Your Filing Fines Are Adding Up
Every month you wait, your late-filing penalties climb to the next band. The good news is that they stop the day you file. Here is exactly what late accounts and a late Company Tax Return cost a limited company, and the fastest way to stop the clock now.
The longer you wait, the more it costs
A late limited company has two clocks running, both set by waiting: the Companies House penalty on your annual accounts, and the HMRC penalty on your Company Tax Return. Both climb in fixed bands, neither is a surprise, and both stop the moment you file. That is why filing now is always the cheapest move.
Filing a single month earlier can halve the accounts penalty, and the HMRC penalties at 6 and 12 months never trigger at all if the return is in first.
Companies House, late annual accounts
For a private limited company filing its annual accounts late, the Companies House penalty rises with each band, and it doubles if you are late two financial years running. These figures are fixed by Companies House and escalate purely by the passage of time.
- Up to 1 month late: £150 (£300 if late two years running)
- Over 1 month, up to 3 months: £375 (£750 if late two years running)
- Over 3 months, up to 6 months: £750 (£1,500 if late two years running)
- More than 6 months late: £1,500 (£3,000 if late two years running)
Every band is reached by waiting, so the doubled column is the price of letting a second year slip. Filing now freezes it where it stands.
HMRC, late Company Tax Return
Separately, HMRC charges its own escalating penalties for a late Company Tax Return (the CT600), on top of any interest on Corporation Tax paid late. The later penalties are a percentage of your unpaid tax, so they can dwarf the fixed amounts.
- 1 day late: £200
- 3 months late: another £200, so £400 in total
- 6 months late: 10% of the unpaid Corporation Tax on top
- 12 months late: a further 10% of the unpaid tax, plus interest throughout
The £200 penalties rise to £1,000 each if you file late three times in a row, and the 6 and 12 month penalties never arise if the return is filed before then.
The clock stops the day you file
These penalties do not grow forever. They escalate in fixed bands while you wait, then freeze the moment your filing arrives, so the fastest way to stop the bleeding is simply to get it filed. Our fast-track team files your outstanding accounts and Company Tax Return within 5 business days of receiving your data, and appeals the penalty on your behalf where there is a reasonable excuse.
You file first because that stops the penalties and removes the risk, then you appeal, because an appeal is far stronger once the filing is actually in.
Common questions
How much is the penalty for filing my company accounts late?
For a private limited company, Companies House charges £150 if your accounts are up to 1 month late, £375 for 1 to 3 months, £750 for 3 to 6 months, and £1,500 if they are more than 6 months late. The penalty doubles if your accounts are late two financial years in a row, so the more than 6 months figure becomes £3,000.
What does HMRC charge for a late Company Tax Return?
HMRC charges £200 at 1 day late, another £200 at 3 months, then 10% of the unpaid Corporation Tax at 6 months and a further 10% at 12 months, plus interest on any tax paid late. The £200 penalties rise to £1,000 each if you file late three times in a row.
Do the penalties keep growing the longer I leave it?
They escalate in fixed bands the longer you wait, but they stop the moment you file. The Companies House penalty is set at the point your accounts arrive, and the HMRC tax-based penalties at 6 and 12 months never trigger if the return is in before then. Filing now is always the cheapest option.
Can a late filing penalty be appealed?
Yes, where there is a genuine reasonable excuse such as serious illness, a bereavement, or a software or postal failure outside your control. An appeal is not guaranteed to succeed and being too busy is not enough, but it is far stronger once the filing is in, so file first and appeal second. We appeal on your behalf as a matter of routine.
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Act now: stop the clock today
Four quick steps that stop the penalties climbing. The first three take minutes, the fourth hands it to someone who files fast.
- Check the public register for the year of accounts that is overdue, and whether the CT600 is also due
- Gather bank statements, sales invoices and expense receipts for the period not yet filed
- Find your company UTR and Companies House authentication code, or request a new code now (about 5 days by post)
- Send the bundle to a fast-track accountant to file within 5 business days and appeal the penalty
If any line makes you pause, that is the normal place a director hands it over. The penalties freeze the day the filing arrives, so the single most valuable thing you can do today is get it moving.
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For guidance only — this factsheet does not constitute professional advice and is not a substitute for advice based on your specific circumstances. Whilst every care has been taken in its preparation, it may contain errors for which we cannot be responsible. Figures are for the 2026/27UK tax year (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) and may change. Last reviewed 12 March 2026.