Company Tax Returns
Penalties for late filing
You’ll have to pay penalties if you do not file your Company Tax Return by the deadline.
| Time after your deadline | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 1 day | £100 |
| 3 months | Another £100 |
| 6 months | HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will estimate your Corporation Tax bill and add a penalty of 10% the unpaid tax |
| 12 months | Another 10% of any unpaid tax |
If your tax return is late 3 times in a row, the £100 penalties are increased to £500 each.
If your tax return is more than 6 months late
If your tax return is 6 months late, HMRC will write telling you how much Corporation Tax they think you must pay. This is called a ‘tax determination’. You cannot appeal against it.
You must pay the Corporation Tax due and file your tax return. HMRC will recalculate the interest and penalties you need to pay.
Appeals
If you have a reasonable excuse, you can appeal against a late filing penalty online.
You’ll need to complete the form in one go – you cannot save and return to it.
After you’ve completed the form, print it and send it to the address on the form.
You must file your Corporation Tax return before appealing your late filing penalty.
Before you start
You’ll need:
- your company’s Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
- the date on the penalty notice
- the penalty amount
- the end date for the accounting period the penalty is for
You’ll also need to explain why you did not file the return by the deadline.