The real cost of missing your Companies House accounts

Missing an accounts deadline is not only annoying. It can be expensive, public, and in the worst cases personal. Here is a clear guide to what it costs if you file late, plus a practical routine to stay on track.

What the law says in plain English

• Every UK company must file annual accounts. If the accounts are late, an automatic late filing penalty applies. The rules cover private companies, public companies, and LLPs.
• Private companies and LLPs have 9 months after the end of the accounting reference period to deliver accounts. Public companies have 6 months.
• For a first set of accounts that covers more than 12 months, a private company or LLP must deliver within 21 months of incorporation or within 3 months of the accounting reference date, whichever is longer.
• Delivery means Companies House receives acceptable accounts in the right format. If the deadline lands on a Sunday or a Bank Holiday, you must still meet that date.

The headline costs of filing late

Late filing penalties apply to accounts only. The amount depends on how late you are. If you are late for two years in a row, the penalty doubles.

Private companies and LLPs

Public companies

Example: if a private company misses by 5 weeks, the penalty is £375. If it also filed late last year, this rises to £750.

Costs that are not on the invoice, but still real

• Criminal risk. Not filing accounts or confirmation statements is a criminal offence. Directors or LLP designated members can be personally fined in the criminal courts. This is separate from the late filing penalty that hits the company.
• Court and collections. If you do not pay the penalty, Companies House can pursue the debt through the courts and may seek costs.
• Reputation and counterparties. Overdue accounts are visible on the public register. Suppliers, lenders, and customers can see missed deadlines. There is no fine for that visibility, but the signal can still cost you.
• Strike off risk. Persistent non‑filing can lead to the registrar starting strike off action. Once struck off, the company can be dissolved and assets can vest in the Crown. Restoring a company requires time and cost.

Know your dates

• Check your company record to confirm your accounting reference date and due dates. Use the Find and update service on GOV.UK.
• For first year timings, GOV.UK explains how the first accounting period and the first deadline are set.

A simple quarterly playbook that works

Quarter 1. Close the books on time

• Agree cut‑off dates and responsibilities with your accountant early.
• If you changed your accounting reference date recently, note that the filing window might be shorter.

Quarter 2. Draft and review

• Prepare accounts and run basic checks: signed balance sheet, correct period, correct company name and number. Companies House will not accept accounts that miss mandatory elements, and if you resubmit after the deadline the penalty still applies.

Quarter 3. Director sign‑off and online filing

• File online where possible. This reduces postal risk and lets you track delivery.
• Do a post‑submission check that the filing shows as received and accepted on the public record.

Quarter 4. Remind and rehearse

• Register for Companies House email reminders. The service is free and you can choose up to 4 recipients per company.
• Build a shared calendar that includes both Companies House and HMRC dates. Add internal deadlines 2 to 4 weeks earlier than the legal cut‑off. If you track multiple companies, look for tools that can export all your deadlines into your existing calendar app in one go—manually entering dates for ten or twenty companies gets old fast.
• For teams that live in Slack, routing deadline notifications directly into a channel means everyone sees what's coming without hunting through emails. Some setups let you push alerts into your project management tool or CRM via webhook, so deadlines surface exactly where your team is already working.
• The key is choosing a reminder system you'll actually check. Email works if you're a solo director with one company. Once you hit three or more entities, consolidating everything into Slack, a shared calendar, or your existing workflow usually saves more time than it costs.

If something goes wrong

• Apply for more time before the deadline if an unexpected event outside your control stops you filing. Examples include serious illness or a fire that destroys records. You need your company number, an explanation, and any supporting documents. Extensions are granted only for exceptional reasons.
• If you still miss the deadline, pay the penalty quickly to avoid further action. You can appeal, but appeals succeed only in exceptional circumstances. GOV.UK lists examples that are unlikely to work on their own, which include relying on your accountant, lack of familiarity with the rules, or accounts delayed or lost in the post.

Quick checklist you can copy

• Confirm accounting reference date and due dates on the public register.
• Set up deadline tracking that fits how you work. Email is fine for one or two companies. If you manage more, consider consolidating into a calendar export, Slack alerts, or webhook integrations so you're not manually checking dates.
• Lock internal sign‑off dates at least 2 weeks before the legal deadline.
• File online, then confirm acceptance on the register.
• If an exceptional event hits, apply for more time before the deadline.
• If you receive a penalty, pay promptly. Consider appeal only if the circumstances are truly exceptional.