How to Find My UTR Number? | Exploring Different Ways to Locate UTR Number

The UTR number is one of the crucial credentials to pay your tax obligations and liabilities in the UK. It is assigned to everyone: companies, self-employed, and organizations. To comprehend it easily, the UTR number is similar to the payroll number and is used as an identifier to navigate the tax processing of the taxpayer. But most people struggle to find their UTR number and search for “How to find my UTR number?” on the internet. 

A majority of people face issues in locating, registering, and finding their lost UTR number. Hence, we have brought this article to help you with how to find the UTR number query.

What is the UTR Number, and Who Needs It? 

A UTR number, or, say, a Unique Taxpayers Reference number, is a tax identifier assigned by HMRC. It is used to identify individuals and companies against their tax liability and tax assessment. Mostly, UTR numbers are for processing tax self-assessments. 

Every entity that earns a subsequent amount of earnings in the UK is required to get themselves tax-self-assessed and assigned a UTR number. This applies to self-employed, limited companies, and sole traders earning more than £1,000. 

The UTR number is used to make trackable tax payments to HMRC and contains 10 digits. Some UTR numbers also have K at the end, such as 598752447K. Hence, opting for business accounting services is an ideal choice. 

How to Find My UTR Number (Unique Tax Reference Number)? 

The self-employed are instantly assigned a UTR number after assessing themselves for tax, whereas companies get their UTR number after 10 days of successful registration. 

To find your UTR number, look at the following:

• Personal tax account
• HMRC app
• Past tax returns
• Official notices from HMRC are used as reminders for payment or to file returns. 

Now let’s look at how to register yourself to get a unique taxpayer reference number.

Registration for a UTR Number as a Sole Trader or Self-Employed 

To register as a self-employed or sole trader, you must earn more than £1,000 in a tax year. Earners with incomes less than £1,000 are not required to self-assess themselves. Look and follow the following steps if you are looking forward to registering for a UTR number. 

• Head to the government gateway page to create a user ID and password to access the tax account. 

• After successfully creating a user ID and logging in with the credentials, go to your business tax account and register yourself for self-assessment and class 2 national insurance. 

• Provide personal information like your name, date of birth, address, email address, and contact number. 

• Now click on the submit button to upload the information. You will get your UTR number once the application is accepted. 

If the online service is not working for you, opt for this method: 

• First, fill out the online CWF1 form.  

• Now, print the form and upload it to HMRC. 

• After the successful registration, your UTR number will be sent to your email. 

How to Get the UTR Number in a Partnership?

To get the UTR number of your company, you need to get your company registered with the Companies House. After successful registration, you will have to request the UTR number from the online HMRC services while providing the following information: 

• Company’s registration number
• Registered name of the company

Once the application is submitted, you will receive a copy of your UTR number sent to the registered address of the company. 

Proper accounts receivable management can help businesses stay financially organized and avoid tax-related penalties.

Getting Your Lost UTR Number 

If nothing has worked for you and you have tried everything, take assistance from the HMRC’s authority. It will only require you to raise a lost UTR request. The process is straightforward and needs only a self-assessment helpline call on 0300 200 3310, where you have to provide some information, like your national insurance number.

Additionally, if you run a business, keeping accurate profit and loss statements can simplify tax filing and financial assessments.

Uses of UTR Number 

Although the UTR number is a crucial element in the UK tax system, it is mainly used for the following tax operations:

• Paying Tax Bills: The UTR number is used to pay the tax bills so that the HMRC can track the payments of accounts. 

• Filing Self-Assessment Tax Returns: Along with payment of tax bills, the UTR number is also required while registering to pay tax. If you are facing any issues filling out a tax return, look for the assistance of a self-assessment tax return service. 

• HMRC’s Correspondence: All the correspondence related to your tax obligations with HMRC should include your UTR number. Whether HMRC’s notification or your mails to HMRC, both should contain UTR numbers. 

• Matching the Transactions: Banks use the UTR number of the payee to match the tax’s payment transactions with HMRC. 
  
  For businesses, proper payroll management is also crucial for tax compliance. If you need professional support, check out payroll services in the UK for seamless payroll processing.

Bottom Line 

The UTR number is the ultimate locator of the transactions related to tax liabilities and is used for multiple tax operations by HMRC. Look into the personal tax account, HMRC app, past tax returns, and official notices from HMRC to find your UTR number. If your business is inactive but still needs to file accounts, consider dormant accounts filing services.

Although the registration process for self-employed and registered companies is different, the UTR number can be concluded in only a few steps.