Quarterly Update Rejected? This May Be Due to an HMRC Issue
If you use calendar quarters for Making Tax Digital (MTD) and your quarterly update is rejected, this may be caused by a known issue within HMRC's systems.
Some users who submit updates for quarters ending 30 June, 30 September, 31 December, or 31 March have found that HMRC does not recognise the reporting period correctly, even when the dates are correct.
How do I know if this affects me?
This issue may apply if:
You have chosen calendar quarters for your business.
The quarter dates shown in your software look correct.
HMRC rejects the submission even though the dates match the quarter you are trying to submit.
The error appears immediately after submission, with no errors shown against your income or expense figures.
What should I do?
1. Refresh your obligations
Update or refresh your quarterly obligations in the software to make sure you have the latest information from HMRC.
2. Check the reporting period
Confirm that the start and end dates you're submitting match the quarter shown in your HMRC online account.
3. Try again later
If you've recently joined MTD or changed your reporting method, HMRC's systems may still be updating. Waiting a few days and trying again can sometimes resolve the issue.
HMRC's guidance is to allow up to 7 days for their records to update.
4. Contact HMRC if the problem continues
If the error keeps happening, HMRC may need to investigate.
Have the following information ready:
Your National Insurance number (NINO)
Business ID
Tax year
Quarter start and end dates
The full error message
HMRC can check whether your business has been set up correctly for calendar quarter reporting and whether the reporting periods on their system are correct.