Making Tax Digital for VAT as an agent: step by step

1. Get the right software

You can search for software packages that are compatible with Making Tax Digital for VAT.

2. Create an agent services account

You’ll need to create an agent services account.

This is different to your HMRC online services for agents account.

An agent services account lets you copy across your existing VAT clients’ authorisations from your HMRC online services account.

You’ll need your Government Gateway user ID.

3. Sign up your existing VAT clients for Making Tax Digital

Sign up your clients for Making Tax Digital for VAT.

You can manage your client’s details online once you have signed them up.

4. Ask new clients to sign up to Making Tax Digital

If you want to act for a client that you have not copied across in the previous step, they’ll need to sign up to Making Tax Digital.

You can then ask them to authorise you. You cannot do this step for them.

5. Ask new clients to authorise you

Sign in to your agent services account then:

1. Select ‘Ask a client to authorise you’.
2. Create an authorisation request – this appears as a link.
3. Send the link to your client.

Your client must:

• have already signed up for Making Tax Digital for VAT
• use the link to respond to your request before it expires

Find out how to authorise an agent to deal with certain tax services for you

6. Authorise your software

Before you can send VAT Returns digitally, you’ll need to authorise your software.

Ask your software supplier if you do not know how.