | Deadline - 6 April to 5 July | 7 August - 6 April to 5 October | 7 November - 6 April to 5 January | 7 February - 6 April to 5 April | 7 May, in the following tax year Source: the table on [gov.uk/guidance/use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax/send-quarterly-updates](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax/send-quarterly-updates) Retrieved 13 November 2026 ## Records to keep For each item of income or expense, record the amount, the date when the income was received or expenses incurred, and the category. You will need to use your software to create digital records. [gov.uk/guidance/use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax/keep-digital-records](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax/keep-digital-records) Retrieved 13 November 2026 ## What Submit files The dates for every filing are on the [MTD calendar](https://submit.diyaccounting.co.uk/mtd-calendar.html). Submit's Income Tax (MTD) filing awaits HMRC recognition. Until then it runs against a test service and files nothing real. ## Put the checker on your site Add this line to a page of your site. It shows the checker in a frame, with a link to this page under it. The frame holds no sign-in and sets no cookie. `` ## Every date - [See the Making Tax Digital dates](https://submit.diyaccounting.co.uk/mtd-calendar.html)