HMRC expects around 12 million people to file a Self Assessment return by 31 January 2027, according to its October 2026 filing season update. Every one of those returns produces an SA302, the tax calculation that mortgage lenders treat as the standard proof of self-employed income.
Most people only hear the term when a broker asks for “two years of SA302s and the matching overviews” and the application stalls. This guide explains what the SA302 contains, how it differs from the return itself and the Tax Year Overview, how to download the right version, and the four checks lenders run before they accept it.
Quick Answer: What Is an SA302?
An SA302 is the tax calculation HMRC produces after you file a Self Assessment return. It shows your total income for one tax year (6 April to 5 April), the sources of that income, your allowances and the Income Tax and National Insurance you owe. Lenders use it to verify self-employed, director and rental income. You can print it from your HMRC online account 72 hours after filing, for the last four years. If an accountant filed through commercial software, the same calculation may be called a “tax computation”. Most lenders also want the Tax Year Overview for each year, which shows what you have paid against that bill. The two documents must agree, and many lenders ask for the latest two years.
Key Takeaways
- The SA302 is HMRC’s calculation of your tax bill, not the return you filed.
- Lenders usually want it paired with the Tax Year Overview for the same year.
- Documents appear 72 hours after filing, and the online archive covers four years.
- Figures that disagree across documents are the most common reason for a stalled application.
- An SA302 proves what you declared, not that the tax has been paid.
What an SA302 Actually Is
HMRC describes the SA302 as evidence of your earnings for a given tax year. In practice it is the calculation HMRC runs on the figures in your Self Assessment return. You enter the income, and the SA302 shows what HMRC worked out from it.
Nobody applies for an SA302 separately. It exists as a by-product of filing, which is why you cannot get one for a year in which you never sent a return. The name comes from an old paper form number, and lenders still use it even though most people now print the document themselves.
Its value to a lender is simple. A self-employed applicant has no employer to confirm their salary, so the lender relies on what was declared to HMRC instead. Self-certification mortgages, where borrowers stated their own income, were effectively ended by the responsible lending rules from April 2014. Since then, HMRC paperwork has done that job.
SA100, SA302 and Tax Year Overview
Much of the confusion around this document comes from three items that sound alike but do different jobs. Lenders often ask for two of them, and applicants send the wrong one.
The return you file
The SA100 is the Self Assessment tax return itself. It is where you declare trading profit, dividends, rental income and anything else HMRC needs to know about. Lenders rarely want it, because it is your own submission rather than HMRC’s response to it.
The calculation HMRC generates
The SA302 is the calculation. It turns the figures on the return into a tax bill, line by line. This is the document that shows a lender how much income you declared and how much tax that created.
The payment record lenders want alongside it
The Tax Year Overview summarises the liability for the year, what you have paid against it and anything still outstanding. Lenders use it to confirm that the SA302 matches what HMRC holds on file. GOV.UK notes the overview is available for any year, while the calculation is limited to four.
| Document | Who creates it | What it proves | Lenders want it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA100 tax return | You or your accountant | What you declared | Rarely |
| SA302 tax calculation | HMRC or your filing software | Income and the tax it created | Almost always |
| Tax Year Overview | HMRC | Liability, payments and balance | Usually, as a pair with the SA302 |
Who Actually Needs One
Sole traders and freelancers
This is the core group. If you trade on your own account, the SA302 is the closest thing you have to a payslip. Anyone who has only just registered as a sole trader should expect lenders to wait until at least one full year has been filed.
Company directors paid in dividends
Directors are the group competitors skip over. A director who takes a small salary and the rest as dividends has a P60 that tells only part of the story. The salary shows up through PAYE, but the dividends only appear on the Self Assessment return.
That makes the SA302 the one document showing salary and dividends together. Some lenders will also ask for company accounts or an accountant’s certificate, because a director can leave profit inside the company. If you are still deciding how to pay yourself, our guide to the salary and dividend split covers how that choice changes what a lender sees.
Landlords and mixed-income applicants
Employees with rental income, a side business or large investment income also file returns. For them, the SA302 shows the combined picture. A lender assessing a buy-to-let case will look at the property income section in particular, so landlords watching the landlord tax changes from 2027 should expect closer scrutiny of those lines.
What the Document Contains
Total income and the sources behind it
The top of the calculation lists each income stream separately: self-employment profit, employment pay, dividends, interest and property income. Lenders read these lines individually, because some apply a discount to dividends or rental income when assessing affordability.
Allowances and the personal allowance
Next come the deductions. For most people the main one is the £12,570 personal allowance, the slice of income taxed at 0%. Income between £12,571 and £50,270 then falls into the basic rate band at 20%.
The calculated liability
The final section shows Income Tax, Class 4 National Insurance where relevant, and the total due. A worked example helps here. Say a hairdresser declares £21,000 of salon profit and £7,000 of rental income, so £28,000 in total.
The first £12,570 is covered by the personal allowance. The remaining £15,430 sits in the basic rate band, giving £3,086 of Income Tax before National Insurance. The SA302 sets out each of those steps, which is exactly what an underwriter checks against the application form.
Downloading It From HMRC
If you filed through HMRC’s own online service, the HMRC SA302 tax calculation page sets out the official route. It takes about five minutes once you can sign in.
- Sign in to your HMRC online account with your Government Gateway user ID or GOV.UK One Login.
- Select “Self Assessment”.
- Choose “More details about your Self Assessment returns and payments”.
- Pick the tax year and open the tax calculation.
- Save it as a PDF rather than taking a screenshot.
- Repeat the process for the Tax Year Overview for the same year.
Keep the file names clear, for example “SA302 2024-25” and “Tax Year Overview 2024-25”. Brokers handle dozens of uploads, and a mislabelled pair is one of the easier ways to lose a week.
The 72-Hour Rule and January Delays
Why the wait exists
You cannot print the calculation until 72 hours after you sent the return. HMRC needs that time to process the submission and post the figures to your account. During busy periods, especially January, the wait can stretch to around a week.
The practical advice follows from that. If you know a mortgage application is coming, file early in the autumn instead of in the last fortnight of January.
What to do if the document has not appeared
After a week, check that the return was actually submitted and not left saved as a draft. If it was, call the Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Our guide to the right HMRC contact number explains how to reach the correct team faster.
Amended returns follow the same logic. If you correct a return after printing the SA302, the old version is out of date. Wait for the amendment to process, then download both documents again so the lender sees the current figures.
When Your Accountant Filed for You
Software-generated computations
When an accountant files through commercial software, HMRC’s online account may not hold a printable calculation for that year. GOV.UK says you will need to print it from that software, where it might be called a “tax computation”.
Why lenders may want the HMRC version
Some lenders accept software computations without question. Others want proof that the figures reached HMRC, which is where the Tax Year Overview comes in. You can still print the overview from your own HMRC account, whoever filed the return.
Getting both to match
Ask your accountant for the computation as a PDF carrying your name, Unique Taxpayer Reference and tax year. Then check that its total liability matches the figure on your Tax Year Overview. If the two differ, ask the accountant why before the lender does.
How Far Back You Can Go
The four-year download window
HMRC makes SA302s available for the last four years once you have filed. Most lenders want the most recent two, so the window rarely limits a standard application.
It does catch people out on one point. Broker sites often say documents must be dated within 18 months of the application. That refers to the tax year covered, not the date you printed the page. A two-year-old calculation printed yesterday is still a two-year-old calculation.
Requesting older years from HMRC
For years outside the online window, contact HMRC through the helpline and ask what it can provide. A posted copy can take around two weeks to arrive, so build that into your timeline.
Why Lenders Reject an SA302
Most lenders run the same four checks, often through automated verification before a human underwriter looks at the case. Run them yourself before you submit.
Missing Tax Year Overview
An SA302 on its own shows the calculation but not what HMRC recorded. Without the overview for the same year, many lenders will send the case back.
Figures that do not agree across documents
The total liability on the SA302 should match the liability on the overview. Income on the application form should match the SA302. A small rounding gap is usually fine, but a gap of hundreds of pounds will be queried.
Screenshots and unofficial copies
HMRC itself tells applicants to check that their mortgage provider accepts documents they have printed themselves. Most do, but screenshots, cropped images and edited PDFs are often refused. Always upload the full saved PDF.
An outstanding balance
The overview shows any unpaid tax. A large balance can raise affordability questions, even when the income looks strong. If you owe HMRC, clear it or set up a payment plan before you apply, then print a fresh overview.
How Many Years Lenders Want
| Situation | Typical request | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard self-employed case | 2 years of SA302s and overviews | Shows income is stable, not a one-off |
| Income fell in the latest year | 3 years, or the lower year only | Lender looks for the trend |
| One full year of trading | 1 year, specialist lenders only | Higher perceived risk |
| Director with dividends | 2 years, sometimes plus company accounts | Retained profit may count too |
Two years is the common minimum, but the number varies because lenders are judging consistency. Rising income over two years is easy to assess. A dip in the latest year usually means the lender either averages three years or uses the lower figure, so a third year can strengthen a case rather than weaken it.
What an SA302 Cannot Prove
Know the limits before you rely on the document.
- That tax has been paid. The SA302 shows what you owe. Only the Tax Year Overview shows payments.
- Real-time income. By the time a return is filed, the figures can be up to 22 months old. Lenders may ask for recent bank statements or management accounts to fill the gap.
- Affordability on its own. Lenders still check spending, credit history and existing debts. A strong SA302 gets you assessed, not approved.
Lender criteria differ widely for directors, landlords and recently self-employed applicants. A whole-of-market mortgage broker who works with self-employed clients can tell you which lenders suit your documents before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an SA302 without filing a Self Assessment return?
No. The SA302 is the calculation HMRC produces from a filed return, so no return means no SA302. Employees who do not file returns use payslips and P60s instead.
Is an SA302 the same as a P60?
No. A P60 comes from your employer and covers PAYE pay and tax only. The SA302 covers every income source you declared through Self Assessment, including self-employment, dividends and rental income.
What happens if I amend my return after downloading the SA302?
The earlier SA302 no longer reflects HMRC’s records. Wait for the amendment to process, then download a new calculation and Tax Year Overview and send both to your lender or broker.
Can my accountant download the SA302 for me?
Yes, in most cases. An accountant who filed through commercial software can print the tax computation from that software. You can still print the Tax Year Overview yourself from your HMRC online account.
Why does my lender want a Tax Year Overview as well?
The overview confirms that the figures on the SA302 match what HMRC holds and shows whether any tax is still unpaid. Together the pair lets a lender verify both the income and the payment position.
How do I get an SA302 for a tax year older than four years?
The online account only covers the last four years. For anything older, contact HMRC on the Self Assessment helpline and allow around two weeks if a copy has to be posted.
Your Next Actions
The SA302 is not difficult to get, but the details decide whether a lender accepts it. Download the calculation and the Tax Year Overview for each year as a matching pair, check that the totals agree, and clear or explain any outstanding balance first.
If you are planning to apply in the next year, file your return early instead of in January, so the 72-hour wait does not become a week. Directors should ask their accountant now whether the latest company accounts are ready, since some lenders will want those too.
Finally, check your calculation against the current Income Tax bands, and speak to an accountant or mortgage broker if the figures look wrong. Fixing a mismatch before the application is far quicker than explaining it afterwards.
