Register for HMRC taxes and sign up for online services

If you're already registered for tax you can start sending your returns online instead of on paper by signing up for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Online Services. Follow the link to 'Sign up to send returns using HMRC Online Services'.

If you start a business, take on an employee or subcontractor for the first time, or need to register for VAT, you must tell HMRC. There's a registration service to help you with this.

If you are not in business or have been self-employed before there are other ways to register for tax.

On this page:

Tell HMRC you're a new business, new employer or contractor, new to VAT
When to use other ways to register for tax
Sign up to send returns using HMRC Online Services
More useful links

Tell HMRC you're a new business, new employer or contractor, new to VAT

If you have a new business or have taken on employees for the first time you can use HMRC's tax registration service to register a business with HMRC for the following taxes:

Self Assessment (businesses only)
Corporation Tax (limited companies only)
PAYE for employers/contractors
VAT

When you use this service to register for a tax you will automatically be enrolled for the appropriate online service.

Follow the 'Register your business for HMRC taxes' link below to tell HMRC you're a new business, new employer or contractor, new to VAT.

Agents

If you're an agent you can use the tax registration service on behalf of your client. You must first be set up as an agent through the Government Gateway - but you don't need to have a formal agent authorisation for your client in place to use this service. If you register a client for taxes they will not be automatically enrolled for online services.

When to use other ways to register for tax

Self Assessment

You may have to register for Self Assessment because you need to tell HMRC that:

you have more complicated tax affairs, for example you have income from property or capital gains
you have worked for yourself before and are restarting self-employment

Follow the 'Register for Self Assessment' link below for information about how to register.

Corporation Tax

To register an organisation, for example a club or society, for Corporation Tax follow the 'Starting a company or organisation and Corporation Tax' link for more information about how to do this.

Starting a company or organisation and Corporation Tax

PAYE and employers

There are some exceptions where employers in certain unusual circumstances can not use the Online Tax Registration service.

Follow the 'How to register as an employer' link for more information

How to register as an employer

VAT

There are some exceptions where you cannot use the online registration service to register for VAT. Follow the 'How to register for VAT' link for more information.

How to register for VAT

Please note: If you have used one of the other ways to register for business taxes, you need to sign up for online services separately (see below).