HMRC Message HTTP status 403 (Forbidden)

Symptoms:

When customer is attempting to submit or retrieve Making Tax Digital MTD VAT data to and from HMRC, customer may get a message in the MTD VAT software:

HMRC server has returned an error message:
HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code: CLIENT_OR_AGENT_NOT_AUTHORISED

The Trader or Agent has not authorised the software to interact with HMRC MTD system. Run VAT Digital Authorisation process again and authorise access for the software.

This issue is not caused by Andica software, the software is simply relaying the response received from HMRC's server.

Cause:

HMRC MTD VAT service has returned an error message HTTP status 403
CLIENT_OR_AGENT_NOT_AUTHORISED as it is not able to get VAT obligation data as the client or an agent is not authorised.

This message is returned by HMRC when the client or agent is not authorised to submit or request MTD VAT data.

Most likely reasons are:

Business:

The business has not signed up for Making Tax Digital for VAT (MTD VAT)
HMRC have not completed the sign up process, you will need to wait up to 72 hours for HMRC to confirm

Agents:

The agent has not created an Agent Services Account. This is different to HMRC online services for agents account.
The agent has not linked clients to Agent Services Account
The client has not signed up to MTD
The client has not authorised the agent to act on their behalf
HMRC have not completed the sign up process, you will need to wait up to 72 hours for HMRC to confirm

Solution:

HMRC have a process that must be followed to get MTD VAT submissions started.

Before you authorise the software, ensure you have registered with HMRC for MTD VAT and completed their registration process.

Step 1 Register with HMRC:

HMRC have provided VAT sign-up advice for businesses and agents and have produced simple step-by-step guides:

Business Step by Step Guide

Agent Step by Step Guide

You will need to wait for up to 72 hours for HMRC to confirm that you can submit returns using Making Tax Digital for VAT system.

Step 2 Authorise the software:

Use the VAT Digital Authorisation function within the software to grants the software authority to interact with HMRC. This enables users of software to process submit and retrieve MTD VAT data.

The authorisation expires periodically and must be refreshed. After 18 months the authorisation fully expires and the user must grant authority again.

If the issue persists, you will need to contact HMRC's Online Services helpdesk on 0300 200 3701 and speak with their MTD VAT team to confirm the registration process. We cannot access HMRC systems to check what is wrong within your digital account and the clients MTD VAT registration.

The following below error messages might occur when you are connecting to HMRC and also when you are submitting a VAT Return.

Software Message (Symptoms)	HMRC Error scenario	HMRC Error code	Cause	Solution
HMRC server has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code: CLIENT_OR_AGENT_NOT_AUTHORISED The Trader or Agent has not authorised the software to interact with HMRC MTD system. VAT Digital Authorisation process again and authorise access for the software.	The client and/or agent is not authorised. This is normally because: the client is not subscribed to MTD, the agent is not subscribed to Agent Services, or the client has not authorised the agent to act on their behalf.	`CLIENT_OR_AGENT_NOT_AUTHORISED`	The client is not subscribed to MTD, the agent is not subscribed to Agent Services, or the client has not authorised the agent to act on their behalf.	Please subscribe to MTD VAT.
This information has been returned by HMRC Server. Your submission has not passed HMRC server validation. It has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code:DUPLICATE_SUBMISSION User has already submitted a VAT return for the given period.	User has already submitted a VAT return for the given period	`DUPLICATE_SUBMISSION`	User has already submitted a VAT return for the given period	Please contact HMRC for further help.
This information has been returned by HMRC Server. Your submission has not passed HMRC server validation. It has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code:TAX_PERIOD_NOT_ENDED Description: HMRC server has indicated that you are attempting to submit VAT returns for a period that has not ended. VAT return must only be submitted once the VAT period has ended. Please enter the correct Monetary value and submit the VAT Return again.	Return submitted too early	`TAX_PERIOD_NOT_ENDED`	Return submitted too early before the end date of the VAT Period.	You should submit VAT returns after the period is ended.
HMRC server has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code: HTTPS_REQUIRED Request done with HTTP.	Request done with HTTP	`HTTPS_REQUIRED`	A request to the HMRC is done with HTTP	Please contact your software provider for further help.
HMRC server has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code: RESOURCE_FORBIDDEN The OAuth token's application is not subscribed to the API.	The OAuth token's application is not subscribed to the API	`RESOURCE_FORBIDDEN`	The OAuth token's used in this application is not subscribed to the API	Please contact your software provider for further help.
HMRC server has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden),Code: INVALID_SCOPE The scope of the OAuth token is not sufficient to access the INVALID_SCOPE.	The scope of the OAuth token is not sufficient to access the INVALID_SCOPE	`INVALID_SCOPE`	The scope of the OAuth token is not sufficient to access the INVALID_SCOPE	Please contact your software provider for further help.
HMRC server has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code: FORBIDDEN Supplied OAuth token not authorised to access data for given tax identifier(s)	Supplied OAuth token not authorised to access data for given tax identifier(s)	`FORBIDDEN`	Supplied OAuth token not authorised to access data for given tax identifier(s)	Please contact your software provider for further help.
HMRC server has returned an error message: HTTP status: 403 (Forbidden), Code: DATE_RANGE_TOO_LARGE The date of the requested VAT Return cannot be more than four years from the current date. Please enter the VAT Return date within the four years.	The date of the requested return cannot be more than four years from the current date	`DATE_RANGE_TOO_LARGE`	The date of the requested return cannot be more than four years from the current date	Please enter the VAT Return date within the four years.