Limited Company Accounting Requirements: What Directors Must File

Running a limited company in the UK comes with statutory accounting obligations that every director must understand. Miss a deadline or file incorrectly, and you could face penalties ranging from £150 to £1,500 per document, plus potential director disqualification. This guide covers every limited company accounting requirement you need to know.

Key Filing Requirements for Limited Companies

As a UK limited company director, you must file several documents with Companies House and HMRC each year. Here's what's required:

Companies House filings:

Annual accounts (9 months after year-end)
Confirmation Statement (once per year)

HMRC filings:

Corporation Tax return CT600 (12 months after year-end)
Corporation Tax payment (9 months and 1 day after year-end)
VAT returns (if registered – quarterly or monthly)
PAYE returns (if you have employees or pay yourself a salary)

Record-keeping:

Financial records must be kept for at least 6 years from the end of the accounting period

These aren't optional. Every active limited company must comply, regardless of size or profitability. Even dormant companies must file annual accounts and a Confirmation Statement.

Annual Accounts Filing with Companies House

Every limited company must prepare and file annual accounts with Companies House within 9 months of the financial year-end. For new companies, you get up to 21 months from incorporation for your first accounts.

What format should accounts take?

Most small companies can file simplified accounts. The format depends on your company size:

Micro-entity accounts: For very small companies (turnover under £632,000, balance sheet under £316,000, 10 or fewer employees). These are the simplest format with minimal disclosure requirements.
Small company accounts: For companies below two of these thresholds – turnover under £10.2 million, balance sheet under £5.1 million, 50 or fewer employees. More detailed than micro-entity but still abbreviated.
Full accounts: Required for medium and large companies, or if you're filing abbreviated accounts but want to provide more detail.

You must file accounts even if:

Your company made no profit
The company is dormant
You've only just incorporated

Late filing penalties:

Companies House imposes automatic penalties for late accounts:

1 day late: £150
1 month late: £375
3 months late: £750
6 months late: £1,500

For repeat offences within 5 years, these penalties double. Filing very late can also result in your company being struck off the register.

Corporation Tax Return (CT600) to HMRC

Limited companies must file a Corporation Tax return (form CT600) with HMRC for each accounting period, even if there's no Corporation Tax to pay.

Key deadlines:

Filing deadline: 12 months after the end of your accounting period
Payment deadline: 9 months and 1 day after the end of your accounting period

This means you must pay any Corporation Tax due 3 months before you submit the return. The current Corporation Tax rate is 19% for profits up to £50,000, rising to 25% for profits over £250,000 (with marginal relief for profits between these amounts). Use our corporation tax calculator to estimate your liability, and see our corporation tax deadline guide for more details.

What's included in the CT600?

Your Corporation Tax return must show:

Your company's total profits (income and capital gains)
Any reliefs or allowances claimed
Corporation Tax due
Supporting computations and accounts

You must file the CT600 online through HMRC's Corporation Tax Online Service or commercial software. Paper filing is no longer accepted except in exceptional circumstances.

Penalties for late filing or payment:

Late filing carries automatic penalties:

1 day late: £100
3 months late: Additional £100
6 months late: 10% of the tax due (or £200 minimum)
12 months late: Further 10% of the tax due (or £200 minimum)

Late payment incurs interest charges from the due date until payment is received.

Confirmation Statement (Annual Return)

The Confirmation Statement replaced the Annual Return in 2016. You must file this at least once every 12 months, confirming that the information Companies House holds about your company is correct.

What information is confirmed?

Company's registered office address
Directors and secretary details
Shareholders and share capital
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code
Whether you have a Person with Significant Control (PSC) register

The Confirmation Statement must be filed online. The filing fee is £34 if filed online (£62 for paper filing, though this is being phased out).

Deadline:

The deadline is 14 days after the "confirmation date" you choose. Your first confirmation date is your incorporation anniversary, but you can file earlier if company details change.

Late filing triggers automatic penalties of £150 minimum, increasing the longer you leave it.

VAT Returns (If Registered)

You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any 12-month period (as of April 2024). You can also voluntarily register below this threshold.

VAT return frequency:

Most businesses file quarterly VAT returns, due one month and 7 days after the quarter end. Some businesses on special schemes may file monthly or annually.

Making Tax Digital (MTD):

Since April 2022, all VAT-registered businesses must use MTD-compatible software to keep records and file VAT returns. You cannot file through the HMRC website directly anymore. See our Making Tax Digital 2026 guide for upcoming changes.

Late filing penalties:

VAT has a points-based penalty system:

You receive points for each late submission or payment
Once you reach a threshold (usually 4 points), you face a £200 penalty
Further late submissions carry £200 penalties each
Points expire after 24 months of compliance

PAYE and Payroll (If You Have Employees)

If your company has employees – including if you pay yourself a salary as a director – you must operate PAYE and file returns to HMRC.

What must you file?

Full Payment Submission (FPS): Filed on or before each payday, showing what you've paid employees and deductions made
Employer Payment Summary (EPS): Filed if you need to claim certain deductions or report no payments in a month
P60: Annual summary given to employees by 31 May showing total pay and deductions
P11D: If you provide employees with benefits or expenses (due by 6 July)

Payroll deadlines:

PAYE tax and National Insurance contributions must be paid to HMRC by the 22nd of each month (or 19th if paying by post).

Late payment or filing carries penalties and interest charges.

Record-Keeping Requirements

Limited companies must maintain detailed financial records for at least 6 years from the end of the accounting period they relate to.

Records you must keep:

All invoices and receipts (sales and purchases)
Bank statements and correspondence
Cash books and accounts
Details of assets and liabilities
Stock records at the financial year-end
Records of grants and payments to directors
PAYE and VAT records (if applicable)

Records can be digital or paper, but they must be accurate, complete, and readable. HMRC can levy penalties of up to £3,000 for inadequate records.

Digital record-keeping:

With Making Tax Digital expanding, digital record-keeping is becoming mandatory for more businesses. Even if not required yet, digital records are easier to maintain and search when needed.

Micro-Entity vs Small Company Accounts

Understanding which accounting format applies to your company affects how much information you must disclose publicly.

Micro-entity accounts:

To qualify, your company must meet at least two of these criteria:

Turnover: Not more than £632,000
Balance sheet total: Not more than £316,000
Employees: Not more than 10

Micro-entity accounts are highly simplified:

Only a basic balance sheet is required
No profit and loss account needs to be filed (though you must prepare one for internal use)
Minimal notes to the accounts

Small company accounts:

Your company is "small" if it meets at least two of:

Turnover: Not more than £10.2 million
Balance sheet total: Not more than £5.1 million
Employees: Not more than 50

Small company accounts require:

An abbreviated balance sheet
An abbreviated profit and loss account (optional to file)
Basic notes to the accounts

Most UK limited companies qualify as small or micro-entities, meaning you can file simplified accounts and keep detailed financial information private.

Director Responsibilities and Penalties

As a company director, you have legal responsibilities for ensuring compliance with all accounting requirements. These duties cannot be delegated entirely to an accountant – ultimate responsibility remains with you.

Your statutory duties include:

Ensuring accounts are prepared that give a true and fair view
Filing accounts and returns on time
Maintaining proper accounting records
Acting in the company's best interests
Exercising reasonable care, skill, and diligence

Consequences of non-compliance:

Personal liability: Directors can be personally liable for penalties and, in serious cases, company debts
Disqualification: Persistent failure to file accounts is grounds for director disqualification (typically 2-15 years)
Criminal prosecution: In serious cases of fraud or deliberate non-compliance
Company strike-off: Companies House can dissolve companies that don't file required documents

Even if you use an accountant, you must ensure they're meeting all deadlines. Set up systems to monitor compliance and receive alerts well before deadlines.

How AccountsOS Simplifies Compliance

Managing limited company accounting requirements means tracking multiple deadlines, preparing various documents, and ensuring everything is filed correctly. That's where AccountsOS comes in.

Automated deadline tracking:

AccountsOS monitors all your filing deadlines – annual accounts, CT600, Confirmation Statement, VAT returns, and PAYE submissions – and alerts you well in advance. You'll never miss a deadline again.

Real-time bookkeeping:

Connect your bank accounts and upload receipts via mobile. AccountsOS automatically categorises transactions, reconciles accounts, and maintains the detailed records HMRC requires. Your books are always up-to-date and audit-ready.

Simplified filing:

When filing time arrives, AccountsOS prepares your accounts in the correct format (micro-entity, small, or full) and can integrate with filing services. All your supporting documentation is organised and accessible.

AI-powered guidance:

Not sure whether an expense is allowable? Uncertain about your VAT position? Ask AccountsOS in plain English. Get instant, accurate answers based on your specific situation and current HMRC rules.

Making Tax Digital compliance:

AccountsOS is MTD-compatible, meeting HMRC's requirements for digital record-keeping and VAT filing. As MTD extends to Corporation Tax and Income Tax, AccountsOS will keep you compliant automatically.

Instead of juggling spreadsheets, searching through emails for receipts, and worrying about deadlines, AccountsOS handles the complexity so you can focus on growing your business.

Limited Company Accounting Requirements: Annual Checklist

Use this checklist to stay on top of your compliance obligations:

Every month (if applicable):

Process payroll and file FPS by payday
Pay PAYE and National Insurance by 22nd
File monthly VAT return (if on monthly VAT scheme)

Every quarter (if VAT registered):

File VAT return (due 1 month and 7 days after quarter end)
Pay VAT due

Annually:

Prepare and file annual accounts with Companies House (9 months after year-end)
File Confirmation Statement (within 14 days of confirmation date)
Prepare and file Corporation Tax return CT600 (12 months after year-end)
Pay Corporation Tax due (9 months and 1 day after year-end)
Provide P60s to employees (by 31 May)
File P11D for benefits and expenses (by 6 July if applicable)

Ongoing:

Maintain proper accounting records (all transactions, receipts, invoices)
Monitor turnover for VAT registration threshold
Review company information on Companies House for accuracy
Keep directors and shareholders information up to date

Set reminders well before each deadline to allow time for preparation. Even better, automate the process with software like AccountsOS that tracks everything for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my limited company makes no profit?

You must still file annual accounts with Companies House and a Corporation Tax return with HMRC, even if your company made no profit or had no activity. The only exception is if your company is formally dormant and has had no transactions beyond certain limited activities (e.g., filing fees, penalty charges).

Can I file my own limited company accounts?

Yes, directors can prepare and file their own accounts. However, accounts must meet statutory requirements and give a true and fair view of the company's financial position. Many directors use accounting software or hire an accountant to ensure compliance and accuracy, especially as the rules can be complex.

How long should I keep limited company records?

You must keep all accounting records for at least 6 years from the end of the financial year they relate to. This includes invoices, receipts, bank statements, and any other financial documents. HMRC can request to see records from within this period during an enquiry.

What's the difference between annual accounts and a tax return?

Annual accounts are financial statements (balance sheet, profit and loss) filed with Companies House that show your company's financial position. A Corporation Tax return (CT600) is filed with HMRC and calculates the tax your company owes. Both use similar underlying information but serve different purposes and have different deadlines.

Do I need an accountant for my limited company?

It's not legally required to hire an accountant, but most directors find professional help valuable, especially for tax planning and ensuring compliance. Read our guide on whether you need an accountant for your limited company. At minimum, you'll need accounting software or a system to maintain proper records and prepare statutory accounts. AI-powered platforms like AccountsOS can automate much of the work traditionally done by accountants at a fraction of the cost - see how we compare to traditional accountants.

What if I miss a filing deadline?

Late filing triggers automatic penalties – £150 minimum for late accounts, £100 for a late CT600, and points towards VAT penalties. File as soon as possible to minimise penalties. If you have a reasonable excuse (serious illness, postal delays, etc.), you can appeal penalties, though HMRC is strict about what qualifies.

Can my company switch to a different year-end date?

Yes, you can change your accounting reference date by filing form AA01 with Companies House. You can shorten your accounting period at any time or extend it once every five years (up to 18 months maximum). Changing your year-end also affects your Corporation Tax deadlines and when accounts are due.

Do I need to register for VAT?

You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period. You can voluntarily register below this threshold, which may be beneficial if you reclaim more VAT than you charge (common for startups with high initial costs). Use our VAT calculator to estimate your obligations. Once registered, you must charge VAT on applicable sales and file regular VAT returns. See our VAT threshold guide for more details.