Late filing penalty calculator
Companies House charges automatic penalties when annual accounts are filed late. Enter how many days overdue you are and we’ll show exactly what the penalty is.
How Companies House late filing penalties work
Penalties are automatic — there is no grace period, and no warning beyond the standard reminder letters. Each set of late accounts gets one penalty, in a band fixed by law. The band depends on three things: whether your company is private or public, how many days late the accounts are, and whether you were late filing last year as well. Filing won't cancel a penalty already due, but it stops it moving into a higher band.
The penalty bands (private companies)
| How late | Penalty | Doubled if late two years running |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 month | £150 | £300 |
| 1 to 3 months | £375 | £750 |
| 3 to 6 months | £750 | £1,500 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 | £3,000 |
Public companies (PLCs) pay 5× more — but very few dormant companies are PLCs.
What if I’m about to file?
The penalty is set by the date Companies House receives your accounts, not the date you started filing. If you file today and the system accepts it tomorrow, you’ll still be charged based on today’s band. See our guide on late filing penalties for the full mechanics, or read how to catch up on overdue dormant filings if you’re behind on multiple years.
Can the penalty be appealed?
Yes, but only on narrow grounds — death of a director, fire, flood, or a Companies House systems failure. “I forgot” or “I didn’t know” are not accepted. Most appeals fail. If you’re holding a penalty notice, photograph it with our letter reader. With a free account we check your record and the register for grounds and, where there are some, write the appeal letter for you for £9.99. Companies House still makes the decision.
Avoiding the next penalty
The cheapest penalty is the one that never happens. The free deadline watchdog emails you well before your accounts are due, and filing dormant accounts online takes about ten minutes — £19/year, and if a filing is rejected you fix and resubmit free, as often as you need.
Hear about the next deadline first
The free watchdog emails you well before every Companies House deadline and warns you about strike-off action. Plans that also file your accounts and tax return start from £19/year.
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