Pay a Self Assessment penalty
Overview
You get a penalty if you need to send a tax return and you miss the deadline for submitting it or paying your bill.
You must pay the penalty within 30 days of the date on the penalty notice.
You鈥檒l be charged interest if you pay after the deadline.
You can appeal against a penalty if you have a reasonable excuse.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
How long payments take
How long it takes for your payment to go through depends on how you pay.
If the payment deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday, make sure your payment reaches HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on the last working day before it (unless you鈥檙e paying by Faster Payments).
Same or next day
You can pay:
- through your online bank account
- by bank transfer using Faster Payments or CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System)
- by debit or corporate credit card online
- at your bank or building society
3 working days
You can pay by:
- bank transfer using Bacs
- Direct Debit if you鈥檝e set up one for HMRC before
- cheque through the post
5 working days
You can pay by Direct Debit if you鈥檝e not set up one for HMRC before.