Authorising Making Tax Digital for VAT

Error 403 - Client or Agent not Authorised

Article ID: 2025240                      Last updated: 19 April 2024

 

When authorising Making Tax Digital for VAT, or attempting to Set VAT Period, you may receive the following error:

Most Frequent Cause:

The most frequent cause for Error 403 is attempting to authorise Making Tax Digital using an incorrect HMRC business tax account.

Examples include using a personal gov.uk account or an incorrect company's HMRC business tax account.

Note:  The gov.uk system will provide MTD authorisation codes even for non-MTD gov.uk accounts.

Resolving MTD Error 403

If you have previously submitted Making Tax Digital VAT returns for the affected company, start at Step 2.

1.  Have you signed the affected company up to Making Tax Digital for VAT?

• If you have not yet signed up to Making Tax Digital for VAT, you can do so by clicking here.
• If you are not sure whether you have signed up for Making Tax Digital for VAT, check your company's online VAT account or contact HMRC.  If you are sure your business is signed up for MTD for VAT, go to step 2.

2.  If your business has been signed up for MTD for VAT or you have previously submitted MTD VAT returns for the affected company from AccountEdge, please sign in to your HMRC business tax account and confirm the following:

• Your company's account is fully setup for Making Tax Digital for VAT.
• You are informed that you can no longer make manually entered online VAT submissions.
• You can see previous VAT return submissions made from AccountEdge for the affected company.
• The company's VAT Registration Number in AccountEdge matches that of the government gateway account for the affected company.

• In short, are you using the correct HMRC business tax account with which to authorise AccountEdge for MTD?

 

3.  If your online HMRC business tax account appears to be correct, please do the following:

1.  Make a backup of your company file.
2.  In AccountEdge, go to Setup> Company VAT Information and untick 'I use AccountEdge for MTD VAT Return submissions'.
3.  Click OK to close the window.
4.  Go back into Setup> Company VAT Information and re-tick 'I use AccountEdge for MTD VAT Return submissions'.
5.  Re-authorise your company file for Making Tax Digital using the instructions here.

 

4.  If the problem remains, please contact HMRC directly and ask them to:

• Check and confirm the registration details and status of your HMRC business tax account for the affected company.
• Check and confirm that your HMRC business tax account is not linked to any other HMRC services or accounts, such as personal self assessment accounts, or similar.
• Check for any problems with your MTD for VAT security token.

 

 

 

Return to AccountEdge Support