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Companies House

Late filing penalty calculator

Filed your accounts late, or about to? Enter your deadline and filing date to see the penalty band, the amount, and the date to file by to avoid the next one.

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What you will see

  • The penalty band your filing falls into
  • The exact penalty, doubled if last year was late too
  • If not filed yet, the date to beat the next band

How much is a Companies House late filing penalty?

A private company pays £150 up to 1 month late, rising to £375, £750 and £1,500 the later the accounts arrive. A public company pays £750, £1,500, £3,000 and £7,500 for the same bands. The penalty doubles if last year's accounts were also filed late.
Were last year's accounts also filed late?

Enter your accounts filing deadline to see the penalty.

The bands

The penalty table

Companies House bands the penalty by how late the accounts are delivered, and by whether the company is private or public. The penalty doubles if the previous year's accounts were also filed late.

How latePrivate companyPublic company
Up to 1 month£150£750
1 to 3 months£375£1,500
3 to 6 months£750£3,000
More than 6 months£1,500£7,500

The penalty is doubled if your accounts were also filed late the previous year, so a second late filing in a row costs a lot more than the table alone suggests.

Appeals

Appealing a late filing penalty

Companies House accepts appeals where there were unexpected circumstances close to the filing deadline, such as serious illness or a death, or where Companies House itself made an error. Being dormant, not being able to afford the penalty, relying on your accountant, or it being your company's first set of accounts are all listed as reasons unlikely to succeed.

The appeal is online only, takes up to around 30 minutes, and you can only appeal once against a given penalty notice, so it is worth getting it right the first time. Start the appeal on GOV.UK's appeal page.

Writing it up

What to include in an appeal

The form is online, but the same structure applies to whatever you write in it. This is guidance on what to cover, not a template that guarantees the appeal succeeds:

  1. 1Your company name and company number.
  2. 2The penalty reference number from the penalty notice.
  3. 3What happened, with the actual dates: when the deadline fell, and when the accounts were delivered.
  4. 4Why it was outside your control, specifically, not just that it was difficult.
  5. 5Any evidence you can attach to support what happened.
  6. 6A clear, direct request: that the penalty be reduced or waived.

Dormant companies

Dormant companies still have to file

A dormant company, one with no significant accounting transactions, still has to file accounts with Companies House every year, and the same late filing penalty applies if they arrive after the deadline. "The company was dormant" is explicitly listed as a reason an appeal is unlikely to succeed.

Next year

Stop it happening next year

A first accounts filing is due 21 months after incorporation. After that, accounts are due 9 months after your accounting reference date every year. Keeping your books up to date through the year, rather than starting from scratch at year end, is what actually prevents a late filing, not remembering the date itself. See all your company deadlines in one place, and be aware that Companies House is closing paper and web filing of accounts from April 2028, so software will be the only route from then. Ignoring accounts filing altogether, not just the penalty, can lead to the company being struck off.

Where Finn helps

Finn keeps you off this page next year

Finn tracks the deadline itself, so accounts are ready well before it, not scrambled together against the clock.

Try Finn free for 14 days
  • Tracks your accounts deadline straight from Companies House, with reminders as it approaches
  • Prepares your micro-entity accounts for you to review
  • Files your accounts to Companies House once you approve them
  • Keeps your books up to date through the year, so year end is not a scramble

Questions

Late filing penalties, answered

What is the Companies House late filing penalty?

It is an automatic fine Companies House charges when a company's annual accounts arrive after the filing deadline. It applies whether or not you have any tax to pay, and whether or not the company traded, and it rises the later the accounts arrive.

How much is the penalty for filing accounts late?

For a private company: £150 up to 1 month late, £375 from 1 to 3 months, £750 from 3 to 6 months, and £1,500 beyond that. A public company pays £750, £1,500, £3,000 and £7,500 for the same bands. The penalty doubles if your accounts were also filed late the previous year.

Can I appeal a Companies House late filing penalty?

Yes, but only once against a given penalty notice, and only online. Companies House accepts appeals based on unexpected circumstances close to the deadline, such as serious illness or death, or a genuine error on their part. It takes up to 30 minutes to complete.

What counts as a valid reason for a late filing penalty appeal?

Unexpected circumstances close to the filing deadline, such as serious illness or a death, or an error made by Companies House itself. Being dormant, not being able to afford the penalty, relying on your accountant, or it being your first set of accounts are all listed as reasons that are unlikely to succeed.

How do I write a Companies House late filing penalty appeal letter?

Set out the company name and number, the penalty reference from your notice, exactly what happened and when, why it was outside your control, and any evidence you can attach. The appeal itself is submitted online, not by letter, but the same structure works for the online form's free-text answers.

My accountant filed my accounts late, can I appeal on that basis?

GOV.UK lists relying on your accountant as a reason unlikely to succeed. Filing responsibility sits with the director personally, whoever actually prepares the accounts.

Do dormant companies have to file accounts, and can they be fined for filing late?

Yes. Every company on the register has to file accounts every year, dormant or not, and dormant status is not accepted as a reason to waive a late filing penalty.

What happens if I don't pay the penalty?

Companies House can take court action to recover an unpaid penalty. Ignoring accounts filing altogether, rather than just the penalty, can lead to the company being struck off the register.

Sources, checked on

General guidance, not advice for your situation. Rules change: always check the GOV.UK page before you act.

Never file your accounts late again

Finn tracks your Companies House deadline all year and prepares your accounts ahead of it, not against the clock.

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