Can I still file dormant company accounts by post?
By DormantFile · Updated 24 July 2026
Yes — for now. If your company is limited by shares and has never traded, you can print form AA02, fill it in, and post it to Companies House. It's free and needs no authentication code.
That's where the good news ends.
Why post is the riskiest route
- Delivery is what counts. Accounts are filed when Companies House receives and accepts them, not when you post them. A form posted the week of your deadline can arrive late — and penalties from £150 apply automatically.
- Errors bounce slowly. A missing signature or a period end that doesn't match your accounting reference date comes back by post, often weeks later, with your deadline gone in the meantime.
- No proof of acceptance. Online routes confirm acceptance electronically; paper leaves you guessing until the register updates.
- Previously-traded companies can't use it. The paper form is only for never-traded companies — if your company traded before going dormant, the postal route isn't available at all.
The route is closing
From April 2028, all company accounts must be filed through software — both paper forms and WebFiling's accounts screens are being withdrawn as part of the Companies House accounts reforms.
The alternative
Filing dormant accounts online takes minutes, confirms acceptance the same day in most cases, and — through DormantFile — covers the nil CT600 too, from £19/year.
Read more: Form AA02: dormant company accounts (DCA) explained