CIS return deadline countdown
Contractors' monthly CIS returns are due by the 19th — here's exactly how many days are left until the next one.
About CIS returns
If you're a contractor registered under the Construction Industry Scheme, you need to file a monthly return with HMRC telling them what you've paid subcontractors and how much you've deducted — even in months you paid nobody.
The return covers a tax month running the 6th to the 5th, and is due by the 19th of the month it ends in. Miss it and HMRC's penalties start at £100 and climb the longer it's outstanding.
This countdown is based on today's date, so it always shows the next deadline coming up — no inputs needed.
Days remaining
— until your next CIS return is due.
Filing, not paying. This is the return deadline. Any CIS deductions you owe HMRC as a contractor follow their own payment schedule, separate from the return itself.
Every contractor registered under the Construction Industry Scheme has the same recurring job: file a monthly return telling HMRC what subcontractors were paid and what was deducted, by the 19th of the month. It's an easy one to lose track of, especially when it sits alongside quotes, site visits and the actual work of running jobs. This tool just answers the one question that matters day to day — how many days are left until the next return is due — using today's date, no setup required.
Why the 19th, and why every month
CIS tax months run the 6th to the 5th, and the return covering that period is due within two weeks — by the 19th of the month it ends in. That applies whether or not any subcontractors were actually paid: a quiet month still needs a nil return, and HMRC doesn't treat "nothing to report" as a reason to skip filing. Miss the date and the penalty starts at £100, rising the longer it's left outstanding, with further penalties stacking up at three, six and twelve months late.
A worked example
Say today is the 24th of the month. The 19th has already passed, so the countdown rolls forward to the 19th of next month rather than showing a deadline that's already gone — that's the whole logic behind the number above. A contractor checking on the 24th and seeing "26 days remaining" knows they've got just under four weeks to make sure subcontractor payments and deductions for the current tax month are recorded and ready to submit, rather than scrambling in the last few days.
What happens after the return is filed
Filing the return is one half of CIS — working out what to actually deduct from each subcontractor's payment is the other, and it depends on their verification status with HMRC: 20% for verified subcontractors, 30% for unverified ones, or 0% for those with gross payment status. The CIS deduction calculator works that figure out per payment, which is what actually goes into the return this countdown is tracking. For subcontractors filing their own Self Assessment on the income this scheme deducts tax against, the Self Assessment countdown tracks the annual filing deadline that sits alongside this monthly one — different rhythm, same scheme underneath.
What this isn't
This doesn't file the return, calculate deductions, or check whether a subcontractor's verification status has changed since it was last checked — it only tracks the date. It also doesn't account for HMRC's rules around what counts as a reasonable excuse for a late return, which can affect whether a penalty is charged at all. Always confirm deadlines and penalty details directly with HMRC or an accountant, particularly if a return has already been missed.
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