What Is a Confirmation Statement?

A confirmation statement is a filing every UK limited company and LLP must send to Companies House at least once a year. Its job is simple: it confirms that the information Companies House holds about your company on the public register is accurate and up to date. It replaced the old annual return (form AR01) in June 2016, and the form you file is called the CS01.

It is one of the two filings almost every company has to make each year, alongside its annual accounts. The two are often confused, but they do very different things - and missing the confirmation statement is one of the most common reasons a company ends up facing compulsory strike-off.

What does a confirmation statement confirm?

The confirmation statement is a check, not an update of everything about your company. You are confirming that the following details on the register are correct as at the confirmation date:

• Registered office address - where official mail is sent. You can check any company's registered office on the public register.
• Directors and company secretary - the officers currently appointed.
• Registered email address - required since 2024 for all companies.
• SIC codes - the codes describing what your company does. If your activities have changed, update them. Our SIC code lookup helps you find the right one.
• Statement of capital and shareholders - for companies with shares, the number of shares, their value, and who holds them.
• People with significant control (PSC) - the individuals who own or control the company. See our guide to people with significant control.

Some of these details - registered office, directors, PSCs, registered email - can only be changed using their own separate forms, not the confirmation statement itself. The confirmation statement is where you formally confirm the up-to-date picture is right. SIC codes and shareholder information, however, can be updated directly on the CS01.

When is a confirmation statement due?

Every company has a review period of 12 months. For a new company, the first review period runs for 12 months from the date of incorporation. After that, it runs for 12 months from the date of your last confirmation statement.

You then have 14 days after the end of the review period to file. So if your company was incorporated on 10 March, your first review period ends on 9 March the following year, and your confirmation statement must be filed by 23 March.

You can file a confirmation statement early, and many companies do so whenever they make a change they want reflected on the register. Filing early simply resets the 12-month clock from that date. You must file at least one confirmation statement in every 12-month period, even if nothing has changed and even if the company is dormant or not trading.

How much does a confirmation statement cost?

There is an annual fee to file a confirmation statement, and it covers a full 12-month payment period no matter how many statements you file in that period. As of 2026 the fee is £34 if you file online through Companies House, or £62 if you file on paper. Fees are set by Companies House and have risen in recent years, so it is worth confirming the current rate before you file.

How to file a confirmation statement

Most companies file online through the Companies House WebFiling service or the newer "File your confirmation statement" service on GOV.UK. You will need your company authentication code. The process is:

• Review each section Companies House presents and confirm it is correct, or make changes where the form allows (SIC codes, shareholders).
• Update anything that has changed using the relevant separate forms first if needed - for example, appoint or remove a director, or change the registered office - so the confirmation statement reflects the current position.
• Confirm the statement and pay the fee.

Accountants and formation agents commonly file the confirmation statement on a company's behalf as part of their annual compliance service.

What happens if you do not file?

Not filing a confirmation statement is a criminal offence. Every director can be personally prosecuted and fined. More commonly and more seriously for most businesses, a company that fails to file will be flagged by Companies House, and the registrar can begin the process to strike the company off the register.

That process usually starts with a first Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off. If the company is struck off, it ceases to exist, its bank accounts are frozen, and any assets it still holds pass to the Crown. Filing the overdue confirmation statement is normally enough to stop the strike-off, so it is always worth acting the moment you realise one is late.

Confirmation statement vs annual accounts

These are two separate obligations with two separate deadlines, and filing one does not satisfy the other.

• The confirmation statement confirms who and where the company is - officers, ownership, address, activities. It carries no financial information.
• The annual accounts report the company's finances for its accounting period. Read more in our guide to understanding company accounts.

A company can be up to date on its accounts and still be struck off for a missing confirmation statement, so it is important to track both dates.

Frequently asked questions

Do dormant companies need to file a confirmation statement?

Yes. A dormant or non-trading company must still file a confirmation statement every year and pay the fee. Dormancy affects your accounts, not your confirmation statement obligation.

Can I file more than one confirmation statement a year?

Yes, and there is no extra charge. The annual fee covers a 12-month payment period, so you can file as often as you like within it - useful when you want to update SIC codes or shareholders on the register promptly.

What is the difference between a confirmation statement and an annual return?

The confirmation statement replaced the annual return (AR01) in June 2016. The confirmation statement is simpler: instead of restating all your details every year, you confirm the existing record is correct and report only what has changed.

Who can file the confirmation statement?

A director, the company secretary, or an agent such as an accountant or formation agent acting on the company's behalf. You need the company's authentication code to file online.