How Do I Add a Tax to My HMRC Account?

You can add more than 40 services to your Business Tax Account. Here’s how you add the four main ones: Corporation Tax, Self Assessment, PAYE for employers and VAT.  

On the Business Tax Account home page, any service you add will appear here. For some services, HMRC will send you an activation PIN within 10 working days. Once you put the PIN in, you can start using the service.  

Corporation Tax

1. Select ‘add a tax, duty or scheme’. 
2. Select ‘Corporation Tax’. 
3. Enter your 10-digit Corporation Tax Unique Taxpayer Reference.  
4. Enter either, your Company Registration Number, sent to you by Companies House,   or the postcode of your registered office (if your company is not based in the UK, then select this option).

Self Assessment

To add Self Assessment, you’ll need your Unique Taxpayer Reference number. If you don’t have it, you can’t add this service at this time. Instead, you’ll be directed to register for Self Assessment.  

Once you receive your Unique Taxpayer Reference letter, log back into your Business Tax Account:

1. Select ‘add a tax, duty or scheme’. 
2. Select ‘Self Assessment’. 
3. Enter your 10-digit Taxpayer Reference number.   
4. Select if you’re an ‘Individual or ‘sole trader’, ‘Partnership’ or ‘Trust’. If you’re an individual or sole trader, you’ll be asked to enter your National Insurance number. If you don’t have it, you’ll be asked for your postcode.   
5. Confirm your identity to get access to Self Assessment right away. But don’t worry if you can’t do this, you can still request an activation pin in the post.  

PAYE for Employers

1. Select ‘add a tax, duty or scheme’. 
2. Select ‘PAYE for employers’. 
3. If you have a PAYE reference number, enter it here as well as the HMRC office number and your Accounts Office reference number.  
4. If you don’t have a PAYE reference number, you’ll be directed to register as an employer.   
5. Once you’ve received your reference numbers, log back into your Business Tax Account and add the details.

VAT

1. Select ‘add a tax, duty or scheme’. 
2. Select ‘VAT’. 
3. Select the type of VAT service you want and enter your 9-digit VAT number. 
4. Enter the date you became VAT registered and the UK postcode for where your business is registered for VAT.  
5. You’ll also need to tell HMRC if you’re currently submitting VAT returns, the total from your latest VAT return and the last month of your latest VAT accounting period.  

You can find more information about the Business Tax Account on GOV.UK.