Submit an Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) notification
Submit a notification and tell HMRC about a grant of an EMI share option — if you’re an employer.
- From:
- HM Revenue & Customs
- Published
- 4 March 2014
- Last updated
-
106OctoberApril20242026 — See all updates
An Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) scheme is a tax advantaged share schemescheme.
Most thatcompanies youmay canbe eligible to operate an EMI scheme if yourthey companyhave:
- gross
has:assets of £120 million or less - fewer than 500 full-time employees
- a total value of unexercised options granted under EMI not exceeding £6 million
On or before 5 April 2026, companies may have been eligible to operate an EMI scheme if they had:
- gross assets of £30 million or less
- fewer than 250 full-time employees
- a
ortotallessvalue of unexercised options granted under EMI not exceeding £3 million
EMI share options can be granted to eligible employees.
For companies where the increased limits apply, the limit on the exercise period has increased from 10 years to 15 years for all options that have not already lapsed, expired or been exercised. The company will retain the tax advantages if the contracts are amended in line with the option agreement or legislation, where required.
The option must be exercised on or after 6 April 2026 to take advantage of the increased holding period.
The increase in the eligibility criteria and extended holding period will not apply if the employer company has its registered office in Northern Ireland and trades in goods or the provision of electricity.
Before you submit a notification
Register your EMI scheme — if you have not already done so.
You’ll get a reference number online within 7 days.
Tell HMRC about the grant of an EMI option.
You must tell HMRC:
- within 92 days of the date of grant — if the option was granted before 6 April 2024
- by 6 July following the end of the tax year the grant was made in — or you risk losing any tax benefits for you and your employees
If it was granted on or after 6 April 2024, you must tell HMRC about this on or before 6 July following the end of the tax year in which the grant is made.
If you fail to notify HMRC within these deadlines you risk losing any tax benefits for you and your employees.
How to tell HMRC
You’ll need to do one of the following:
- download a template — if you’re providing details for more than 30 employees
- go straight to the online service — if you’re providing details for 30 employees or less
If you need a template
Download the EMI notification template.
Complete the template — follow the guidance notes if you need them.
Submit the EMI notification using the online service.
Submit an EMI notification
You’ll need the Government Gateway user ID and password you used when you told HMRC about the Enterprise Management Incentive scheme.
The online service will not save the details once you have submitted your notification, you may want to take screenshots of each page — if you’re using a template you should save a copy of the file.
What happens next
Keep a copy of the information and the confirmation that HMRC have received your EMI notification for your records.
Updates to this page
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Update history
2026-04-06 00:15
Information on operating an Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) scheme from 6 April 2026 has been added.
2024-10-10 13:59
We have updated the guidance with more information about when to tell HMRC about a grant of an Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) option.
2024-02-06 08:00
We have updated the guidance with more information about when to tell HMRC about a grant of an Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) option.
2024-01-02 10:49
Before you submit your employment related securities return or notification, you need to save a copy of it for your own records. This is because the online service will not save the details and you will not be able to access them again.