New Self Assessment Registration Service: UTR in 72 Hours
HMRC has launched an improved online Self Assessment registration service that issues your UTR within 72 hours, ahead of the 5 October deadline for 2025/26.
HMRC has launched an improved online service for registering for Self Assessment. The new service is built around your Personal Tax Account and is designed to make first-time registration quicker and simpler.
The biggest change is speed. HMRC says a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) — the number you need before you can file — is now issued online within 72 hours, rather than up to 15 days by post. Over 640,000 people registered for Self Assessment in the 12 months to 31 March 2026.
Key Points
- The registration deadline for anyone filing Self Assessment for the first time for the 2025/26 tax year (6 April 2025 – 5 April 2026) is 5 October 2026.
- A UTR is now issued within 72 hours through the online service, instead of up to 15 days by post.
- The service pre-populates forms with information HMRC already holds, lets you save and return without losing data, and sends confirmation by email or text.
- You generally need to register if your gross self-employment income is over £1,000, you're a partner in a business partnership, or you have other untaxed income over £2,500.
- Once registered, the deadline to file your return and pay any tax owed is 31 January 2027.
What to Do
- If you're not sure whether you need to file, use HMRC's free Check if you need to send a Self Assessment tax return tool.
- If you do need to file for the first time, register online before 5 October 2026 so your UTR arrives with time to spare.
- Registering early leaves room to gather records and file well before the January deadline.
Related Guides
Information accurate as of 19 September 2026. Verify current details on GOV.UK.
Official Sources
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