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Selling Online on Vinted, eBay or Etsy: Do You Pay Tax?
Selling your own unwanted things online is usually not taxable. If you buy or make things to sell for a profit, you are likely to be trading, and income over the £1,000 trading allowance must be reported. Since 2025, platforms such as Vinted, eBay, Etsy and Depop share information with HMRC about sellers with 30 or more sales, or over about £1,735, a year.
At A Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Tax When Selling Online
Your Own Things
Selling possessions you no longer want is unlikely to mean you need to declare earnings. Selling a single item for £6,000 or more may create a Capital Gains Tax bill. source
Trading
If you buy or make items to sell at a profit, you are likely to be trading. You get a £1,000 tax-free trading allowance before expenses; above that you need to tell HMRC. source
Platform Reports
Since 2025, platforms share seller information with HMRC where an account sells more than 30 items or earns over 2,000 euros (about £1,735) a year. Being reported does not by itself mean you owe tax. source
Registering
If you need to, register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the end of the tax year in which you started earning. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 5 OctoberRegister for Self AssessmentAfter the tax year you started trading
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Decide whether you are clearing out or trading.
Step 2 of 5
Keep records of what you paid and what you sold for.
Step 3 of 5
Add up trading income for the tax year.
Step 4 of 5
Register for Self Assessment if over £1,000.
Step 5 of 5
Use HMRC's online checker if unsure.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
HMRC
Contact HMRC through your personal tax account, the HMRC app or the phone and post details on GOV.UK.
Free Tax Help
TaxAid and Tax Help for Older People give free advice if your income is low.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Keep records anyway: they show HMRC what you sold was your own things.
Scotland has its own Income Tax rates and bands. The rules on returns, penalties and HMRC complaints apply across the UK.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 15 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- moneyhelper.org.uk/en/blog/work/will-I-have-to-start-paying-tax-when-I-sell-items-online Checked 15 October 2026