How to Apply for More Time to File Your Company Accounts [+Pro Tips]

Deadline approaching and accounts aren't ready? Don't panic. We’ve got you covered.

Applying for a Companies House extension gives your business valuable breathing room to prepare and file your accounts properly. But here's the thing: you can't wait until the last second.

Companies House issued fines totalling an astonishing £34.4 million during the 2023–24 financial year. We'll show you exactly when and how to request extra time, plus what information you'll need for a smooth process.

UK company accounts deadlines: what you need to know

Before seeking more time, it’s important to understand the standard filing deadlines for company accounts in the UK.

🟡 Private limited companies – File accounts with Companies House within 9 months after the end of the financial year (also called the accounting reference date).

🟡 Newly incorporated companies – The first accounts deadline is usually longer: up to 21 months after the date of incorporation, since the first financial year can be extended to a maximum of 18 months.

🟡 Public limited companies (PLCs) – Public limited companies have shorter deadlines:

• 6 months after the financial year end for subsequent accounts.
• 18 months from incorporation for first accounts.

Companies House vs HMRC deadlines

It’s important to note that Companies House and HMRC have different requirements.

• Companies House is responsible for maintaining the public record and requires statutory accounts to be filed
• HMRC needs your accounts as part of your Company Tax Return to calculate Corporation Tax

The HMRC deadline is 12 months after the end of your Corporation Tax accounting period. In many cases, this period matches your company’s financial year, but if you’ve changed your year-end or have an extended period, the deadlines may differ. You can check and update your Corporation Tax accounting period through your HMRC Business Tax Account.

💡 Pro tip

Avoid the last-minute scramble to find money for your tax bill by letting ANNA’s Pots feature do the work for you. Every time a payment lands in your business account, ANNA automatically sets aside a percentage for VAT, PAYE, or Corporation Tax.

No mental maths, no “where will I find the cash?” panic. Just the peace of mind of knowing your tax money is sitting safely in its own pot, ready to pay HMRC on time.

Who is responsible for filing accounts?

It is ultimately the directors’ legal responsibility to ensure accounts are prepared and filed on time, even if an accountant or adviser handles the actual work. Filing accounts late is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006. Consequences can include:

Financial consequences of missing the accounts deadline

The first consequence is an automatic late filing penalty from Companies House, which increases with the length of the delay:

If a company files its accounts late for two years in a row, the penalties double in the second year. For example, a private company more than six months late in consecutive years would be fined £1,500 the first time and £3,000 the second time.

💡 Pro tip

ANNA +Taxes helps you avoid these risks by automatically calculating VAT, Corporation Tax, and PAYE, and filing your returns, keeping you compliant with Companies House and HMRC deadlines. For just £3 per month for the first three months, you’ll gain access to intelligent tools, including a personalised tax calendar, automated expense categorisation, and expert support.

Additional consequences for non-compliance

Beyond financial penalties, continuous failure to file accounts can trigger more severe actions:

• Personal fines for directors
• Damage to credibility with banks, suppliers, partners, and investors
• Companies House may assume the business is inactive and move to strike it off the register
• Directors who repeatedly fail to file required documents can be prosecuted in criminal court, risking a criminal record and further fines
• Late filing can negatively impact the company’s credit score, making it harder or more expensive to secure loans or trade credit

How to apply for more time to file your company accounts

Life happens, and sometimes an unforeseeable event can derail your ability to finalise and file accounts on time. In such cases, Companies House allows you to apply for an extension of your accounts filing deadline.

Companies House has made the application process simple, with two main methods: online or by post.

Online application for Companies House extension

Apply through the official Companies House online service, using their dedicated extension request form. You will need to provide:

• Your company number
• A valid contact email address
• A detailed explanation of why you need more time

Be as specific as possible about the circumstances causing the delay. You also have the option to upload supporting documents if they help illustrate your situation (for example, an insurance report of a fire, a doctor’s note, etc.)

Applying by post

If you cannot use the online service, you can send a letter or the paper form to Companies House. Your letter should include:

• Your company name and number
• A thorough explanation of the events preventing timely filing
• How much extra time you are requesting (e.g., 2 weeks, 1 month)

Postal applications should be sent to the Companies House office in Cardiff as listed on gov.uk.

📌 Important note – Postal delays can put your request at risk. If your letter arrives after your filing deadline, your application may be rejected, so it is important to send it well in advance.

How fast is the Companies House decision process?

Once you submit your request, Companies House will usually issue a decision within 5 working days, after reviewing the reasons you have given and any supporting evidence.

If your application is approved, the extension is typically short, most often around 30 extra days from your original deadline.

Key guidelines for Companies House extension requests:

Here is a strict list of guidelines to follow if you want your extension request to be considered.

✅ The reason must be exceptional

Companies House extension is only granted if the circumstances are truly beyond your control and not a result of poor planning. As their guidance notes state, an event “outside of your control”, like an unexpected illness or a natural disaster, may qualify. Simply being busy, understaffed, or not having your paperwork in order is not a valid reason.

✅ Apply before the deadline

You must apply for an extension before your normal filing deadline passes. If the deadline has already passed, an extension cannot be granted, and the late filing penalty will be applied automatically, as extensions are not given retroactively.

It is important to act as soon as you become aware of any extraordinary circumstances that may prevent you from filing on time, since even if your deadline is tomorrow, applying today could still help you avoid a penalty.

✅ No repeated extensions

You are generally not eligible for an extension if you have already extended your filing deadline once before for the same set of accounts. In addition, recently shortening your accounting period (by changing your ARD) may also affect your eligibility. Since the law typically limits the filing period to a maximum of 12 months, deadlines cannot be continually pushed back beyond what the statutory rules allow.

Get more time to file by changing your accounting reference date (ARD)

Every UK company has an accounting reference date (ARD), which marks the end of its financial year. The ARD is automatically set when the company is formed: it’s the last day of the month in which the company’s incorporation anniversary falls.

For example, if a company incorporated on 15 May 2025, its ARD would default to 31 May each year (with the first financial year ending 31 May 2026).

Changing the ARD is done by filing a request with Companies House, either online or by submitting form AA01 (Change of accounting reference date). However, this can only be done in two situations:

• During the current financial year
• During the immediately previous financial year

There’s an important restriction: if the accounts for that financial year are already overdue for filing, you won’t be able to change the ARD. In other words, you must still be within the allowed filing period for those accounts.

Shortening the financial year

When it comes to shortening your company’s financial year, the rules are very flexible. You can shorten it as often as you wish, and by any amount, whether that’s just a single day or several months.

Companies often choose to do this for practical reasons, such as:

• Matching a preferred accounting timetable to make planning and reporting easier.
• Aligning with the year-end dates of other companies in the same group which helps with consolidated accounts.

📌 Important note

From 1 April 2027, the rules will tighten. If you want to shorten your year more than once in any 5-year period, you’ll have to provide a valid business reason when making the change. Until then (as of 2025), you can shorten your financial year as frequently as you like, without needing to justify it.

Lengthening the financial year

You can also extend your financial year, but with more restrictions:

• The maximum length is 18 months
• Normally, you can only extend once every 5 years

💡 Exceptions: You may extend more than once in 5 years (or beyond 18 months) if:

• Your company is in administration
• You’re aligning the year-end with a parent or subsidiary (for group consolidation)
• You’ve been granted special approval by the Secretary of State/Companies House

⚡This is important when you’re considering applying for more time to file your company account because:

• Changing the ARD may remove the need to apply – If you adjust your ARD to extend your financial year (within the allowed limits), your filing deadline will move with it. This can give you extra time without going through the formal “apply for more time” process.
• Applications for extra time are only granted in exceptional cases – If changing your ARD is possible and practical, it’s often the easier route. But if circumstances are outside your control and you’re already close to the deadline, applying for an extension may be your only option.
• Planning ahead avoids late filing penalties – Knowing how ARD changes work means you can plan early, rather than scrambling for an extension at the last minute.

Best practices to never miss a deadline

While extensions are available for genuine emergencies, a well-run company should aim to never need one. Here are some tips to manage your accounts timetable effectively and maintain good standing:

⚡ Mark your calendar and set reminders

Make sure you know your ARD and the filing deadline each year, and add them to your calendar well in advance. To make life easier, Companies House offers a free email reminder service. You can sign up to get alerts for your accounts' filing date, as well as other important filings like confirmation statements.

⚡ Build a filing checklist

Set up a clear, repeatable checklist for preparing and filing your accounts, starting with collecting financial data and ending with the final signatures. Using the same steps each year keeps the process organised and reduces the risk of missing anything important. Update the checklist whenever regulations or your internal processes change.

⚡ Keep your accountants and team on schedule

As a director, you’re ultimately responsible for filing on time, even if an accountant prepares the accounts. Make sure they know the deadlines and key milestones, and keep in regular contact to track progress. Allow extra time before the filing date to review the accounts, resolve any issues, and sign the balance sheet yourself (or with any other directors, if applicable).

⚡ Use automated accounting software

Modern cloud accounting systems can track year-end dates, flag upcoming filing deadlines, and store your financial records in an easy-to-access format. This speeds up preparation, reduces manual errors, and means you’re not scrambling for missing documents at the last minute.

Tools like ANNA Money, Xero, or QuickBooks can go a step further by combining bookkeeping with built-in reminders for Companies House deadlines, VAT returns, and other filings, helping you stay compliant without having to keep every date in your head.

Stay ahead of every filing date with ANNA

When the clock is ticking, every day matters. If your accounts deadline is just 7 days away, act immediately: check if changing your accounting reference date is still an option, or submit an urgent Companies House extension request today. If you have more time, start gathering your financial records now, confirm your deadlines, and schedule time with your accountant to review and file early.

The earlier you take action, the more options you have and the less stress you will face.

To avoid this kind of last-minute pressure in the future, use ANNA +Taxes to track deadlines and get automatic reminders, just like thousands of UK businesses already do to stay compliant and never miss a filing date.

FAQs:

Can I appeal if my late filing penalty feels unfair?

Yes, you can appeal a late filing penalty from Companies House if you believe it is unfair. However, for an appeal to be successful, you must provide strong evidence that the delay was genuinely caused by circumstances beyond your control. Valid reasons for a successful appeal typically include severe illness, natural disasters, or technical failures that directly prevented you from filing.

What’s the easiest way to track filing deadlines?

The easiest way is to let ANNA +Taxes do it for you. It automatically tracks all your key filing dates, from Companies House accounts deadlines to VAT and Corporation Tax returns. You’ll get timely reminders before anything is due, so you can review, prepare, and file without last-minute stress.

Do extension requests show up on the public Companies House register?

No. The public register will only show the final filing date of your accounts, not whether you applied for an extension.

What happens if my application is rejected?

If your application for an extension to file company accounts is rejected, you must file your accounts by the original deadline to avoid penalties. This means you should apply for an extension early enough so that, if rejected, you still have time to meet your standard filing deadline and avoid fines or other consequences.