Quarterly: VAT
Most hauliers file quarterly under MTD for VAT. Submit and pay within one month and seven days of quarter end. Late filings earn penalty points, and at four points there's a £200 fine.
Monthly: PAYE and driver payroll
Driver wages, night-out allowances and overtime all go through RTI on or before payday. HMRC wants its money by the 22nd of the following month if you pay electronically.
Ongoing: O-licence financial standing
The Traffic Commissioner expects you to show available money: £8,000 for the first vehicle and £4,500 for each one after that. We check this quarterly for transport clients rather than annually, because finding out you're short during a renewal is the worst possible timing.
Annually: corporation tax
Nine months and one day after your year end. For a March year end, that's 1 January. Filing accounts early doesn't move the payment date, but it does mean you know the number months in advance.
How we run it
Every transport client sits on a live deadline tracker, and we chase 21, 14 and 7 days before each date. Nothing on this page should ever be news to you.