CGT 60-Day Reporting Rule — How to Report and Pay After Selling UK Property

What Is the 60-Day Reporting Rule?

Since 6 April 2020, anyone who disposes of a UK residential property and makes a chargeable capital gain must:

1. **Report** the disposal to HMRC using the UK Property Reporting Service

2. **Pay** the estimated CGT due

Both must be done within **60 days of the date of completion**.

Before April 2020, sellers could wait until their annual Self Assessment return to report and pay CGT on property disposals — sometimes more than 22 months after the disposal. The 60-day rule was introduced to accelerate payment and generate earlier tax revenue for the Treasury.

When Does the 60-Day Rule Apply?

The rule applies if **all** of the following conditions are met:

• You disposed of a **UK residential property** (house, flat, bungalow, or land with planning permission for a dwelling)
• A **chargeable gain** arose (the property was not fully exempt under PRR)
• You are a **UK resident** at the time of disposal (there are separate rules for non-UK residents)

If the property is fully covered by Private Residence Relief (your main home throughout ownership), no chargeable gain arises and the 60-day rule does not apply — though you may still wish to report the disposal to create a paper trail.

If the gain is fully covered by the annual exempt amount and other reliefs (total gain under £3,000 for 2026/27), no CGT is payable. However, HMRC's guidance recommends reporting anyway if there is any chargeable disposal.

When Does the Clock Start?

The 60-day period runs from the **date of completion** — the date on which legal title transfers and the sale price is received. It does not start from exchange of contracts. In practice, this means you may have between two and ten weeks to prepare your report, depending on how quickly completion follows exchange.

Do not wait until after completion to start gathering your figures. Prepare your calculation in advance using our [Capital Gains Tax Calculator](/capital-gains-tax-calculator), so you are ready to submit within days of completion.

How to Report: The UK Property Reporting Service

HMRC operates a dedicated online portal — the **UK Property Reporting Service** (sometimes called the "CGT on UK property" service) — accessible via your Government Gateway account at gov.uk.

**Steps to report:**

1. Log in to your Government Gateway account (or create one if you do not have one)

2. Navigate to "Report and pay Capital Gains Tax on UK property"

3. Enter details of the property disposed of, the disposal date, and the proceeds

4. Enter your base cost and allowable deductions

5. Enter details of any reliefs claimed (PRR, annual exempt amount)

6. Confirm your Income Tax band for the year (this determines the CGT rate)

7. Review the calculated tax and submit the return

8. Pay the CGT using the payment reference provided

You will need to have set up a Capital Gains Tax account with HMRC before you can use this service. Allow time to do this — particularly if you are setting up a Government Gateway account for the first time.

Paying the CGT

Payment is made separately to reporting, typically by bank transfer using your CGT payment reference. HMRC accepts payment by:

• Online bank transfer (Faster Payments)
• CHAPS
• Debit or corporate credit card (a surcharge applies for credit cards)

Ensure the payment reaches HMRC by the 60th day. Allow at least one working day for bank transfers.

What Happens If You File a Self Assessment Return?

If you already file an annual Self Assessment tax return, you **still** need to comply with the 60-day reporting rule as a separate obligation. The Self Assessment return does not replace the in-year report.

When you subsequently file your Self Assessment return for the tax year, include the disposal there as well. HMRC will reconcile the amounts. If you underpaid on the 60-day return (because your final liability differs from the estimate), the balance is due by the Self Assessment payment deadline (31 January following the tax year).

Penalties for Missing the Deadline

HMRC's late filing penalties for the 60-day rule are:

Late payment interest also accrues on unpaid CGT from the 60-day deadline. Even small disposals can attract disproportionate penalties relative to the tax owed, so compliance is important.

Non-Residents

Non-UK residents disposing of UK residential property face the same 60-day reporting requirement. They have been subject to CGT on UK residential property since April 2015, and the reporting obligation has mirrored that for UK residents since April 2020.