60-Day CGT Reporting on UK Property: Rules & Deadlines

If you sell a UK residential property that is not your main home, you may have to report the gain and pay capital gains tax within 60 days of completion — long before your normal tax return is due. Miss it and HMRC charges automatic penalties. This guide explains exactly who the 60-day rule catches, when the clock starts, how to file, and how it fits with Self Assessment.

What is the 60-day CGT reporting rule?

Since 6 April 2020, UK residents disposing of UK residential property where capital gains tax is due must tell HMRC and pay the estimated tax within a set window. That window was originally 30 days; for completions on or after 27 October 2021 it was extended to 60 days. The report is made through HMRC’s online “Report and pay Capital Gains Tax on UK property” service, using a dedicated Capital Gains Tax on UK property account (separate from your normal Self Assessment login).

The rule exists because CGT used to be paid up to 22 months after a sale; HMRC now collects it much closer to the disposal.

Who has to make a 60-day report?

You need to file a 60-day return if all of these apply: you sold (or gifted) UK residential property, it was not fully covered by Private Residence Relief, and there is capital gains tax to pay after your allowances and reliefs. In practice this catches:

• Buy-to-let landlords selling a rental property.
• Second-home and holiday-home owners.
• Beneficiaries who inherit a property and later sell it.
• Owners of a former home where part of the gain is taxable (e.g. periods of letting or absence).

Situation	60-day report needed?
Selling your only/main home, fully covered by Private Residence Relief	No
Selling a buy-to-let with a taxable gain	Yes
Selling a second home with a taxable gain	Yes
Gain fully covered by losses/allowance (no tax due)	No (UK residents)
Non-UK resident selling any UK property	Yes — report within 60 days even if no tax is due

Non-UK residents have stricter rules: they must report disposals of UK land and property within 60 days whether or not tax is due.

When does the 60-day clock start?

The 60 days run from the completion date, not exchange of contracts. Completion is when the sale legally finishes and the money and keys change hands. For example, a property that exchanges on 1 March but completes on 1 April starts its 60-day count on 1 April.

Worked example

Priya sells a buy-to-let flat in Reigate. It completes on 10 May 2026. After deducting the purchase price, buying and selling costs, and her £3,000 annual exempt amount, her taxable gain is £80,000. As a higher-rate taxpayer, residential property is taxed at 24%:

Taxable gain            £80,000
CGT at 24%            = £19,200
Deadline to report &
pay (60 days from
10 May 2026)         =  9 July 2026

Priya must file the 60-day return and pay the £19,200 by 9 July 2026, then also include the disposal on her 2026/27 Self Assessment. You can estimate your own figure first with our free capital gains tax calculator.

How to file a 60-day return

1. Work out the gain — sale proceeds minus original cost, buying/selling costs and capital improvements, then deduct reliefs, losses and the annual exempt amount.
2. Set up a Capital Gains Tax on UK property account with HMRC (you need a Government Gateway ID).
3. Report the disposal and the tax due through that account, or have your accountant file it as your agent.
4. Pay the estimated CGT by the 60-day deadline.

Because the figures must be reasonably accurate and the window is short, gather your completion statement, original purchase details and improvement receipts early. Our capital gains tax service handles the whole 60-day report for you, and our accountant for landlords service is built around property disposals.

Penalties for missing the deadline

Miss the 60 days and HMRC applies:

• an automatic £100 late-filing penalty;
• further penalties if the return is over 6 months and 12 months late;
• interest on tax paid late.

These apply even if you later declare the gain on your Self Assessment return — the 60-day return is a separate obligation.

How it fits with Self Assessment

The 60-day return is an in-year estimate. If you complete a Self Assessment return, you report the same disposal again after the tax year ends, and any over- or under-payment is reconciled there. So you may get a small refund or owe a little more once the final figures are confirmed.

Get help before you complete

The tightest part of the 60-day rule is simply time. The best moment to speak to an accountant is before or as soon as your sale completes, so the account is set up and the return filed comfortably inside the window. We help landlords and second-home owners across Reigate and Surrey with 60-day reporting and planning — see our guides on the CGT allowance and how to reduce capital gains tax, or talk to a local accountant in Reigate.

Book a free consultation or read the official rules at GOV.UK: report and pay CGT on UK property.