A confirmation statement is the annual check-and-confirm filing every UK limited company and LLP sends to Companies House. Dormant companies file one. Trading companies with nothing to change file one too. The statement confirms your registered details, including directors, registered office, people with significant control (PSCs) and share capital, and updates anything that has moved.
When is my confirmation statement due? At least once every 12 months, by the end of a 14-day window that opens the day after your review period ends. For a first statement, the review period ends 12 months after incorporation. For every statement after that, it ends 12 months after the date of your last confirmation statement. Filing early is allowed and resets the clock. GOV.UK confirmation statement guidance, updated 21 April 2026, sets every rule in this article.
When Is a Confirmation Statement Due?
A confirmation statement is due at least once every 12 months, and no later than 14 days after the review period ends. Two anchor dates set the deadline:
- The first review period runs from incorporation to the first anniversary. A company incorporated on 1 January reaches its review period end on 31 December.
- Each later review period starts the day after the confirmation statement date on your last filed statement, then runs 12 months.
Add 14 days to the review period end and you have the filing deadline. File on day 15 or later and the statement is late.
Early filing is allowed at any point inside the review period. It also resets the clock: the next review period starts the day after the new statement date, so the due date travels with you instead of staying fixed to the incorporation anniversary forever.
The table below shows a first-year timeline using the 1 January incorporation example from GOV.UK guidance.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 January | Company incorporated; first review period begins |
| 31 December | Review period ends, 12 months after incorporation |
| 14 January | Filing deadline: review period end plus 14 days |
| 15 January | Statement is late from this day |
A first statement for this company is due any time up to 14 January, and earlier filing carries no penalty.
What Is the Review Period?
The review period is the 12-month window your confirmation statement covers. Companies House uses it as the measuring stick for the once-a-year filing rule.
The first review period starts on the day of incorporation and ends on the first anniversary. A company incorporated on 1 January holds a review period of 1 January to 31 December, with a filing deadline of 14 January.
Every later review period starts the day after the confirmation statement date on your last filed statement. File a statement dated 30 June and the next review period runs 1 July to 30 June, with a filing deadline of 14 July.
Inside a single review period, file as many confirmation statements as you like. The rule that matters: at least one statement lands inside each review period, or within 14 days after it ends. Three statements in one window and none in the next still breaks the rule.
Filing early works by choosing a new, earlier confirmation statement date. The next review period then starts the day after that date. The practical effect is that your due date moves with you. A company that dislikes a December deadline can file dated 30 September, and every future window follows the new date instead.
New companies meet the rule first at the 12-month mark after formation. Companies at the start of that clock can read our new company formations notes on the dates formation creates, including the first statement date.
How Does the 14-Day Filing Window Work?
The 14-day filing window works as a grace period: file up to 14 days after the review period ends and the statement counts as on time. Day 15 makes it late.
Two free tools keep the date visible:
- The Companies House register. Your confirmation date and filing deadline sit on the public record, free to check at any time.
- The email reminder service. Companies House notifies up to 4 people per company, and the email includes a direct filing link. Sign up at incorporation; the service costs nothing.
Missing the deadline carries three consequences, all listed in the same GOV.UK guidance. Companies House may issue a financial penalty of up to £5,000. The company risks being struck off the register. Persistent non-filing is a criminal offence committed by the company and its officers, not a paperwork slip.
File inside the window rather than on its final day. A statement filed on day 3 leaves 11 days to fix a rejected submission; a statement filed on day 14 leaves none. Rejections happen for small causes, including a missing authentication code or an unverified director.
When Do You Pay the Fee – and How Do You File?
You pay the fee with the first statement filed in each 12-month payment period: £50 online or £110 on paper (CS01). Every further statement in the same payment period files free. A company that files two statements in one payment period pays £50 once: the first statement carries the fee, the second costs nothing.
Review period and payment period are two different 12-month clocks:
- The review period sets when you must file.
- The payment period sets when the fee is due.
Payment periods run from incorporation. For companies that filed annual returns before the confirmation statement replaced them, payment periods run from the anniversary of the last annual return’s return date. Payment periods cannot be moved. Filing statements early changes the review period, never the payment period, so the fee stays tied to its own calendar.
Filing online needs the company password and the authentication code from Companies House. Directors must also have completed identity verification and hold their Companies House personal codes, because the statement is not accepted without verified officers. Confirm the codes before the deadline week, since one rejected attempt inside a 14-day window costs days.
Common Questions Answered
Can I file my confirmation statement early?
Yes, at any point in the review period. Filing early means choosing a new, earlier confirmation statement date; the next review period starts the day after it. Directors file early after big changes, including a new director or a moved office, or to pull the due date away from a busy season. Extra statements in the same payment period cost nothing.
What happens if I miss the 14-day window?
From day 15, the statement is late. Companies House may issue a penalty of up to £5,000, the company risks being struck off the register, and persistent non-filing is a criminal offence for the company and its officers. File immediately when late, and note that changes to directors, PSCs, registered office and registered email address require separate filings regardless of the statement.
Is the confirmation statement due at the same time as annual accounts?
Not usually. Annual accounts are due 9 months after the financial year end; the statement follows its own 12-month review period from incorporation or the last statement date. The two dates often land in different months, so diarise both alongside an accounts filing calendar.
Do dormant companies have confirmation statement deadlines?
Yes, the same deadlines apply. A dormant company files at least once every 12 months inside the same 14-day window, reports that nothing changed, and pays the £50 online fee.
How Aqua Accounting Can Help
The Aqua Accounting team runs confirmation statement deadlines for Newcastle companies as part of its company secretarial service. That means tracking every 12-month review period, filing inside the 14-day window, keeping the fee to once per payment period, and holding the authentication and identity-verification codes that block late attempts.
Directors who manage the calendar alone can check the confirmation date on the Companies House register free of charge, then set reminders for up to 4 people. Directors who prefer the clock watched for them hand it over.
The rule stays constant either way: a confirmation statement is due at least once every 12 months, with 14 days of grace after the review period ends. We keep Newcastle companies inside that window.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, Aqua Accounting accepts no responsibility for any actions taken based on this content. You should seek professional advice tailored to your individual circumstances.
Omar Ahmed is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and the Director of Aqua Accounting, a UK-based accountancy practice providing expert accounting and tax services to individuals, sole traders, and small to medium-sized businesses. As a trusted accountant in Newcastle, he offers expertise in annual accounts, self-assessment tax returns, company accounts, VAT, payroll, bookkeeping, and company formation.
With a strong focus on delivering clear and practical financial advice, Omar helps clients stay compliant while improving their understanding of their finances. Through Aqua Accounting, he works closely with business owners to simplify accounting processes, meet tax obligations, and support informed financial decision-making.