Guide

Missed the 60-Day CGT Deadline? Penalties, Interest and What to Do

Written by James Whitfield · Last checked 18 October 2026 Checked against legislation.gov.uk and HMRC

Quick answer

A late UK property return costs £100 the day after the 60-day deadline. If it is still not filed after 3 months, HMRC can add £10 a day for up to 90 days (£900), and after 6 months and again after 12 months a further 5% of the tax or £300, whichever is greater.¹ Interest on unpaid tax runs from day 61 at Bank of England base rate plus 4%.³ The single most useful thing you can do is file and pay now: every charge after the first £100 depends on how long it stays outstanding.

Key facts

The 60-day return falls under the same late-filing penalty law as Self Assessment (Finance Act 2009, Schedule 55, item 2A).¹
A 5% late-payment penalty only starts if the tax is still unpaid 30 days after 31 January following the end of the tax year, so 2 March 2028 for a 2026/27 sale.²
Interest was 7.75% a year from 9 January 2026 on HMRC's published table when we checked in October 2026; it moves with base rate.³
UK residents with no tax to pay do not need a 60-day return, so there is nothing to be late with. Non-residents must file even with no tax due.⁴
You can appeal a penalty if you had a reasonable excuse, normally within 30 days of the penalty notice.⁵

What penalties apply to a late 60-day return?

The charges build up in stages, all counted from the day after your 60-day deadline:¹

Late filing penalties, UK property return

1 day late	£100
Still not filed after 3 months (HMRC must give notice)	£10 a day, up to 90 days (£900)
Still not filed after 6 months	5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater
Still not filed after 12 months	A further 5% or £300, whichever is greater; more if information is deliberately withheld

These are the same amounts GOV.UK lists for a late Self Assessment return.⁶ They apply per return, so joint owners who each had to file can each be charged.

What about paying the tax late?

Two separate things apply.

Interest is charged on any tax not paid by the 60th day, from the day after, until it is paid.³ Interest is not a penalty and cannot be appealed, only reduced by paying sooner.
Late-payment penalties of 5% of the unpaid tax apply only if the tax is still outstanding 30 days after 31 January following the tax year of the sale, with further 5% charges 5 and 11 months after that date.² For a sale in 2026/27 the first one would be charged on tax still unpaid after 2 March 2028.

So someone who files and pays a few weeks late usually faces the £100 penalty and a small amount of interest, not a percentage penalty.

Worked example: a return filed seven months late

Tom's flat sale completed on 1 June 2026, so his deadline was 31 July 2026. He owes £10,000 of CGT but does not find out about the 60-day rule until March, and files and pays on 15 March 2027.

What being 227 days late costs Tom

Initial late filing penalty	£100
Daily penalties, 1 November 2026 onwards (90 days × £10)	£900
6-month penalty: greater of 5% × £10,000 (£500) and £300	£500
Interest: £10,000 × 7.75% × 227/365	£481.99
Late-payment penalty (only from 2 March 2028)	£0
Extra cost on top of the £10,000	£1,981.99

Daily penalties assume HMRC sends notice, as the law requires. Interest assumes the 7.75% rate held for the whole period; HMRC recalculates when base rate changes. Had Tom filed in September, before the 3-month mark, he would have paid £100 plus about £100 of interest.

What should you do now?

Work out the gain properly. Include every allowable cost and relief: a lower tax figure also lowers any 5% penalty and the interest. Use the property CGT calculator.
File the UK property return straight away, following our step-by-step guide to the 60-day return. Filing before the 3-month and 6-month marks stops the next penalties.
Pay the tax with your X reference the same day, to stop interest growing.
Include the sale on your Self Assessment return if you file one.
Decide whether to appeal once the penalty notice arrives (see below).

Want a plain-English guide to the rest: the 60-day action plan, the property worksheet and what to do if you are late? get the CGT Survival Pack, £4.99 →

When can you appeal a late filing penalty?

HMRC cancels a penalty if you had a reasonable excuse for missing the deadline and filed without unreasonable delay once it ended. You normally appeal within 30 days of the date on the penalty notice.⁵

Usually accepted: a serious illness or hospital stay, the death of a close relative shortly before the deadline, an HMRC system failure, or a disability that prevented you filing.
Usually refused: not knowing about the 60-day rule, relying on a solicitor or agent without checking, finding the return too difficult, or not having the money to pay.

If HMRC rejects the appeal you can ask for an independent review, or take it to the tax tribunal.

Is the deadline different for non-residents or estates?

No, it is 60 days from completion in both cases. The difference is that non-residents must file for every UK property or land disposal, even at a loss or with no tax due, so they can be charged the £100 penalty on a return showing nothing to pay.⁴ Executors selling an estate property follow the same rules: see CGT for executors.

Get the tax figure right first

Every penalty above 5% and all of the interest are worked out from your tax. Check it with your own figures and 2026/27 rates.

Open the property CGT calculator

Frequently asked questions

What is the penalty for a late 60-day CGT return?

£100 as soon as the deadline is missed. If the return is still outstanding after 3 months HMRC can charge £10 a day for up to 90 days (£900). After 6 months, and again after 12 months, there is a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater.

Is there a penalty if I paid the tax late but filed on time?

Interest runs on the unpaid tax from the day after the 60-day deadline. A 5% late-payment penalty only applies if the tax is still unpaid 30 days after 31 January following the end of the tax year, with further 5% charges 5 and 11 months after that.

Do I get a penalty if there was no tax to pay?

A UK resident with no tax to pay does not need to file a 60-day return, so no penalty arises. Non-residents must file even with no tax due, and the £100 penalty applies to a late return whatever the tax.

Can I appeal a late filing penalty?

Yes, if you had a reasonable excuse, such as a serious illness or a bereavement close to the deadline. You normally have 30 days from the date of the penalty notice to appeal. Not knowing about the 60-day rule is not usually accepted.

What interest rate does HMRC charge on late CGT?

Bank of England base rate plus 4%. HMRC's published late payment rate was 7.75% from 9 January 2026 when we checked in October 2026; it changes when the base rate changes.

This page is general information, not tax advice. Penalty amounts are from Finance Act 2009 Schedules 55 and 56 and HMRC's published interest rates, checked 18 October 2026. HMRC decides penalties case by case.

Sources & references

The rates, allowances and rules in this guide are drawn from the official HMRC and GOV.UK sources below, checked for the 2026/27 tax year. Each link opens the relevant government page in a new tab.

Verified against published HMRC and GOV.UK guidance.