Registration and self-certification of tax-advantaged share schemes

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by Tolley in association with Helen Wood of HLN WD TX
Employment Tax
Guidance

Registration and self-certification of tax-advantaged share schemes

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by Tolley in association with Helen Wood of HLN WD TX
Employment Tax
Guidance
imgtext

This guidance note provides practical information about the HMRC registration and self-certification requirements for companies operating any of the following types of tax-advantaged share schemes:

  1. •

    share incentive plan (SIP)

  2. •

    save as you earn schemes (SAYE)

  3. •

    company share option plans (CSOP)

  4. •

    enterprise management incentive schemes (EMI)

It also covers the notification of grant of EMI options.

Background

Any company operating a tax-advantaged share scheme is required to register the scheme with HMRC using HMRC’s employment related securities (ERS) online service.

The company must also make an annual return in respect of such scheme by 6 July following the end of each tax year throughout the life of the scheme and, in respect of SIP, SAYE and CSOP schemes, make an annual declaration (or ‘self-certification’) that the scheme continues to satisfy the relevant statutory requirements. See the Annual reporting for tax-advantaged share schemes guidance note for more information about the annual returns process.

Registering for HMRC's online services

Before a company can register its share scheme, it must

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Helen Wood
Helen Wood linkedinicon

Founder, HLN WD TX , Employment Tax

Helen Wood is the founder of HLN WD TX, a share schemes and employee incentives advisory business.She qualified as a CA with ICAS in 2009 and has worked as a specialist reward and incentives advisor for 17 years, spending 13 of those at KPMG followed by 3 ½ years as an Associate Director at RSM. Helen has worked with businesses ranging from start-ups to fully listed companies, spanning owner-managed businesses, private equity portfolio companies, and AIM listed businesses.She advises on a wide range of employee share schemes and employment related securities matters including the design and implementation of effective management and employee incentives; tax valuation of employment related securities, buy and sell side transaction support, HMRC compliance, tax due diligence and employee ownership trust transactions.

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  • 18 Feb 2026 11:30

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