Agent authorisation: dealing with HMRC for compliance checks
How to set up temporary authorisation to deal with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on a client鈥檚 behalf for compliance checks.
Overview
As a tax agent or adviser, you must have formal authorisation to deal with HMRC on your client鈥檚 behalf.
If you already have permanent formal authorisation set up for you client, you don鈥檛 need separate temporary authorisation to deal with HMRC compliance checks.
If you don鈥檛 have formal authorisation and HMRC are carrying out compliance checks on your client, you can apply for temporary authorisation to deal with HMRC for these checks only.
Form Comp1: temporary authorisation for compliance checks
Your client must complete a form Comp1 to arrange temporary authorisation for you to deal with their compliance checks. Send the completed form to the HMRC officer who is dealing with the check.
Only HMRC staff who are working on the compliance check will know about the temporary authorisation. If you need to deal with HMRC on your client鈥檚 behalf for anything else, you鈥檒l need to arrange for permanent formal authorisation.
Updates to this page
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Agent authorisation guidance has been updated to improve style and layout of content.
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First published.