How to Know HMRC Accepted Your MTD Quarterly Update

You press submit, wait a few seconds and see a success message. But how do you know HMRC has actually accepted your Making Tax Digital quarterly update?

The answer is not a green button on its own. You should be able to identify the business, the period, the figures sent, the submission time and the reference returned by HMRC. This guide shows you what to keep and what to check before you send the same update again.

The clearest evidence: HMRC's correlation ID

When HMRC accepts an API request, it returns a correlation ID. This is the unique reference that lets your software provider and HMRC trace that particular request.

With Flonancial, a successful submission is saved in your submission history and you can open a receipt containing:

• the business and income-source type;
• the tax year and cumulative period covered;
• the turnover, expenses and other business income sent;
• the date and time of submission; and
• HMRC's correlation ID.

Save the receipt. If you ever need support, the correlation ID is far more useful than saying that you submitted "sometime last week".

What a correlation ID proves, and what it does not

A correlation ID linked to a successful response is evidence that HMRC accepted that submission request. It does not prove that the figures were correct, that you chose the right business or that your underlying records were complete.

That is why the receipt matters as a whole. Check the business name, period end and figures, not just the presence of a long reference number.

Check the correct business and period

HMRC creates separate quarterly obligations for each self-employment and property income source. If you run two trades and also receive rental income, a successful update for one source does not complete the other two.

Quarterly updates are cumulative. For a standard Quarter 1 update in 2026/27, the receipt should show 6 April 2026 to 5 July 2026. Calendar-period users will normally see 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026. Both have a 7 August deadline.

Read our guide to cumulative quarterly updates if the period shown is not what you expected.

What if HMRC still shows the obligation as open?

Do not immediately submit the same figures again. First:

1. Open the Flonancial submission history and confirm the update says submitted.
2. Open the receipt and check the business, tax year and period.
3. Save the HMRC correlation ID.
4. Refresh your HMRC online account after a short wait.
5. If the two services still disagree, contact Flonancial support with the account email, approximate submission time and correlation ID.

Do not email your Government Gateway password or full National Insurance number. Support can trace the submission without either of them.

What if there is no receipt?

If the screen reported an error and no successful submission appears in your history, do not assume HMRC received the update. Note the exact message and time, then try the action suggested on screen or contact support.

A browser closing, a spinning button or an uncertain recollection is not enough to establish the result. The submission record and HMRC response are what matter.

If the figures were wrong

Do not create an accidental duplicate just to feel safe. Correct the digital records, check the new cumulative totals and make a deliberate amendment for the same period. HMRC keeps the latest cumulative figures for that period.

A 30-second acceptance check

• The submission appears in history.
• The correct business is named.
• The correct cumulative period is shown.
• The income and expense totals match your records.
• An HMRC correlation ID appears on the receipt.

HMRC explains that quarterly updates are sent through compatible software and that the software should show the result. Read the official quarterly-update guidance, then keep the Flonancial receipt with your tax records.