VAT Submission Deadlines 2026/27: Every HMRC VAT Return Date in One Place

If you have just searched "when is my VAT return due", you are not alone — searches for VAT submission deadline jump every month in the week before the 7th. This guide gives you the rule, every deadline for the next twelve months, and what happens if you miss one.

The VAT submission deadline rule: 1 month and 7 days

For most VAT-registered businesses, the deadline to submit your VAT return and pay HMRC is:

1 calendar month and 7 days after the end of your VAT period.

In practice, that means the 7th of the second month after your quarter ends. For example:

• Quarter ending 30 September 2026 → return and payment due 7 November 2026
• Quarter ending 31 October 2026 → due 7 December 2026
• Quarter ending 30 November 2026 → due 7 January 2027

The filing deadline and the payment deadline are the same date. Filing on time but paying late still counts as late payment.

VAT submission dates 2026/27 by stagger

HMRC puts every quarterly VAT filer in one of three "stagger" groups. Your stagger is shown on your VAT registration certificate and in your HMRC online account. Find yours below.

Stagger 1 — quarters ending March, June, September, December

• Quarter ending 30 Sep 2026 → due Sat 7 Nov 2026
• Quarter ending 31 Dec 2026 → due Sun 7 Feb 2027
• Quarter ending 31 Mar 2027 → due Fri 7 May 2027
• Quarter ending 30 Jun 2027 → due Sat 7 Aug 2027
• Quarter ending 30 Sep 2027 → due Sun 7 Nov 2027

Stagger 2 — quarters ending January, April, July, October

• Quarter ending 31 Oct 2026 → due Mon 7 Dec 2026
• Quarter ending 31 Jan 2027 → due Sun 7 Mar 2027
• Quarter ending 30 Apr 2027 → due Mon 7 Jun 2027
• Quarter ending 31 Jul 2027 → due Tue 7 Sep 2027

Stagger 3 — quarters ending February, May, August, November

• Quarter ending 31 Aug 2026 → due Wed 7 Oct 2026
• Quarter ending 30 Nov 2026 → due Thu 7 Jan 2027
• Quarter ending 28 Feb 2027 → due Wed 7 Apr 2027
• Quarter ending 31 May 2027 → due Wed 7 Jul 2027
• Quarter ending 31 Aug 2027 → due Thu 7 Oct 2027

Monthly VAT returns

Monthly filers (often businesses that usually get a VAT repayment) follow the same rule: the return for each month is due 1 month and 7 days after that month ends — so September's return is due 7 November, October's is due 7 December, and so on.

Other VAT schemes

• Annual Accounting Scheme — one return a year, due 2 months after the end of your accounting period. You make interim payments during the year.
• Payments on account — if your VAT bill is over £2.3 million a year, you make interim payments at the end of the second and third months of each quarter, with the balance due with the return.

Your HMRC obligations are the final word. Periods can be non-standard — after a new registration, a change of stagger, or catching up on missed returns. Always check the open obligations HMRC shows for your VRN rather than assuming a calendar quarter. Good MTD VAT software pulls these straight from HMRC for you.

What if the deadline falls on a weekend?

Four of the dates above fall on a weekend. The rules are different for filing and paying:

• Filing — the deadline does not move. HMRC's systems accept returns at weekends, so you can still submit on Saturday the 7th.
• Paying — your payment must reach HMRC by the last working day before the weekend or bank holiday, unless you pay by Faster Payments, which also clear at weekends.

So for the 7 November 2026 deadline (a Saturday), a CHAPS payment needs to arrive by Friday 6 November.

How to pay your VAT bill (and how long each method takes)

When you search "pay VAT return", the method you choose decides how early you need to start:

• Faster Payments (online or telephone banking) — usually same or next day
• CHAPS — same day if sent within your bank's cut-off
• Bacs — 3 working days
• Direct Debit — HMRC collects it automatically 3 working days after the deadline. Set it up at least 3 working days before you submit your return, or the first collection will be missed.
• Debit or corporate credit card online — usually same or next day (personal credit cards are not accepted)

Use your 9-digit VRN as the payment reference. A wrong reference can mean your payment is not matched — and counted as late.

What happens if you miss the VAT deadline?

For VAT periods starting on or after 1 January 2023, HMRC uses a points-based penalty system for late returns and a separate system for late payment.

Late submission: penalty points

• You get 1 penalty point for each late return — including nil returns.
• When you reach the threshold, you get a £200 penalty, and another £200 for each further late return while you stay at the threshold.
• Thresholds: 2 points for annual filers, 4 points for quarterly filers, 5 points for monthly filers.

Late payment: penalties and interest

For VAT periods beginning on or after 1 April 2025:

• Paid within 15 days of the deadline (or a Time to Pay arrangement agreed by then) — no penalty.
• Days 16–30 — first penalty of 3% of what was outstanding on day 15.
• Day 31 onwards — first penalty becomes 3% of what was outstanding on day 15 plus 3% of what was still outstanding on day 30, and a second penalty starts accruing at 10% a year on the outstanding balance.
• Late payment interest runs from day one at the Bank of England base rate plus 4%.

If you know you cannot pay in full, contact HMRC about a Time to Pay arrangement before day 15. It stops the late-payment penalty clock.

How to do a VAT return under MTD for VAT

Since April 2022, every VAT-registered business must follow Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT. In short:

1. Keep digital records — your sales and purchases in software or a spreadsheet, with digital links between them.
2. Calculate the nine boxes — output VAT, input VAT, net VAT, and your sales and purchase figures.
3. Submit through MTD-compatible software — HMRC's old online VAT return form is closed to almost all businesses. You can no longer just log in to HMRC and type the figures in.
4. Pay by the same deadline.

That third step is why searches for "hmrc login" and "mtd vat software" spike together each month: people log in to their HMRC online account expecting to file, and find they need software. Your Government Gateway login is still used — but only to authorise your software to submit on your behalf, a one-off step that takes about a minute.

Your options for submitting a VAT return

1. Already keep your books in a spreadsheet? Use bridging software

MTD VAT bridging software takes the figures from your spreadsheet and submits them to HMRC. You keep your existing process — no migration, no subscription.

AccLedger's VAT bridging software runs in your browser: enter or upload your nine boxes, connect to HMRC, and submit for £4.99 + VAT per return. Because you are VAT-registered, the VAT on the fee is reclaimable on your next return.

2. Want your VAT return to calculate itself? Use full MTD software

If you are tired of rebuilding the nine boxes every quarter, use accounting software that does it from your records. Searches for "xero vat return" show many businesses already do this — and many of them are reviewing what they pay for it.

AccLedger's MTD VAT software builds your return from your invoices, bills and bank feed, pulls your open obligations straight from HMRC so you never file the wrong period, and submits in a few clicks. It supports standard VAT, the Flat Rate Scheme and Northern Ireland (XI) returns. If you are coming from another package, see how we compare in our Xero alternative guide.

Start a 30-day free trial — no credit card needed, and you can file your VAT returns during the trial.

VAT deadline checklist

A week before the 7th:

• Check your open obligations in HMRC or your software — confirm the period dates
• Reconcile your bank account for the period
• Make sure every sales invoice and purchase bill is recorded
• Review the nine boxes — anything unusual compared to last quarter?
• Decide your payment method and allow enough time for it to clear
• Submit the return — even if it's a nil return
• Keep the HMRC receipt / submission reference

Frequently asked questions

When is my VAT return due? One calendar month and seven days after the end of your VAT period — usually the 7th of the second month after your quarter ends. Check your exact period dates in your HMRC account or your MTD software.

Is the VAT payment deadline the same as the filing deadline? Yes, for most businesses. The exception is Direct Debit: HMRC collects 3 working days after the deadline.

Can I submit my VAT return on the HMRC website? Not for most businesses. Since MTD for VAT, returns must be sent through HMRC-recognised software. Bridging software lets you do this straight from a spreadsheet.

Do I need to file a VAT return if I had no sales? Yes. A nil return is still a return, and filing it late earns a penalty point.

What if I submit my VAT return one day late? You get one penalty point. A single point does not cost money — the £200 penalty only applies once you reach your threshold (4 points for quarterly filers). If you also pay late, late payment interest runs from the day after the deadline.

Can I submit my VAT return early? Yes — as soon as your VAT period has ended. You cannot submit before the period end date.

This article is general guidance based on HMRC rules as of October 2026 and is not tax advice. Always check the obligations shown in your HMRC account for your exact deadlines.