Do you pay tax selling your own clothes?
Generally, no. Selling clothes and other things you have owned and used yourself is not trading, so it is not taxed as income, however many you sell. Tax can come in when you buy or make things to sell.
Why your own things are not taxed
Income Tax applies to trading. Selling your own unwanted things, usually for less than you paid, is not trading. gov.uk says that if you sell personal possessions you "probably do not have to pay Income Tax on these".
This stays true when an app reports you. A big wardrobe clear-out can pass 30 sales on Vinted. That means a report to HMRC, not a tax bill. What a Vinted report means.
When selling becomes trading
HMRC looks at what you do, not what you call it. These are signs of trading:
- you buy things so that you can sell them on, for example from charity shops, car boot sales or wholesale bundles
- you make things to sell
- you repair or upcycle things to sell them for more
- you sell often, with the aim of making a profit
No single sign decides it. If you are trading, the trading allowance applies to the money buyers pay you. How the trading allowance works.
If you sell both
Many people sell their own clothes and also a few things they bought to sell on. Only the money from the bought-to-sell things counts toward the trading allowance. Keep a note of which sale is which, so you can show the difference if HMRC asks.
Valuable things
Capital Gains Tax can apply when you sell a valuable item, or a set of items, for a high price. Most second-hand clothes are far below that level. Capital Gains Tax on personal possessions (gov.uk).
Questions
I sold more than 30 things on Vinted. Do I owe tax?
Not because of the number. Reaching 30 sales means Vinted reports you, but the sale of your own things is generally not taxed, however many you sell.
Do I need to tell HMRC that I sell my own things?
Usually not. HMRC says you do not usually need to tell them about selling unwanted personal belongings from time to time. The exception is a valuable item or set, where Capital Gains Tax can apply.
Do unwanted presents count as my own things?
Yes. A present you were given and no longer want is your own thing. Selling it is not trading.
Sources
Rules last checked November 2026. This is guidance from HMRC's published rules, not tax advice. If you are unsure, check gov.uk or speak to an accountant.
