What is a confirmation statement and when do I file it?
By SuLe · Updated 5 July 2026
A confirmation statement is the filing that confirms the information Companies House holds about your company — directors, registered office, shareholders, PSCs and share capital — is accurate and up to date. You must file at least once every 12 months, within 14 days of the end of your review period. As of mid-2026 the online fee is £34 — check the current fee on gov.uk.
Key facts
- File at least once every 12 months, within 14 days of the end of your review period.
- The online filing fee is £34 as of mid-2026 — check the current fee on gov.uk.
- It confirms register data only — it is not your accounts and shows no financial performance.
- Dormant companies must file too.
- Failing to file is a criminal offence and can end with the company struck off the register.
What does a confirmation statement actually confirm?
It is a check-and-confirm exercise: you review what the Companies House register says about your company and confirm it is correct as at your statement date. Nothing about performance, revenue or tax — just the company's vital statistics.
The data covered includes your directors, registered office and registered email address, shareholders, share capital, people with significant control (PSCs) and your SIC code — the standard code describing what the business does.
Some information, like shareholder details and SIC codes, is updated through the statement itself. Other changes — a new director, a moved registered office — must be filed on their own forms first, with the statement then confirming the result.
When is my confirmation statement due?
Within 14 days of the end of your review period. Your first review period is the 12 months from incorporation; after that, each new review period runs for 12 months from the day after your last statement date.
The rhythm matters more than the jargon: at least one statement every 12 months, filed inside a 14-day window. Companies House sends reminders — to the registered email, which is one more reason that inbox must be monitored.
You can also file early, any time you like. Filing early starts a fresh 12-month review period, which founders often use straight after a funding round so the register shows the new cap table quickly.
| Event (illustrative) | Date |
|---|---|
| Company incorporated | 5 June 2025 |
| First review period ends | 4 June 2026 |
| First statement due by | 18 June 2026 |
| Early statement filed after a funding round | 15 September 2026 |
| New review period runs | 16 September 2026 to 15 September 2027 |
| Next statement due by | 29 September 2027 |
How do I file it and what does it cost?
Online, through Companies House — for most startups it takes minutes, because you are confirming existing data rather than creating anything new. The online fee is £34 as of mid-2026; check the current fee on gov.uk before filing.
Do not let the speed make it mindless. Walk each section — directors, addresses, shareholders, PSCs, SIC code — against reality, because confirming wrong data just puts your signature on the error.
If something has changed, deal with it properly: update what the statement can carry, and file the separate forms for anything it cannot, before you confirm.
What happens if I file late — or not at all?
There is no grace period hiding in the rules: once the 14-day window closes, the company and its officers are committing an offence, and Companies House chases.
Persistent failure has a harder edge — Companies House can conclude the company is defunct and begin striking it off the register. For a startup that is an existential risk out of proportion to a form: a struck-off company stops existing, and its assets can pass to the Crown.
The soft consequences bite earlier. Banks, landlords and investors' lawyers all look up your filing history, and an overdue confirmation statement reads as a company that cannot manage its own admin.
How is a confirmation statement different from annual accounts?
They answer different questions. The confirmation statement says "here is who owns and runs this company, and where it lives" — a snapshot of register data. Annual accounts report the company's finances and are filed separately, on their own deadlines.
Filing one does not discharge the other; every company files both, every year, even if dormant.
The practical trap is ownership: founders assume their accountant handles "the Companies House stuff", accountants assume they were only engaged for the accounts. Agree explicitly whose job the confirmation statement is.
Worked example
Zainab incorporates Souko Ltd, a marketplace startup, on 5 June 2025 with 100,000 ordinary shares. Her first review period ends 4 June 2026, so her first confirmation statement is due by 18 June 2026.
A reminder lands at the registered email in early June. She files online on 10 June, checks that her directorship, the registered office and her 100% PSC entry are all still right, and pays the £34 mid-2026 online fee.
In August two angels subscribe £35,000 for 25,000 new shares between them. Rather than leave the register stale for ten months, she files an early statement on 15 September 2026 showing the new shareholders — and her next review period now runs to 15 September 2027, with a deadline of 29 September 2027.
Where founders go wrong
Assuming the accountant files it with the accounts.
Different filing, different deadline — agree explicitly who owns the confirmation statement.Missing the 14-day window because reminders went to a dead inbox.
Keep the registered email address monitored.Confirming without checking.
Waving through stale shareholder or PSC data puts your name on the error — and it surfaces in due diligence.Letting a dormant company lapse.
Dormant companies still file; skip it and strike-off proceedings can follow.
Related questions
How much does a confirmation statement cost?
The online filing fee is £34 as of mid-2026 — fees change, so check the current figure on gov.uk before you file. The money buys nothing clever: it is simply the charge for confirming your record. Budget for it annually alongside your accounts, and file online rather than on paper.
Can I file a confirmation statement early?
Yes — you can file at any point, and many founders file straight after a funding round so the public register shows the new shareholders promptly. Filing early starts a fresh 12-month review period from the day after your statement date, so your next deadline moves accordingly.
Do dormant companies need to file confirmation statements?
Yes. A company that is not trading still exists on the register, so the confirmation statement is still due at least once every 12 months. Skipping it because "nothing is happening" is how dormant companies drift into strike-off proceedings — and losing the company name with them.
What if my shareholders changed during the year?
Shareholder changes are reported through the confirmation statement, so the register catches up when you next file — another reason to file early after a round. PSC changes are different and more urgent: they must be entered in your PSC register within 14 days and filed within a further 14. [More: What is a PSC and who counts as one?]
The confirmation statement is trivial to file and expensive to neglect — an overdue statement or stale PSC data is the kind of red flag that stalls a funding round over a £34 form. A SuLe solicitor can put your Companies House housekeeping on rails alongside the documents that actually need thought. Book a free 15-minute consultation about your setup and stop losing sleep over filings.
Keep reading: What address can I use as my registered office? · What is a PSC and who counts as one? · Can I be the sole director and shareholder of my startup? · What legal documents does a UK startup actually need? · What are directors' duties under the Companies Act 2006? · What is an SH01 and when must I file it?
Primary sources: GOV.UK — Running a limited company · Companies Act 2006
