The normal filing deadline for filing the accounts of a private limited company is nine months after the company’s financial year end. Known as the accounting reference date. For example, many companies have a year-end date of 31 March and are therefore required to file their accounts by the following 31 December. For public companies, the time limit is 6 months from the year end.

There are automatic late filing penalties if your company accounts are delivered late. The penalties depend on how long has passed from the due date for payment and whether the company is private or public.

It is possible to submit a request for more time to file company accounts. However, you can only apply to extend your accounts deadline if you cannot send your accounts because of an event that’s outside of your control – for example, because of an unexpected illness or if a fire has destroyed company records a few days before your filing deadline. An application must be made before the original filing deadline.