MTD quarterly deadlines: the four dates to tattoo on your calendar
Under Making Tax Digital you report four times a year. The deadlines are the same every year: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May.
Until the next MTD quarterly update deadline
Quarters and deadlines
| Quarter (standard) | Update due by |
|---|---|
| 6 April – 5 July | 7 August |
| 6 July – 5 October | 7 November |
| 6 October – 5 January | 7 February |
| 6 January – 5 April | 7 May |
You can choose calendar quarters (1 April – 30 June and so on) in your software. The deadlines stay the same — 7 August, 7 November, 7 February, 7 May — so you get about five extra days after each quarter ends.
What goes in a quarterly update
Totals of business income and expenses for the year so far, split by category — the same categories as the self-employment or property pages of a tax return. No receipts, no tax calculation, nothing to pay. Each update is cumulative, so mistakes are fixed in the following quarter rather than by resubmitting.
The workload isn't the update itself — it's having your records digital and up to date when the deadline lands. That's the entire problem NippyTax is being built to remove.
Who has to file, from when
| Gross income (turnover) | MTD mandatory from | First quarterly update due | Checked against |
|---|---|---|---|
| £50,000+ | 6 April 2026 — already in force | 7 August 2026 | 2024/25 tax return |
| £30,000 – £50,000 | 6 April 2027 | 7 August 2027 | 2025/26 tax return |
| £20,000 – £30,000 | 6 April 2028 | 7 August 2028 | 2026/27 tax return |
| Under £20,000 | No start date announced yet | ||
If a deadline slips
Each late update earns a penalty point; at four points HMRC charges £200, and every further late submission is another £200 while you stay at the threshold. Details on the penalties page — and if you've already missed one, here's exactly what to do.
Frequently asked questions
What are the MTD quarterly dates?
Standard quarters follow the tax year: 6 April–5 July, 6 July–5 October, 6 October–5 January and 6 January–5 April. Updates are due by 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May respectively.
What do I actually submit each quarter?
A summary of your business income and expenses for the year so far, by category — not receipts, not a tax calculation, and no tax payment. If you use software that holds your records, it is largely a review-and-send job.
What if I make a mistake in a quarterly update?
Updates are cumulative, so you simply correct the figures in your next update. There is no penalty for honest inaccuracies in-quarter — the numbers that matter are finalised at the final declaration.
Do I file separate updates for each business?
Yes — one set of quarterly updates per trade and one per property business. A sole trader who also has rental property files two updates per quarter (software makes this a lot less painful than it sounds).
Can I choose calendar quarters instead?
Yes — you can elect in your software to report 1 April–30 June and so on. The deadlines stay the same (7 August etc.), which effectively gives you five extra days after each quarter ends.
Get NippyTax when it launches
We are building the simplest possible way to do MTD quarterly updates — no accounting suite, no jargon. Join the waitlist and be first in when it launches.