How to File a Confirmation Statement Online

Every UK limited company has an ongoing responsibility to keep its Companies House information accurate. One of the main ways it does this is by filing a confirmation statement. A confirmation statement is an annual filing that confirms the information Companies House holds about your company is correct and up to date. It is required even if nothing about the company has changed during the year.

For most private limited companies, filing online is the quickest and most straightforward option. As of 2026, the digital filing fee is £50, compared with £110 for a paper confirmation statement. This guide explains exactly how to file a confirmation statement online, what to check before submitting it, how the deadline works, what information may need updating, and the mistakes company directors should avoid.

What Is a Confirmation Statement?

A confirmation statement is a Companies House filing used to confirm that the information held about a company is accurate. It replaced the old annual return system and must normally be filed at least once every 12 months, whether or not the company's details have changed. Think of it as an annual health check for your company's public record. Depending on your company and what has changed, the confirmation statement may involve information relating to:

• Company shareholders
• Share capital
• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code
• People with Significant Control (PSCs)
• Trading status of shares
• Registered email information
• Director identity verification details
• Other information Companies House requires

However, a confirmation statement is not the same as annual accounts. It does not report your company's profits, losses, assets or liabilities. Annual accounts deal primarily with financial reporting. A confirmation statement deals with the company's registered information and ownership structure.

Who Needs to File a Confirmation Statement?

Almost every company registered with Companies House must file one. This includes companies that are:

• Actively trading
• Dormant
• Not currently trading
• Making a profit
• Making a loss
• Not yet conducting business

Companies House specifically states that every company, including dormant and non-trading companies, must file a confirmation statement at least once every year. So, if you incorporated a UK company but have not started operating yet, you cannot simply ignore the confirmation statement.

When Is a Confirmation Statement Due?

Your confirmation statement has a confirmation date, which determines your filing period. For the first confirmation statement, the review period generally runs for 12 months from the company's incorporation date. After that, the next review period normally runs for 12 months from the confirmation date on the previous statement. You can file your confirmation statement up to 14 days after the end of the review period.

For example:

A company was incorporated on 10 August 2025. Its first confirmation period ends on 9 August 2026. The confirmation statement can be filed during the applicable filing window, with the deadline falling 14 days after the confirmation date.

The exact date shown on the Companies House record should always be used rather than relying on a calculation. You can check your company's information and filing history through the official Companies House service.

Can You File Early?

Yes. You do not have to wait until the end of your current confirmation period. Companies House allows companies to file a confirmation statement early. However, filing early has an important consequence: your next confirmation statement date will be based on the new confirmation date.

This can be useful when you have recently made significant changes to your company and want the public record updated, but directors should understand that early filing effectively resets the confirmation timetable.

How Much Does an Online Confirmation Statement Cost?

As of 2026, the Companies House fee for filing a confirmation statement digitally is £50. The paper fee is £110. The £50 digital fee covers the first confirmation statement in the relevant 12-month payment period. If you file additional confirmation statements within that same payment period, you do not necessarily pay the fee again. A new fee becomes due when the next payment period begins. Companies House changed the digital confirmation statement fee from £34 to £50 on 1 February 2026.

What You Need Before Filing Online

Before starting, gather the information you need. For the standard online process, you will generally need:

• Your company number
• Companies House authentication details
• Access to the relevant Companies House filing service
• Details of any company changes
• Payment card for the filing fee
• Relevant director identity verification information where required

The exact online route available to you can depend on your company's structure and circumstances. Companies House now has a simpler online confirmation statement service for eligible private companies with one shareholder, up to five officers, no more than five PSCs and other specified conditions. Companies that do not meet those criteria may need to use WebFiling instead.

Step-by-Step: How to File a Confirmation Statement Online

Step 1: Check Your Companies House Record

Before submitting anything, search for your company on Companies House. Review the information currently displayed on the public register. Look particularly at:

• Registered office
• Directors
• Company status
• SIC code
• Shareholders
• PSCs
• Filing history
• Confirmation statement date

This first check can reveal problems that need to be dealt with before you submit your confirmation statement.

Step 2: Identify Any Changes

A confirmation statement is not simply a button that says "everything is correct." If something has changed, determine whether Companies House requires a separate filing before the confirmation statement. For example, changes involving directors and PSCs must be reported before you confirm that the company's information is up to date. Other information can be updated as part of the confirmation statement process, depending on the change. The current CS01 guidance includes areas such as:

• Principal business activities/SIC code
• Statement of capital
• Trading status of shares
• Shareholder information
• Registered email information
• Director identity verification details

The important point is not to use the confirmation statement as a substitute for every other Companies House filing.

Step 3: Check Your SIC Code

Your Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code describes your company's principal business activities. This is easy to overlook, particularly if your business has evolved since incorporation. For example, a founder may have originally registered a company for digital marketing but later moved into software development. If the company's actual principal activities have changed, the SIC information should be reviewed.

Companies House provides a list of SIC codes that can be used when updating company information. A mismatch between what your company actually does and its registered business activity can create unnecessary confusion for banks, payment providers, investors and other organisations conducting due diligence.

Step 4: Review Shareholder Information

Check that your shareholder information is accurate. This becomes especially important if you have:

• Issued new shares
• Transferred shares
• Changed share classes
• Added an investor
• Bought out another shareholder
• Restructured ownership

Ownership changes can also affect who qualifies as a Person with Significant Control. If the ownership structure has changed, do not simply confirm the existing information without reassessing the PSC position.

Step 5: Review PSC Information

PSC stands for Person with Significant Control. A PSC can be someone who owns or controls a significant proportion of a company, including through share ownership, voting rights or other forms of control.

If a PSC has changed, that information generally needs to be dealt with separately and promptly rather than waiting until the annual confirmation statement. Companies House specifically requires companies to update relevant PSC changes. For founders with multiple shareholders, overseas investors or unusual ownership structures, this is one of the areas worth checking particularly carefully.

Step 6: Check Director Identity Verification

Companies House has introduced identity verification requirements as part of wider corporate transparency reforms. Depending on the company's circumstances, directors may need to provide their Companies House personal codes when filing a confirmation statement. If a company has more than one director, the relevant personal code is required for each director where applicable.

If you are both a director and PSC of the same company, the identity verification requirements apply separately to those roles. This is particularly relevant for international founders who may be managing their UK company from overseas.

Step 7: Confirm the Lawful Purpose Statement

Companies are required to confirm that their intended future activities are lawful. This is part of the confirmation statement process and should not be overlooked.

Step 8: Pay the Filing Fee

Once the information has been reviewed, complete the payment process. For the current digital filing service, the confirmation statement fee is £50.

Step 9: Submit and Save the Confirmation

After submission, keep evidence that the filing was made. Companies House says online users receive an acknowledgement almost immediately, followed by confirmation once the filing has been accepted. Do not assume that submitting a filing and having it accepted are exactly the same thing. Check your company's filing history afterwards to confirm that the confirmation statement appears correctly.

What Happens If Nothing Has Changed?

You still need to file. This is one of the most important points for new company owners. Suppose you incorporated a company 12 months ago and:

• Have not traded
• Have not changed directors
• Have not issued shares
• Have not changed your address
• Have not changed your PSC

You still have to file the confirmation statement. Companies House explicitly requires a confirmation statement even where there have been no changes. In this situation, the filing confirms that the existing information remains accurate.

Confirmation Statement vs Annual Accounts

These two filings are often confused.

A company can therefore have both filings due around the same time. Filing your confirmation statement does not mean you have completed your annual accounts obligations.

What Happens If You File Late?

Late filing should be avoided. Companies House warns that failure to file a confirmation statement can result in a financial penalty and may ultimately lead to the company being struck off the register. The maximum fine stated in the current guidance is £5,000. The consequences can extend beyond the fine. A company that appears overdue on Companies House may face additional scrutiny from:

• Banks
• Payment providers
• Investors
• Customers
• Suppliers
• Potential business partners

For a startup trying to establish credibility, an avoidable Companies House compliance issue can create unnecessary friction.

Common Confirmation Statement Mistakes

Mistake 1: Assuming It Is Optional If the Company Is Dormant

It is not. Dormant and non-trading companies still need to file confirmation statements.

Mistake 2: Waiting Until the Last Day

Technical problems, missing authentication details or an unexpected rejection can turn a simple filing into a deadline problem. File early enough to correct an issue if necessary.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Ownership Changes

A new investor or share transfer can affect shareholder and PSC information. Always reassess the ownership structure before confirming the company's details.

Mistake 4: Confusing the Confirmation Date With the Payment Period

Companies House distinguishes between the review period and the payment period. The annual fee is linked to the payment period, which is separate from the confirmation review period. Understanding this distinction can prevent unnecessary assumptions about when another payment is due.

Mistake 5: Treating Online Filing as Automatic Compliance

Online filing makes submission easier, but it does not decide whether the information you provide is correct. The director remains responsible for ensuring the company's information is accurate.

A Better Annual Confirmation Statement Routine

Rather than treating the confirmation statement as an annoying annual task, use it as a structured company-record review. Before filing, ask:

1. Are the company's directors correct?
2. Are the PSC details accurate?
3. Has the ownership structure changed?
4. Is the SIC code still appropriate?
5. Are the share details accurate?
6. Are the company's registered details current?
7. Have relevant identity verification requirements been completed?
8. Are there any separate Companies House changes that need filing first?
9. Is the confirmation date correct?
10. Have I saved evidence of submission and acceptance?

This takes relatively little time for a straightforward company but can catch problems before they become more expensive.

Why This Matters for Global Founders

For a founder living outside the UK, maintaining a UK company remotely involves more than incorporating it. You may have a UK registered office, overseas shareholders, international banking arrangements, payment providers and directors living in different countries. That makes an organised company-management process particularly valuable.

IncorpUK is designed around this broader requirement. In addition to UK company formation, it provides registered office and mail support, company management resources, banking and payment gateway guidance, compliance assistance and AI-powered tools that can help international founders understand their company administration. These tools are best viewed as practical support rather than a substitute for professional legal, accounting or tax advice where specialist advice is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to file a confirmation statement every year?

Yes. Every company must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, even when no company information has changed.

How much does it cost to file a confirmation statement online?

The current Companies House digital filing fee is £50. A paper confirmation statement costs £110.

Can I file my confirmation statement early?

Yes. Companies House allows companies to file early, but doing so changes the date used for the next confirmation statement period.

What information do I need to check?

You should review the company's ownership, shareholders, PSCs, SIC code, share information, directors and other relevant registered details. Some changes must be filed separately before submitting the confirmation statement.

Can I file a confirmation statement if nothing has changed?

Yes, and you must. The purpose in that situation is to confirm that the information already held by Companies House remains accurate.

Is a confirmation statement the same as annual accounts?

No. A confirmation statement verifies company and ownership information, while annual accounts report financial information. A company may have obligations to file both.

What happens if I miss my confirmation statement deadline?

Companies House can impose a financial penalty and may take steps to strike the company off the register if the confirmation statement is not filed.

Do directors need identity verification before filing?

Identity verification requirements now form part of the Companies House filing regime. Where applicable, directors need to provide their personal codes when filing a confirmation statement.

Can a non-UK resident file a confirmation statement?

Yes. A UK company can have founders and directors based outside the UK. However, overseas founders still need to meet the same applicable Companies House filing and identity requirements for their company.

Conclusion

Filing a confirmation statement online is relatively straightforward, but the important work happens before you click submit. Check your company's Companies House record, review its shareholders and PSCs, confirm that the SIC code and share information are accurate, deal with any changes that require separate filings, and make sure applicable identity verification requirements have been addressed.

The current online fee is £50, and every company must file at least once every 12 months, including dormant and non-trading companies. For directors and global founders, the best approach is to make the confirmation statement part of a wider compliance routine rather than treating it as a once-a-year formality. A few minutes spent checking the company's public record can prevent much bigger problems later.