Tax & compliance
What is a confirmation statement and do I need to file one?
By Kaiser Khan · Updated 9 July 2026
What you're actually confirming
That the public register is accurate: registered office and email, directors and secretary, share capital and shareholders, people with significant control (PSCs), and your SIC activity codes. Changes like a new director or address are meant to be reported when they happen through separate filings — the confirmation statement is the annual sweep that certifies everything currently shown is right, and the place to update shareholder details and SIC codes.
Deadlines and the review period
Your review period runs 12 months from incorporation (or from your last statement's date), and you have 14 days after it ends to file. You can file early — doing so resets the review period, and many companies file alongside another change to keep things tidy. Unlike accounts there's no automatic monetary late-filing penalty, but don't relax: an overdue statement flags publicly on your record, and Companies House will begin strike-off proceedings against companies that stay silent.
Filing it yourself vs via your accountant
It's genuinely one of the simpler filings — Companies House's online service walks through each section, and if nothing changed you're mostly clicking confirm. Most accountants include it in limited-company packages and handle it with your annual accounts, which is worth it mainly so one professional owns the whole compliance calendar. If you self-file, diarise the deadline: 'we forgot the confirmation statement' is one of the most common reasons small companies drift towards strike-off warnings.
People also ask
Is the confirmation statement the same as annual accounts?
No — accounts report finances and are due 9 months after your year end; the confirmation statement certifies registered details and is due within 14 days of your annual review period. Companies must file both, on separate clocks.
What does it cost?
A modest Companies House fee, paid once per 12-month payment period no matter how many statements you file in it — check the current fee on gov.uk. Accountants typically bundle the filing into monthly packages.
What if my company is dormant?
You still file — dormant status exempts you from some accounts requirements, never from the confirmation statement. It's precisely how Companies House knows a dormant company still exists on purpose.
This article is general information for UK businesses, not tax, legal, or financial advice, and thresholds change — confirm current rules on GOV.UK or with a qualified accountant before acting. Fee figures are indicative benchmarks from ourmethodology.