Limited company filing deadline calculator
Type in the date your company was incorporated. You get your accounting reference date, your first and later accounts deadlines, corporation tax payment and CT600 dates, and every confirmation statement due date for the next two years.
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QuickBooks PartnerCertified ProAdvisor100+ yearsCombined team experienceFully insuredUp to £2m indemnityYour first accounts are due 21 months after incorporation. After that, accounts are due nine months after your accounting reference date, corporation tax is payable nine months and one day after the period end, the CT600 is due twelve months after the period end, and the confirmation statement is due within 14 days of each review period ending.
Next 24 months
Enter your incorporation date to see every deadline.
Dates are calculated from published Companies House and HMRC rules. If your year end has been changed, use your current accounting reference date rather than the one shown here.
How the first year works
Companies House sets your first accounting reference date as the last day of the month in which your company reaches its first anniversary. A company incorporated on 14 June 2026 therefore has a first year end of 30 June 2027, covering twelve months and 17 days.
Because that first period runs slightly over twelve months, HMRC splits it into two accounting periods: the first twelve months, and the short stub that follows. You file one set of accounts at Companies House and two company tax returns at HMRC. This catches out a large number of new directors in their first year.
First accounts get a longer window, 21 months from the date of incorporation. Every set of accounts after that must reach Companies House within nine months of the year end.
Corporation tax is paid before the return is filed
This is the deadline that surprises people. Corporation tax is due nine months and one day after the end of the accounting period, but the CT600 that works out the figure is not due until twelve months after the period end. In practice you should prepare the accounts early, pay by the nine month date, and file afterwards.
HMRC charges late payment interest from the day after the payment deadline. Interest is not deductible for corporation tax, so it costs the full amount.
Confirmation statement, not an annual return
Your review period ends on the day before the anniversary of incorporation, and the confirmation statement must be filed within 14 days. The £34 annual fee covers as many statements as you file in the year.
There is no automatic penalty, but a missed statement is public, it is the trigger for a strike off notice, and it is one of the first things a lender or a buyer notices when they pull your filing history.
Get the reminders instead of remembering
Add your email below and we will send a reminder before each deadline, keyed to your own year end rather than a generic newsletter. We store your year end so that reminders are specific to your company, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Common questions
When are my first limited company accounts due?
21 months after the date of incorporation, or three months after your accounting reference date if that falls later. Companies House sends no reminder letter by post, so calculate it yourself or use reminders.
What happens if I file my accounts late?
Companies House charges an automatic penalty of £150 up to one month late, £375 for one to three months, £750 for three to six months and £1,500 beyond that. The penalty doubles if you also filed late the previous year.
Can I change my company year end?
Yes. You can shorten your accounting reference date as often as you like, and lengthen it to a maximum of 18 months once every five years. Shortening the period also brings the filing deadline forward, so check the new date before you file the change.
Do I still file if the company is dormant?
Yes. A dormant company files dormant accounts at Companies House and a confirmation statement every year, and it must tell HMRC it is dormant to stop CT600 notices arriving.
Is corporation tax due before or after the tax return?
Before. Payment is due nine months and one day after the accounting period ends, the return is due three months after that.