Find the message you’re seeing, check who needs to act, and follow the fix. Search this page for the exact words or code with Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac).
Current HMRC service issues
HMRC’s service status changes during the day, so we link to it rather than copy it. Check HMRC’s live pages first:
- HMRC services with unplanned downtime
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax – service availability and issues
- VAT online services – service availability and issues
- Agent services account – service availability and issues
- Problems signing in to HMRC services
Error messages and how to fix them
| Error message | What it means | Who needs to act | How to fix it |
| Business could not be downloaded… client and/or agent is not authorised | HMRC doesn’t link your sign-in to this taxpayer | You (at HMRC) |
Check sign-up and agent authorisation, then select Change HMRC Credentials for MTD ITSA in Settings and sign in again. Full steps: Connect BrightBooks to HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → “HMRC has indicated that the client and/or agent is not authorised” |
| Please enter MTD Tax ID / MTD Tax ID blank | HMRC hasn’t authorised the connection yet | You |
Complete HMRC’s authorisation, then save the National Insurance number again in MTD ITSA Setup. Full steps: Connect BrightBooks to HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → “HMRC has indicated that the client and/or agent is not authorised” |
| No obligations found | HMRC has no quarters for this income source yet | You / HMRC |
Check the income source is on HMRC’s record, reconnect, then refresh. Full steps: Connect BrightBooks to HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → “No obligations found” |
| No matching resource at HMRC | HMRC can’t find this income source | You / HMRC |
Check the National Insurance number and Business Type match HMRC’s record, then reconnect. Full steps: Connect BrightBooks to HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → “No matching resource at HMRC” |
| There’s no MTD ITSA option | The business isn’t a UK Sole Trader | You |
Create the business with the Sole Trader entity type. Full steps: Get started with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax in BrightBooks → There’s no MTD ITSA option in BrightBooks |
| Quarters show 6 April–5 July after choosing calendar | HMRC holds standard quarters | You / HMRC |
If no update has been sent this year, set Tax Quarter to calendar and save. Otherwise keep the dates until next year. Full steps: Choose standard or calendar quarters for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → Your quarters show 6 April to 5 July when you chose calendar quarters |
| RULE_BUSINESS_ID_STATE_CONFLICT / quarter type won’t save | HMRC won’t change the quarter type after an update | You (next tax year) |
Keep the current quarter type and choose again before next tax year’s first update. Full steps: Choose standard or calendar quarters for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → Your quarter type won’t save, or you see RULE_BUSINESS_ID_STATE_CONFLICT |
| The selected Tax Year is earlier than the current default Tax Year | Information only | No action |
Check the tax year and continue. Full steps: Choose standard or calendar quarters for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → “The selected Tax Year is earlier than the current default Tax Year” |
| Tax year outside supported range (RULE_TAX_YEAR_NOT_SUPPORTED) | Wrong tax year selected | You |
Check the Tax Year in MTD ITSA Setup and on the import screen. Full steps: Choose standard or calendar quarters for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax → “Tax year is outside the supported range” (RULE_TAX_YEAR_NOT_SUPPORTED) |
| Nominal code 362 or 473.01 does not exist | Codes missing from your chart of accounts | You |
Create codes 362 and 473.01 in General Ledger → Chart of Accounts → New, then import again. Full steps: Import your quarterly figures with the MTD template → “Nominal code 362 does not exist” or “Nominal code 473.01 does not exist” |
| Journal is unbalanced (line 19) | Debits and credits for the quarter don’t match | You |
Balance the quarter’s journal rows, then import again. Full steps: Import your quarterly figures with the MTD template → “Journal is unbalanced” (often at line 19) |
| Date turns into a number | Cell isn’t formatted as a date | You |
Format the cell as Date, type dd/mm/yyyy and import again. Full steps: Import your quarterly figures with the MTD template → The date you type turns into a number |
| Proceed with Import greyed out | Tax year, quarter or checkboxes missing | You |
Select the Tax Year and Quarter and tick every checkbox. Full steps: Import your quarterly figures with the MTD template → Proceed with Import is greyed out |
| Queued for import – queue position 1 | Import waiting to process | No action |
Wait, refresh, then Generate. Full steps: Import your quarterly figures with the MTD template → “Queued for import – queue position 1” |
| Update shows £0.00 after import | Journal dated outside the quarter | You |
Change the journal date to the first day of the quarter, then Generate again. Full steps: Import your quarterly figures with the MTD template → The quarterly update shows zero after you import |
| No declaration tick box | BrightBooks display issue | BrightBooks (workaround) |
Maximise the window or zoom out, then scroll down. Full steps: Submit your quarterly update and check HMRC has received it → You can’t see the declaration tick box |
| Server Error / HMRC unavailable / maintenance | HMRC service problem | HMRC |
Check HMRC’s status pages, wait, check the status, then try again. Full steps: Submit your quarterly update and check HMRC has received it → “Server Error”, HMRC unavailable or planned maintenance |
| Submitting too early (RULE_EARLY_DATA_SUBMISSION_NOT_ACCEPTED) | Sent more than 10 days before quarter end | You |
Wait, then submit. Full steps: Submit your quarterly update and check HMRC has received it → You’re told you’re submitting too early (RULE_EARLY_DATA_SUBMISSION_NOT_ACCEPTED) |
| Status stays Submitted | HMRC hasn’t confirmed yet | You / HMRC |
Refresh, then check HMRC’s record with View Individual Calculation on HMRC. Full steps: Submit your quarterly update and check HMRC has received it → The status stays Submitted |
| Error opening General Ledger → MTD | Under investigation | BrightBooks |
Contact us with the business name and a screenshot. Full steps: Submit your quarterly update and check HMRC has received it → You see an error when you open General Ledger → MTD |
| RULE_PROPERTY_ID_MISMATCH (foreign property) | Property ID doesn’t match HMRC’s record | You / BrightBooks | Contact us with the business name and property. |
| VAT: not asked to sign in to HMRC / no Submit option | Authority expired or missing permission | You |
Select Change HMRC Credentials in Settings and check the Send VAT Return permission. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → BrightBooks doesn’t ask for your HMRC sign-in, or there’s no Submit option |
| VAT: client and/or agent not authorised / invalid code | Sign-in not linked to this VAT number | You |
Check agent authorisation, then reconnect. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → “The client and/or agent is not authorised” or “invalid code” |
| VAT: a period isn’t listed | Older periods aren’t brought in automatically | You |
Use Sync Historical MTD VAT Obligations. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → A VAT period you need isn’t listed |
| VAT: can’t create the return until the previous one is closed | An earlier return is still open | You |
Finish or submit the earlier return. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → “You can’t create the return until the previous one is closed” |
| VAT: return doesn’t match ledger | Dates, VAT basis or VAT codes | You |
Check dates, basis and codes; clear and regenerate before submitting. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → Your VAT return doesn’t match your ledger |
| VAT: DUPLICATE_SUBMISSION | HMRC already has this return | You |
Don’t resubmit; correct via VAT Notice 700/45. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → HMRC already has a return for this period (DUPLICATE_SUBMISSION) |
| VAT: TAX_PERIOD_NOT_ENDED | Period hasn’t ended | You |
Wait until the day after the period ends. Full steps: Submit your MTD VAT return → The VAT period hasn’t ended (TAX_PERIOD_NOT_ENDED) |
“You” means you or your accountant or agent. “HMRC” means wait for HMRC or contact HMRC. “BrightBooks” means our team is fixing it – contact us if the workaround doesn’t help.