How much does it cost to file dormant company accounts?
By Ben Davies · Updated 5 October 2026
We file your accounts and tax return for £19/year
File my dormant accountsFiling for a dormant company does not need to be expensive. Here is what it costs with DormantFile, what an accountant charges for the same filings, and what it costs to file late.
The costs compared
| Route | Annual cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| DormantFile | From £19/year | Both filings (accounts + CT600, the Company Tax Return) from one dashboard, plus deadline reminders |
| Accountant | £80–£150+ per company | Both filings, plus professional advice |
| Filing late | £150–£1,500 from Companies House, £200+ from HMRC | Nothing — each penalty is for a filing that still has to be made |
DormantFile (from £19/year)
We built DormantFile to handle both filings for dormant companies:
- Annual accounts to Companies House
- Nil CT600 to HMRC, when HMRC has sent the company a notice to deliver a Company Tax Return
HMRC's free filing service, CATO, closed on 31 March 2026, so a CT600 now has to go through commercial software. DormantFile's plan covers it, alongside the accounts.
The Basic plan is £19/year for one company. The Multiple plan is £39/year for up to 10 companies (£3.90 each). The Agent plan is £49/year for up to 100 companies. Full details on our pricing page.
DormantFile is for dormant and non-trading companies only — no invoicing, no payroll, no accounting features. It files the accounts (including dormant accounts that carry figures from a trading past) and the nil CT600, and watches the rest of the year: deadline reminders, the confirmation statement date (we remind you; we don't file it), directors' identity checks and the public register. See how it works or what's included when you file dormant accounts online.
Accountant (£80–£150+ per company)
An accountant can file the accounts and the CT600 and give you advice alongside. For a dormant company, that means paying a professional's rate for filings with nothing on them, year after year.
Holding assets or debts from a trading past doesn't, on its own, stop a company being dormant: those figures sit unchanged on its dormant balance sheet, and DormantFile files them. Not sure whether your company is dormant? Our free dormancy checker works it out.
The cost of filing late
The most expensive way to run a dormant company is to miss a deadline. Companies House's late filing penalties are automatic:
| How late | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 month | £150 |
| 1 to 3 months | £375 |
| 3 to 6 months | £750 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 |
They double if the accounts are late two years running. HMRC charges separately for a late CT600: £200 the day after the deadline and another £200 at three months (£100 each for a return that fell due before 1 April 2026). A single late filing costs more than several years of DormantFile.
When you need an accountant instead
DormantFile files for two kinds of company:
- A company that had no significant accounting transactions during the period — dormant under section 1169 of the Companies Act 2006.
- A company that had a transaction or two but didn't trade and has no taxable income. The classic case is repaying a Bounce Back Loan, which is filed as micro-entity accounts — we file those too.
If the company traded during the period, or its tax return would show a profit or tax to pay, or you need tax advice, an accountant is the right route.
Key points
- DormantFile files the accounts and the nil CT600 from £19/year.
- An accountant costs £80–£150+ per company for the same filings.
- HMRC's free filing service (CATO) closed on 31 March 2026, so a CT600 now has to go through commercial software — DormantFile includes it.
- Late filing penalties start at £150 from Companies House and £200 from HMRC — more than several years of DormantFile.
- For a complete annual compliance checklist and total cost, see our guide on keeping your dormant company compliant without an accountant.