
Fix MTD (Making Tax Digital) issues in QuickBooks (VAT and ITSA)
by Intuit•53• Updated 1 week ago
If you’re having trouble connecting QuickBooks to HMRC for Making Tax Digital (MTD), don’t worry. This article covers common issues for VAT and Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) and how to fix them.
Before you begin
Keep these points in mind before troubleshooting:
- QuickBooks supports Standard, Cash, and Flat Rate VAT schemes.
- Bridging software supports Standard and Cash schemes only.
- Businesses with a home currency other than GBP aren’t currently supported.
- HMRC requires QuickBooks connections to be reauthorised every 18 months.
Quick 3-step checklist
Before troubleshooting, check the following:
- Correct MTD login – For accountants and bookkeepers: Use only an Agent Services Account (ASA). Business owners use their own Government Gateway login.
- Client authorisation – For accountants and bookkeepers: Make sure your client has approved you in HMRC to submit returns (digital handshake).
- No overdue filings – For everyone: Check that there are no unpaid or overdue returns with HMRC.
These three checks prevent most MTD errors.
Step-by-step troubleshooting
Each section below includes: Why this happens and How to fix it.
Guidance for accountants and bookkeepers
- Always use an ASA for clients.
- Confirm your client has approved the digital handshake (this is HMRC’s way of linking your ASA with the client’s account).
- Keep client info (UTR, NI, trading name) and two forms of ID ready.
- Reauthorise connections every 18 months.
See: Accountant’s guide to setting up QuickBooks for MTD (VAT and ITSA)
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