Self Employed full 03 - Date your books or accounts start

Enter the date which your books and accounts start.

Every business must keep books or records by law. It's usual to keep your business records year by year. HMRC suggest you 'make up your books or records' to the same date each year, your accounting date.

More information about Self-employed records you need to keep.

If you've been working for yourself for less than 12 months you will have to choose your accounting date, and you usually keep to that date each year. You can choose any date you like but as the tax year ends on 5 April you may find it easier to use 5 April. The first day of your business or trading year will be the beginning of your accounting period, that is, the period, usually a year, from one accounting date to the next covered by your books and records.