Companies House late filing penalties: amounts and appeals

Companies House fines a private company between £150 and £1,500 if its annual accounts arrive after the deadline, and a public company between £750 and £7,500. The penalty is automatic and doubles if the accounts are late two years in a row. You can appeal once, but Companies House only accepts exceptional reasons.

How much is the Companies House late filing penalty?

The penalty depends on how late the accounts are, measured from the date they were due. These are the amounts in Companies House’s late filing penalties guidance, last updated on 16 January 2026.

The bands are “not more than 1 month”, “more than 1 month but not more than 3 months” and so on. A private company that files 6 weeks late pays £375.

When does the penalty double?

The penalty doubles if a company files its accounts late in two successive financial years. This applies to financial years beginning on or after 6 April 2008.

A private company that files 2 months late in two years running pays £375 for the first year and £750 for the second. More than 6 months late twice in a row costs £3,000.

When are accounts late?

Accounts are late if Companies House has not received them by the filing deadline. A private company normally has 9 months from its year end, and a public company 6 months.

First accounts covering more than 12 months are due 21 months from incorporation for a private company, or 3 months from the accounting reference date if that is later. Our guide to company accounts filing deadlines gives worked examples, and the filing deadline calculator works out yours.

How to avoid a penalty

You avoid the penalty by filing before the deadline. If you cannot, these are the options Companies House allows.

• Apply for more time before the deadline passes. Companies House only grants an extension if the reasons are exceptional. See how to extend your Companies House filing deadline.
• Change your year end before the accounts are overdue. Shortening the period can give you 3 months from the date Companies House receives form AA01. See how to change your company year end.
• File dormant or micro-entity accounts if you qualify. Simpler accounts are quicker to prepare, but being dormant does not excuse late filing.

How to appeal a late filing penalty

You appeal through the Companies House online service, using the details on your penalty notice. Follow these steps.

1. Find the penalty reference on the notice sent to your registered office.
2. Gather the company number, the reason for the appeal and any evidence. Each document can be up to 4MB and must show the full name of the person or company affected and the relevant dates.
3. Start the appeal on GOV.UK. It can take up to 30 minutes, and you are signed out after 60 minutes of inactivity without your answers being saved.
4. Wait for Companies House to contact you with its decision.
5. If a debt collector contacts you while you wait, reply to say you have appealed.

You can only appeal once against a penalty notice, so send all your evidence the first time.

Which reasons does Companies House accept?

Companies House accepts appeals only for exceptional circumstances outside your control. Its discretion is very limited.

Reasons that may succeed:

• serious illness or death close to the filing deadline
• an unforeseen event at a critical time, such as a fire destroying records days before the deadline
• a mistake by Companies House

Reasons that are unlikely to succeed on their own:

• the company is dormant
• the company cannot afford to pay
• your accountant was ill or let you down
• these were the company’s first accounts
• you did not know the filing rules
• post delays or directors being overseas
• another director was responsible for the accounts

If Companies House rejects the appeal, you can ask its Senior Casework Unit to review it. After that, you can ask the Independent Adjudicators to look at the case, though they cannot force the registrar to cancel the penalty.

How to pay a Companies House penalty

You can pay online by credit or debit card, or by bank transfer or cheque. Online payment takes about 5 minutes and needs the details on your penalty notice. Penalty references start with A, P or U.

If you cannot pay in full, contact Companies House on 0303 1234 500 or at enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk to ask about monthly instalments. Unpaid penalties go to debt collectors and can end up in the County Court or Sheriff Court, with legal costs added.

Penalties from Companies House vs HMRC

A late Company Tax Return brings a separate HMRC penalty. HMRC doubled its fixed penalties for returns with a filing date on or after 1 April 2026: £200 for a late return and £400 if it is more than 3 months late. Late accounts can mean two penalties, one from each body.

Not filing accounts is also a criminal offence. Under section 451 of the Companies Act 2006, every director in office just before the deadline commits an offence unless they took all reasonable steps to file on time. Companies House can also start compulsory strike-off.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the penalty for filing accounts one day late?

A private company or LLP pays £150 if its accounts are up to 1 month late. A public company pays £750.

Can I appeal a Companies House late filing penalty?

Yes, once, through the online appeal service on GOV.UK. Appeals usually succeed only for exceptional circumstances, such as serious illness or a fire near the deadline.

Is blaming my accountant a valid reason to appeal?

No. Companies House lists reliance on an accountant, or an accountant’s illness, as a reason unlikely to succeed on its own.

Do penalties double if I am late again?

Yes. The penalty doubles if accounts are filed late in two successive financial years.

Can I pay a Companies House penalty in instalments?

You can ask. Contact Companies House on 0303 1234 500, explain why you cannot pay at once, and request monthly instalments.