Definition
Dormant company accounts are the simplified annual accounts a dormant company files at Companies House, normally a balance sheet with a few notes and no profit and loss account. They can be used by a company that qualifies as small and had no significant transactions. They have the same 9-month deadline and the same late filing penalties as other accounts.
How they are filed
- WebFiling: Companies House’s online service accepts dormant accounts only if the company has never traded.
- Paper form AA02: for companies limited by shares that have never traded and whose only transaction was issuing subscriber shares.
- Software: any dormant company can file this way, and from 1 April 2028 every company must. Until then, a company that became dormant after trading can also file paper dormant accounts.
Filing online needs the company’s 6-character authentication code. Filing accounts at Companies House is free.
Deadlines and penalties
Late accounts receive an automatic Companies House late filing penalty of £150 to £1,500, doubled if the previous year’s accounts were also late.
Oak Lane Holdings Ltd stopped trading in 2024 and has a 31 March year end. Its dormant accounts for the year to 31 March 2027 are due by 31 December 2027 and, because it traded before, must go by software or on paper, not WebFiling or form AA02.
SmartFiling can file dormant company accounts for you; to do it yourself, see its guide on how to file dormant accounts on form AA02.
Related questions
- Does a dormant company need to file accounts? Yes, every year, even with no activity.
- How do I close a limited company? Directors can apply for voluntary strike-off instead.
Related terms
-
Dormant company
A dormant company is a limited company that is not active, but Companies House and HMRC use different tests.
Read definition -
Non-trading company
A non-trading company is a limited company that has stopped trading, or has not started yet, but still has some financial activity, such as bank interest…
Read definition -
Companies House late filing penalty
A Companies House late filing penalty is an automatic civil penalty charged to a company whose annual accounts arrive after the filing deadline.
Read definition -
Annual accounts
Annual accounts, also called statutory accounts, are the financial statements a UK limited company prepares at the end of each financial year.
Read definition
