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MTD Readiness Checker

Am I affected by Making Tax Digital, and from when? Answer a few questions and get a personalised answer — whether you’re mandated, which phase, what you must do, and your deadlines.

Rent received before any expenses.
Sole-trader turnover before expenses. Leave blank if none.

Fill in your figures above to see if and when MTD applies, and what you’ll need to do.

Based on 2026/27 UK tax rules · GOV.UK source · This is an estimate, not personal tax advice — always check your own circumstances with HMRC or a qualified accountant.

Illustration for the mtd readiness checker

How we work out whether MTD applies to you

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is being phased in by qualifying income — your gross income from property and self-employment added together, before expenses. The checker compares that figure to the thresholds and tells you which phase you fall into:

  • Over £50,000 — mandated from 6 April 2026
  • Over £30,000 — mandated from 6 April 2027
  • Over £20,000 — mandated from 6 April 2028

It uses gross income (not profit), splits jointly-owned property by your share, and excludes property held in a limited company and income like salary or pension — the four things landlords most often get wrong. Once you know your phase, see the exact dates with the MTD Deadline Calculator, or read what Making Tax Digital actually is.

When filing opens, Quarterwise keeps your records and files your quarterly updates and tax return to HMRC — free for your first property.

Common questions

HMRC says I’m exempt and won’t let me sign up — is that right?
Probably, yes. If your 2024/25 Self Assessment included the SA109 residence or remittance basis pages (non-UK resident, dual resident, split-year treatment, or the foreign income and gains regime), you are automatically exempt from MTD until April 2027 and the sign-up service will refuse you — no application needed, and no penalties can arise while exempt. Keep filing your normal Self Assessment return; your MTD start is April 2027 at the earliest. Trustees, personal representatives and Lloyd’s underwriters are automatically exempt with no end date.
Do I have to use Making Tax Digital as a landlord?
You must use MTD for Income Tax once your qualifying income (gross property + self-employment income) passes the threshold for the current phase: over £50,000 from April 2026, over £30,000 from April 2027, and over £20,000 from April 2028.
Is the threshold based on my profit?
No — it is gross income (turnover) before expenses, not profit. Property and self-employment income are added together for the test.
What if I own the property jointly?
Only your share of the rental income counts towards your qualifying income, and the threshold is measured per person. This checker splits jointly-owned rent by the share you enter.
What about property held in a limited company?
Company-held property is outside MTD for Income Tax — the company pays Corporation Tax and reports separately. It does not count towards your personal qualifying income.
Does my salary or pension count?
No. Employment, pension, savings and dividend income do not count towards the MTD qualifying-income threshold, though they remain taxable and are reported in the usual way.

Be ready for Making Tax Digital.

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