2-D bar-coded/CD-Rom notifications

Our Data Capture Centre still gets many 2-D bar-coded SDLT1 Returns which cannot be scanned.

We manually process them to ensure customers receive their certificates as soon as possible. But this is time consuming, causes delay and is a service we would prefer to keep to a minimum. The 2-D barcode was specifically introduced to enable returns submitted using our CD ROM, or 3rd party software products to be scanned and processed on the day of receipt.

These are the most common reasons why 2-D barcode returns fail scanning:

Customers’ Printers

  • The ink supply is incorrectly balanced. This causes the barcode to be corrupted and unreadable.
  • The printer is not set properly (some forms print with a wide black margin, which prevent them being scanned)

Manual changes

Any alterations made manually after printing the return are not captured within the barcode.

Your internal IT support should be able to check if either of the first 2 bullets apply.

2-D barcode specifications and print requirements for the 2-D barcode

Identity of Form

Any recognised substitute form must bear an agreed unique identifier so that its design source can readily be identified. The identifier should be part of the form number on the front page, as shown in the illustrations provided. After "SDLT1" use a short name or acronym to replace "(E)" that appears on the illustrations.

Logo

The HM Revenue & Customs crest (the roundel) incorporated within the logo should not be reproduced on substitute forms. But the words ‘HM Revenue & Customs’ should appear in bold type in the top left-hand corner of the front page of the form. Forms and software suppliers who wish to do so may place their company or trade name, but not their company logo, below ‘HM Revenue & Customs’.

Barcode

  • Barcodes on substitute forms SDLT 1 should be positioned at the foot of each page.
  • There must be a white space of least 7mm around each barcode.
  • Manual amendments to printouts of bar-coded forms are not admissible.

Paper and Printing

To ensure adequate barcode scanning it is important that users of substitute
Land Transaction Returns meet certain standards. Forms and software suppliers are requested to make sure that users of their recognised substitutes are aware of these standards.

Paper requirement

Substitute forms must be printed on quality WHITE A4-size paper of at least 80gsm weight. Coloured paper cannot be used for these forms.

Print colour

All printing must be in BLACK. Coloured inks are not permitted.
Each page should be printed single-sided - one sheet of paper for each page. ‘Duplex’ printing on the front and back of the paper is not permitted.

Print quality

To ensure good quality barcodes, the image should ideally be printed out at 300dpi (dots per inch). 200dpi is the minimum acceptable quality.

Print margins

We recognise that margin widths may vary according to the type of computer printer being used.

Of course, using the Stamp Taxes Online service would avoid all these problems. And, as you can now get your SDLT5 certificate a few moments after successful online submission, you no longer have to wait for the paper copies in the post.