A woman holds up a mobile phone with the date 28 September in bold print

Prepare now for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

20 August, 2026

Is your firm ready for the introduction of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to your agent accounts? 

The two voluntary phases for enabling MFA have now passed, with MFA now successfully switched on for over 20,000 agent accounts .

All remaining agent accounts will now have MFA enabled automatically by HMRC between 28 September 2026 and 15 October 2026. HMRC are unable to give a specific date that MFA will be switched on for agents who are part of this final group. 

In order to ensure that workflows and client service is not disrupted, firms will want to be prepared for this vital security measure by 28 September.

The switch on will happen between 8am to 9am on Mondays to Thursdays over the three week period. Agents will need to check their accounts after 9am to see if MFA has been switched on. If an MFA challenge is not presented on logging in, then the MFA will not be turned on for that account that day. 

Further guidance is available in our guide, which was jointly prepared with CIOT - Multi-Factor Authentication – how can agents prepare?

 

 

 

HMRC webinar for agents

To help agents prepare for the final MFA activation period, HMRC are hosting two webinars, which will cover:

 

  • What MFA is and why HMRC is introducing it for agent accounts.
  • The activation timeline and what to expect between now and late September.
  • The five preparation steps agents can work through straight away.
  • What the sign-in experience will look like once MFA is active.
  • Where to find further support and guidance.

The first webinar is on 9 September at 11:45. Register for the first webinar here: Getting ready for Multi-Factor Authentication – What agents need to know  

A second running of the same webinar will be held on 16 September at 11:45. Click to register for the second running of the webinar. 

A recording of the webinar will be available to view via HMRC email updates, videos and webinars for tax agents and advisers.