Question 1

What filings does DormantFile handle?

Accepted Answer

DormantFile handles both annual filing obligations for UK dormant companies. We submit dormant company accounts to Companies House via the Software Filing API and nil CT600 Corporation Tax returns to HMRC via the GovTalk API. Both filings are submitted electronically — you never need to post anything. Together, these cover the complete annual filing obligation for a dormant limited company. Each filing is tracked separately in your dashboard, so you can see the status of your Companies House accounts and CT600 independently.

Question 2

What if my company isn't registered for Corporation Tax?

Accepted Answer

That's fine. Many dormant companies only need to file annual accounts with Companies House. If yours isn't registered for Corporation Tax, you can skip the CT600 entirely. We handle both scenarios.

Question 3

Can I use DormantFile if my company is trading?

Accepted Answer

No. DormantFile is designed exclusively for genuinely dormant companies — those with no significant transactions during the period. If your company has traded, you need a qualified accountant.

Question 4

What do I need before I start?

Accepted Answer

For Companies House accounts: your company registration number and Companies House authentication code. For the CT600: your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and HMRC Government Gateway credentials (user ID and password). You will also need your accounting period dates for both filings.

Question 5

How long does filing take?

Accepted Answer

Under two minutes. You click file, enter the relevant credentials, and we handle the rest.

Question 6

What happens after I file?

Accepted Answer

After you submit, DormantFile polls the government APIs for a response. Companies House typically responds within minutes; HMRC can take several hours or occasionally longer. You'll see the status update in your dashboard — it moves from submitted to accepted or rejected. Once a filing is accepted, you'll receive an email confirmation. If a filing is rejected, you'll see the reason in your dashboard and can correct the issue and resubmit. Your filing records are kept permanently so you always have a complete history.

Question 7

What accounting periods can I file for?

Accepted Answer

You can file for any accounting period where your company was dormant. We calculate your deadlines based on the period dates you enter.

Question 8

What if I'm behind on my filings?

Accepted Answer

DormantFile detects outstanding accounting periods and lets you file them in sequence. Companies House and HMRC track periods independently, so you can catch up on accounts and Corporation Tax separately. We recommend filing the oldest period first, and we'll warn you if earlier periods are still outstanding. Late filing penalties may apply from Companies House — these escalate from £150 for up to one month late. Filing now prevents further penalties from accruing. See our guide on [catching up on overdue filings](/guides/catch-up-overdue-dormant-company-filings).

Question 9

Can I use DormantFile if my company has a Bounce Back Loan?

Accepted Answer

A Bounce Back Loan doesn't automatically make your company non-dormant for Companies Act purposes. The key test is whether there have been significant accounting transactions beyond shares paid for, filing fees, and penalties. However, HMRC may take a different view if interest has accrued or repayments are being made through the company's own bank account. If you're unsure, check with HMRC or an accountant before filing as dormant. You still need to file annually while the loan is outstanding. See our [guide on BBLs and dormant companies](/guides/bounce-back-loan-dormant-company).

Question 10

What happens if HMRC or Companies House rejects my filing?

Accepted Answer

Rejections are uncommon for dormant filings but can happen if credentials are incorrect, the company isn't registered for Corporation Tax, or there's a period mismatch. DormantFile shows the rejection reason in your dashboard so you can correct and resubmit. If you're stuck, email support and we'll help you work out what went wrong.

Question 11

Can I amend a filing after it's been accepted?

Accepted Answer

Once a filing has been accepted by HMRC or Companies House, it cannot be amended through DormantFile. Amendments need to be filed separately through official channels. For dormant accounts, amendments are extremely rare since the figures are standardised — if your company was genuinely dormant, the original filing will be correct.

Question 12

Is this my first year — can I still use DormantFile?

Accepted Answer

Yes. First-year filings work the same way. DormantFile calculates your first accounting period based on your incorporation date and accounting reference date. If your company was incorporated within the current period, DormantFile handles the first-year filing correctly.

Question 13

My company has a bank account but no transactions — is it still dormant?

Accepted Answer

For Companies Act purposes, holding a bank account is fine as long as there have been no significant accounting transactions. The key test is whether the company has traded. If the only transactions are formation shares, filing fees, and penalties, the company is still dormant. Interest earned on the account could affect this — check with HMRC if in doubt.

Question 14

What happened to CATO?

Accepted Answer

HMRC's Corporation Tax Online (CATO) service closed on 31 March 2026. CATO was the free way to file a nil CT600 return directly with HMRC. With it gone, you need either approved software like DormantFile or an accountant to file your Corporation Tax return. Companies House accounts filing is unaffected — that's a separate system.

Question 15

Who can see the filings DormantFile submits?

Accepted Answer

Companies House filings (annual accounts) are public record — anyone can view them on the Companies House register, regardless of how they were filed. HMRC Corporation Tax returns are not public. DormantFile submits to the same official systems as any accountant or filing software.

Question 16

Is my data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All data is transmitted over TLS encryption in transit. Your DormantFile password is hashed with bcrypt before being stored — we never see or store it in plain text. Payments are handled entirely by Stripe, so your card details never touch our servers. Government credentials (HMRC Gateway, Companies House auth code) are used once at filing time and immediately discarded — they are never written to our database or logged. We use minimal cookies: one session cookie for authentication and an optional analytics cookie. You can read more on our [security page](/security).

Question 17

How do you handle my HMRC Gateway credentials?

Accepted Answer

Your HMRC Government Gateway user ID and password are entered at filing time only. They are transmitted directly to HMRC over TLS to authenticate the CT600 submission. Once HMRC responds, they are immediately discarded from server memory. They are never written to our database, never logged, and never accessible to anyone at DormantFile. You can verify this in our [security policy](/security).

Question 18

How do you handle my Companies House authentication code?

Accepted Answer

Your Companies House authentication code is entered when you file. It is included in the submission XML sent to Companies House, transmitted over TLS, and never stored in our database. The auth code is a one-time-use code issued by Companies House specifically for software filing. Like your HMRC credentials, it is discarded from server memory immediately after the submission completes and is never logged.

Question 19

What data do you collect?

Accepted Answer

We collect your email address, a hashed password, company details (name, registration number, UTR, accounting dates), and filing records. Payment is handled entirely by Stripe — we never see or store your card details.

Question 20

How much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Basic is £19/year for one company. Multiple is £39/year for up to 10 companies. Agent is £49/year for up to 100 companies. Plans are based on how many companies you manage — not how many filings you make. All plans include both Companies House accounts and CT600 filing for any outstanding period. See our pricing page for the full comparison.

Question 21

Is there a free trial?

Accepted Answer

No free trial, but we offer a 14-day refund policy. If you sign up and decide not to file within 14 days, you get a full refund — no questions asked. At £19/year for a single company, it's less than what most accountants charge for a single dormant filing. You can set up your account and add your companies before deciding to subscribe, so you can see exactly what you're getting.

Question 22

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cancel via the billing portal and your subscription stays active until the end of the current billing period. We do not offer refunds for partial periods — see our [refund policy](/refund) for details.

Question 23

What happens if my subscription lapses?

Accepted Answer

You won't be able to file new returns, but your account and filing history remain accessible. You can resubscribe at any time to resume filing.

Question 24

Can I manage multiple companies?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on the Multiple or Agent plan. Each company has its own filing record, deadlines, and reminders. You manage them all from a single dashboard.

Question 25

When do I get filing reminders?

Accepted Answer

We send email reminders at 90, 30, 14, 7, 3, and 1 days before each deadline, plus overdue alerts at 1, 7, 30, and 90+ days after. One consolidated email per day covers all your companies. You can also subscribe to a calendar feed that adds your deadlines to Google Calendar, Outlook, or any calendar app — set it up in your settings page.

Question 26

How do I add or remove a company?

Accepted Answer

Add a company from your dashboard by entering its registration number. Remove a company from your settings — the filing history is preserved.

Question 27

Can I get a receipt for a filing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every accepted filing has a printable receipt available from the completed filings section on your company page. It includes the company name, registration number, accounting period, filing type, submission reference, and date confirmed. You can also copy a formatted summary to your clipboard in one click to share with directors or clients.

Question 28

Can I export my company data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The dashboard has an Export CSV button that downloads your full company list with filing statuses, deadlines, and accounting periods. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets for your own records or to share with colleagues.

Question 29

What if I filed a period through another service?

Accepted Answer

You can mark any accounts or CT600 period as filed elsewhere. This marks the period as complete and stops reminders — without needing to re-file through DormantFile. You'll find the 'Filed elsewhere?' option on each outstanding period in your company's filings tab.

Question 30

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

You can delete your account from the settings page. This removes all your personal data and company records. This action is permanent and cannot be undone.

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