GuidesCorporation Tax deadlines and penalties

Corporation Tax deadlines and penalties

There are only a few dates to keep track of. Here they are in one place, together with the consequences of missing them — so you can plan ahead and avoid penalties.

The dates that matter

Your Company Tax Return (CT600) is normally due 12 months after the end of your accounting period.

Your Corporation Tax payment is usually due earlier — 9 months and one day after the period ends.

Your accounts are due at Companies House 9 months after the period ends.

In other words, the tax payment and the Companies House accounts fall due first, and the tax return itself can follow later — though it is simplest to complete everything in one sitting.

What late filing costs

Missing the HMRC tax return deadline triggers an immediate £100 penalty, a further £100 if the return is still outstanding after three months, and then percentage-based penalties on any unpaid tax after six and twelve months.

Filing accounts late at Companies House carries a separate penalty, starting at £150 and increasing the longer the delay.

Paying your tax late also accrues interest. Individually these amounts are modest, but they accumulate — and all of them are avoidable.

The simplest way to stay ahead

Because OneFiler prepares your accounts and tax return together and submits both, you can clear all your deadlines in a single sitting rather than tracking them separately.

Deadlines remain your responsibility, so we recommend filing well before the due date rather than on it.

Common questions

Which deadline comes first — HMRC or Companies House?

Companies House. Your accounts are due there 9 months after your year end, and your Corporation Tax payment is due at 9 months and one day. The CT600 itself is not due until 12 months after year end.

Is there a penalty if no tax is due?

Yes — the £100 late filing penalties for the CT600 and the Companies House late filing penalties apply even if the company owes no tax. The percentage-based penalties only apply where tax is unpaid.

Related guides

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