What are Companies House late filing penalties?
By Ben Davies · Updated 26 September 2026
Stop keeping this deadline in your head
Watch my deadlines freeCompanies House charges an automatic, fixed penalty when a company files its annual accounts late. There is no grace period — the penalty is triggered the day after the deadline. It is one penalty for each set of late accounts, and its size depends on how late they are when Companies House receives them. You can appeal, but Companies House accepts only exceptional circumstances.
Penalty amounts (private companies)
| How late | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 month | £150 |
| 1 to 3 months | £375 |
| 3 to 6 months | £750 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 |
Public companies face significantly higher penalties (£750 to £7,500). If you file late in two consecutive years, the penalty doubles. If your accounts are already late, filing now won't cancel the penalty already due, but it stops them moving into a higher band. Our free late filing penalty calculator shows your exact figure, including the double-penalty rule.
Why dormant companies get caught out
These penalties apply even if your company is dormant with nothing to report. The filing obligation exists regardless of activity. Many directors forget about the deadline because the company does nothing — and the filing slips their mind.
HMRC also charges separate penalties for late CT600 returns: a flat £200, a further £200 if the return is more than 3 months late, then tax-geared penalties (10% of any unpaid Corporation Tax) at 6 and 12 months — nil for a nil return. The flat amounts are higher for a third late return in a row. Those flat rates apply where the return fell due on or after 1 April 2026; an older deadline still carries the previous £100 and £100.
How to avoid them
- Know your deadline: accounts are due 9 months after your accounting reference date.
- File early — there is no benefit to waiting.
- Set up reminders. We send automatic email reminders before every Companies House deadline, and we remind you about any Corporation Tax deadline you add — the HMRC penalties above run on a clock whose only warnings arrive by post. See how it works.
Dormant companies need to file accounts to Companies House and, when HMRC sends a notice to deliver one, a CT600 to HMRC. We handle both from £19/year.
Read the full guide: What happens if you don't file your dormant company accounts
Thinking of appealing? Companies House accepts only exceptional circumstances — it lists dormancy, not knowing the deadline and not receiving a reminder among the reasons it does not accept.