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If you run a UK limited company, you must file a confirmation statement for Companies House at least once every 12 months. This applies even if your company has not traded, generated income or made any changes during the year.
The confirmation statement confirms that the information held by Companies House about your business is accurate and up to date. Since 18 November 2025, directors must also comply with mandatory identity verification requirements before the company can successfully file its statement.
In this guide, we explain the filing deadline, current fees, information you need to check and what happens if you fail to submit your confirmation statement.
Table of Contents
- What is a confirmation statement?
- Who needs to file?
- When is it due?
- How much does it cost?
- What information must you check?
- Identity verification requirements
- How to file
- Penalties for missing the deadline
- Confirmation statement vs annual accounts
What Is a Confirmation Statement?
A confirmation statement is an annual Companies House filing that allows limited companies to confirm that their registered information is correct.
It replaced the annual return (form AR01) in June 2016. Its purpose is to keep the public company register accurate and up to date.
When preparing your statement, you should check details such as:
- Registered office address and registered email address.
- Company directors and secretaries.
- Shareholders and shareholdings.
- People with Significant Control (PSCs).
- Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.
- Statement of capital.
You must also confirm that the company’s intended future activities will be lawful.
A confirmation statement is not a financial report. It does not replace annual accounts or a Corporation Tax return.
Confirmation Statement for Companies House: Who Needs to File?
Every UK registered company must submit at least one confirmation statement every 12 months.
This includes:
- Private limited companies (Ltd).
- Public limited companies (PLC).
- Dormant companies.
- Non-trading companies.
For example, imagine you registered a limited company to provide consultancy services but have not found any clients during the year.
Even though the company has no income or business activity, you must still file its confirmation statement.
Need help managing your company obligations? Better Account provides accounting and Companies House filing support for small businesses and limited company directors.
You can also read our guide to limited company tax deadlines and filing requirements to understand the other annual obligations your business may have.
When Is the Confirmation Statement Due?
Your company must file at least one confirmation statement every 12 months.
The period covered is called the review period. It normally ends 12 months after:
- Your company’s incorporation date, for the first statement.
- The confirmation statement date on your previous filing, for subsequent statements.
You then have 14 days after the review period ends to submit your statement.
Can you file early?
Yes. You do not need to wait until the end of your review period.
However, filing early establishes a new confirmation statement date, which affects your next review period.
You can check your company’s actual deadline using the Companies House company information register.
How Much Does a Confirmation Statement Cost?
From 1 February 2026, the Companies House filing fees are:
| Filing method | Fee |
|---|---|
| Online filing | £50 |
| Software filing | £50 |
| Paper filing | £110 |
Do you pay every time you file?
No. The annual fee is payable with the first confirmation statement filed during each 12-month payment period.
If you submit another statement within the same payment period, you generally do not pay the fee again.
Remember that the payment period is separate from your review period. This means the date you pay the fee does not necessarily match the date your next confirmation statement is due.
What Information Must You Check?
Before submitting your confirmation statement, review your company’s information on the Companies House register.
Pay particular attention to the following:
1. Company address and contact details
Check your registered office address and registered email address. Companies House uses the registered email address to contact your company, but it is not displayed publicly.
2. Directors and company secretaries
Make sure the information about company officers is correct. Appointments and resignations must be reported using the appropriate Companies House filing.
3. Shareholders and share capital
Check your shareholder information and statement of capital, particularly if shares have been issued or transferred.
4. SIC codes
Your SIC code identifies the business activities carried out by your company. Update it if your activities have changed.
5. People with Significant Control
A PSC is someone who has significant influence or control over a company. For example, an individual holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights will generally meet one of the PSC conditions.
Important: Not every company change can be reported through a confirmation statement. Changes to directors, registered office addresses and other details must be filed separately where required. GOV.UK+1
Companies House Identity Verification Requirements
Identity verification is one of the biggest changes affecting company directors.
Since 18 November 2025, identity verification has been a legal requirement under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
Existing directors must provide their unique Companies House personal code as part of their company’s next confirmation statement.
What is a Companies House personal code?
It is a unique 11-character code issued after an individual successfully verifies their identity.
Directors must provide their own code. If a company has several directors, each director must complete identity verification.
How can you verify your identity?
There are two main routes:
- GOV.UK One Login: Complete identity verification directly through the official government service, free of charge.
- Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP): Use an authorised accountant or solicitor to verify your identity. They may charge a fee.
If you are both a director and a PSC, you must provide your personal code separately for each role. PSCs have additional reporting deadlines depending on their circumstances.
Find out more in the official Companies House identity verification guidance.
How to File Your Confirmation Statement
You can file your confirmation statement online using Companies House.
Follow these steps:
- Visit the official Companies House filing service.
- Sign in using your Companies House account.
- Enter your company authentication code when requested.
- Review your company information.
- Make any permitted updates.
- Provide the required director identity verification details.
- Confirm that the information is correct and the company’s intended future activities are lawful.
- Pay the applicable fee and submit your statement.
Keep the submission acknowledgement for your records.
For additional help with accessing the filing service, see our Companies House login, WebFiling and identity verification guide.
What Happens If You Do Not File?
Failing to submit your confirmation statement can cause serious problems.
Companies House can:
- Impose a financial penalty of up to £5,000.
- Start compulsory strike-off proceedings.
- Remove your company from the register.
These consequences can apply even if your company is still trading.
If you receive a notice about overdue filings or compulsory strike-off, deal with it promptly. You should not assume that a dormant or inactive company is exempt.
Confirmation Statement vs Annual Accounts
These two filings are often confused, but they serve different purposes.
| Requirement | Confirmation statement | Annual accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Confirm company information | Report financial position |
| Filed with | Companies House | Companies House |
| Frequency | At least every 12 months | Usually annually |
| Financial information | No | Yes |
| Required for dormant companies | Yes | Yes, subject to applicable requirements |
Your company may also need to submit a Corporation Tax return (CT600) to HMRC.
For a more detailed explanation, read our article on annual accounts vs company tax returns in the UK.
Remember that completing one filing does not automatically satisfy the requirements for the others.
Conclusion
A confirmation statement for Companies House is an essential annual requirement for every UK limited company, including dormant and non-trading businesses.
Make sure you check your company information, meet the filing deadline and provide the required director identity verification details.
The current online filing fee is £50, and you normally have 14 days after the end of your review period to submit the statement.
Keeping your records accurate helps you avoid unnecessary complications and meet your company’s legal obligations.
—- Bookkeeping & Accounts
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