Details

This guidance is for directors, secretaries and persons acting as advisers to UK registered companies. It covers the rules governingfor the filing of accounts each year at Companies House for UK registered companies.

All companies must file annual accounts with Companies House - even if you’re dormant or not trading.

File your accounts on time to avoid a penalty

How to file accountsyour onlineaccounts

You’ll need ayour Companies House password and company authentication code to file your company’s accounts online.

IfIn youthe havefuture, ayou’ll privateonly limitedbe companyable thatto doesfile notaccounts needwith anCompanies auditor,House youusing couldthird useparty thesoftware. companyRead accountsabout changes andto tax onlineaccounts.

Find (CATO)software servicefor tofiling filecompany youraccounts.

For Companiesnow, Houseyou accountscan andalso HMRCfile your company taxaccounts returnonline together.

Youor can send uspaper mostaccounts typesto ofCompanies accountsHouse usingby third-party software.post.

ItThe online takesaccounts longerand toCompany processTax paperReturn service documentswill sentclose byon post.31 March 2026.

Type of accounts	Options
Unaudited abridged	Software, CATO, Find and update company information
Dormant	Software, CATO, WebFiling (if not previously traded)
Micro entity	Software, CATO, WebFiling
Full unaudited	Software, CATO
Audited abridged	Software
Full audited	Software
Small audited	Software
Medium audited	Software
Group	Software
Interim	Software
Initial	Software
Audit exemption subsidiary	Paper only

SeeYou Filingcan youralso file certain iXBRL package accounts with Companies HouseHouse. informationThe onlineaccounts must be in a ZIP file format and iXBRL tagged using software. These are:

• UKSEF accounts for morelisted information.companies
• Welsh accounts with an English translation
• group package accounts - section 400, parent incorporated under UK law
• group package accounts - section 401, parent incorporated under non-UK law
• community interest companies (CIC) accounts
• audit exempt subsidiary accounts
• dormant exempt subsidiary accounts
• limited partnership accounts

For full details, see File your company’s annual accounts with Companies House.