Enter when the accounts were due and when they were, or will be, filed to see the Companies House penalty, the band it falls in, and HMRC's separate penalty for a late Company Tax Return. Nothing is saved, and you don't need an account.
Enter both dates.
How it works it out
Companies House: £150 up to 1 month late, £375 up to 3 months, £750 up to 6 months and £1,500 after that, doubled if the previous year’s accounts were late too (private companies)1.
HMRC is separate. For a Company Tax Return due on or after 1 April 2026: £200 the day after the deadline and another £200 at 3 months (£1,000 each if the return was late three times in a row), then 10% of unpaid tax at 6 and 12 months2,3. Returns due earlier have the previous £100 amounts3.
File for your company
Search the Companies House register. Your company page shows every date that applies to it, and what to file next.
Questions
Can I appeal?
Only if you can show the circumstances were out of your control, such as a fire destroying your records just before the deadline.
Is the penalty doubled?
Yes, if the company’s accounts were also late the year before.
Does a dormant company pay the penalty too?
Yes. Late dormant accounts carry the same penalty as any company’s, and Companies House lists being dormant among the reasons an appeal may not succeed.
How we wrote this. Drafted with AI assistance from the sources above. Every fact was then checked against GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and HMRC’s manuals, last on 24 October 2026. It is general information, not advice on your own situation. Editorial policy