What is a UTR number and how do I get one?
A ten-digit reference HMRC gives you when you register for Self Assessment. It arrives by post, usually within about two weeks.
Last checked 12/09/2026.
Your Unique Taxpayer Reference is a ten-digit number HMRC uses to identify you for Self Assessment. You get one automatically when you register as self-employed, and you cannot file a return without it.
It arrives by post at the address on your HMRC record. Allow about two weeks, longer around the January deadline when everyone is registering at once. This is the main reason to register early rather than in the week the return is due.
Once you have it, it also appears in your HMRC online account and on any letter HMRC sends you about Self Assessment. If you have lost it, find your UTR (opens in a new tab) walks through where to look.
Some delivery platforms ask for it when you sign up. That is a compliance check on their side, not HMRC asking, and giving it to them does nothing to your tax position.
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