Missed your Companies House deadline? Here's what happens next, and what you can do today.

The deadline you've missed

• Every year's accounts after that: due at Companies House 9 months after the company's financial year ends.^{(source 1)}
• First accounts: due at Companies House 21 months after the company was registered.^{(source 2)}

The penalties for late accounts

The penalty notice comes automatically once accounts are filed late.^{(source 3)}

• Up to 1 month late: £150.^{(source 4)}
• 1 to 3 months late: £375.^{(source 5)}
• 3 to 6 months late: £750.^{(source 6)}
• More than 6 months late: £1,500.^{(source 7)}

Those are the penalties for a private limited company; a public company's are different.^{(source 8)} The penalty is doubled if the accounts are late 2 years in a row.^{(source 9)}

The penalty depends on how late the accounts are when they arrive, so every week sooner can matter.

If nothing is filed at all

A company that doesn't send its accounts or confirmation statement can be fined and struck off the register.^{(source 10)}

What to do now

1. 1

   Step 1: Find out exactly what's overdue

   Accounts, a confirmation statement, or both. They are different filings with different dates; the three filings compared explains which is which.

2. 2

   Step 2: Make sure you can file

   You need it to file online, whether through Companies House's own service or through software.^{(source 11)}

   If you can't find it, read our guide to a lost authentication code now, because it comes by post.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare and file the accounts

   For a small company these are usually micro-entity accounts, or dormant accounts if nothing happened.

4. 4

   Step 4: Then deal with the penalty

   You can appeal a penalty for filing accounts late.^{(source 12)} An appeal has to give a specific reason, the relevant details such as dates and times, and show the circumstances were out of your control.^{(source 13)} Companies House don't collect the penalty while they consider an appeal.^{(source 14)}

Will an appeal succeed?

Companies House are clear about the reasons they don't usually accept, and it helps to know them before you write.

Companies House say an appeal may not succeed if these were the company's first accounts, if it's dormant, or if the reason is that someone else, the accountant included, was responsible.^{(source 15)} Not knowing when or how to file isn't usually accepted either.^{(source 16)}

Whether your own circumstances make a case for appeal is a judgement: that's one for an accountant or adviser.

If the deadline hasn't passed yet

If something outside your control, such as a fire, stops you sending the accounts, you can apply to Companies House for more time.^{(source 17)} The application has to be made before the deadline.^{(source 18)}

How standing.tax helps

• Your company's deadlines with HMRC and Companies House in one place, and what each one still needs from you.
• An email reminder 30 days and 7 days before your accounts, confirmation statement and Corporation Tax deadlines.
• Annual accounts for a micro-entity, dormant or trading, drawn up from your books for you to read and approve.
• Go through what Companies House hold about your company, item by item, and prepare the year's confirmation statement. Their fee is shown before you agree to it.