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What does MTD ITSA stand for?
By the VoxaMTD team. Last verified 31 October 2026
MTD ITSA stands for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment. GOV.UK calls it Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, HMRC's way of doing Self Assessment through compatible software for sole traders and landlords.
It replaces a once-a-year return built from paper or spreadsheet records with digital records, quarterly updates and a tax return, all sent through software. It is separate from Making Tax Digital for VAT, which has applied to VAT-registered businesses for longer.
The service covers self-employment and property income. Other income, such as pensions or partnership profit shares, is still reported on your tax return through your software.
Quarterly updates are summaries of income and expenses by category, not tax returns. The tax return itself is due by 31 January after the end of the tax year, and payment dates do not change.
Read next
- What is MTD for Income Tax (MTD ITSA)? →
- MTD Glossary: Making Tax Digital Terms Explained →
- MTD quarterly filing in VoxaMTD →
Sources
- GOV.UK: Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax
- GOV.UK: Send quarterly updates
- GOV.UK: Submit your tax return