diff --git a/app/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.js b/app/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.js
index a0b2e0c0f4..08ce638300 100644
--- a/app/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.js
+++ b/app/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.js
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ function _validateAnotherStartDate (payload, licenceStartDate, licenceEndDate) {
       .date()
       .format(['YYYY-MM-DD'])
       .required()
-      .greater(licenceStartDate)
+      .min(licenceStartDate)
       .less(licenceEndDate || '9999-12-31')
       .messages({
         'date.base': 'Enter a real start date',
         'date.format': 'Enter a real start date',
-        'date.greater': 'Start date must be after the original licence start date',
+        'date.min': 'Start date must be on or after the original licence start date',
         'date.less': 'Start date must be before the licence end date'
       }),
     otherwise: Joi.forbidden()
diff --git a/test/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.test.js b/test/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.test.js
index fab4b58e2c..b7d9e0bb0c 100644
--- a/test/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.test.js
+++ b/test/validators/return-requirements/start-date.validator.test.js
@@ -150,11 +150,11 @@ describe('Start Date validator', () => {
           payload['start-date-year'] = '2022'
         })
 
-        it('fails validation with the message "Start date must be after the original licence start date"', () => {
+        it('fails validation with the message "Start date must be on or after the original licence start date"', () => {
           const result = StartDateValidator.go(payload, licenceStartDate, licenceEndDate)
 
           expect(result.error).to.exist()
-          expect(result.error.details[0].message).to.equal('Start date must be after the original licence start date')
+          expect(result.error.details[0].message).to.equal('Start date must be on or after the original licence start date')
         })
       })