HMRC Will Auto Sign Up MTD Income Tax Customers From September
As of 22 August 2026, HMRC will begin signing up sole traders and landlords who should already be on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax for 2026–27 but have not registered — act before the 11–15 September sign-up outage if you want to stay in control.
HMRC’s 12 August 2026 press release confirming more than 436,000 first quarterly updates also states that from September 2026 HMRC will begin signing up customers who need Making Tax Digital for Income Tax for the 2026 to 2027 tax year but have not yet done so. The rollout happens in stages over the coming months. As of Saturday 22 August, that automatic sign-up window is days away — and it overlaps the planned sign-up service outage from 5pm Friday 11 September to 1pm Tuesday 15 September.
HMRC’s message is explicit: taking action now means you stay in control, can make sure your Making Tax Digital for Income Tax details are correct from the start, and have time to choose software that works for you, rather than waiting for HMRC to sign you up. New guidance explaining what to do if you receive a letter about being signed up was due in late August.
Who should treat September auto sign-up as urgent
Sole traders and landlords in the April 2026 cohort — typically where qualifying self-employment and property income was over £50,000 on the 2024 to 2025 return — who are still outside Making Tax Digital.
Agents with clients who missed the first quarterly update soft landing after 7 August: catch-up updates remain due even though HMRC is not applying penalty points for late quarterly updates in 2026–27.
Anyone relying on ceased income sources that still appear on Self Assessment records — HMRC’s sign-up guidance says those sources must be handled correctly or you can be pulled into Making Tax Digital unexpectedly.
Self sign-up checklist before HMRC acts
Use HMRC’s “find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax” tool to confirm your year and exemptions.
Sign up yourself (or via your agent) before the 11–15 September maintenance window so you are not blocked while auto sign-up letters start circulating.
Link compatible software and clear Agent Services Account MFA recovery paths so September registration work is not trapped behind lockouts.
Watch GOV.UK for the late-August guidance on what to do if HMRC writes to you about being signed up — diary a check for your practice inbox.
How FinnAccountings helps before HMRC auto sign-up
Digital records that match bank feeds make quarterly updates faster once you are on Making Tax Digital. FinnAccountings helps Ireland and UK sole traders and limited companies prepare bookkeeping and tax packs with Chartered Accountant insight before you or your ICAEW/ACCA or Chartered Accountant (Ireland) adviser files. Start a free trial for review-ready drafts — we prepare records; we do not sign you up to Making Tax Digital or submit quarterly updates to HMRC on your behalf.
Related reading
The twenty-day sign-up outage countdown still maps the maintenance window beside auto sign-up.
Missed first quarterly update catch-up remains live after the 7 August soft landing.
MMTAR tranche-two registration still runs in parallel for agents without an ASA.
Sources & references
This article draws on official guidance from the sources below.
- 436,000 sole traders and landlords make their tax digital
HM Revenue & Customs · Accessed 2026-08-22 - Sign up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
HM Revenue & Customs · Accessed 2026-08-22 - Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
HM Revenue & Customs · Accessed 2026-08-22
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