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When is it too late to ask for an extension?
You must submit the application before the current filing deadline expires. Once that date has passed, this extension route is no longer available and the company may incur a late-filing penalty. Companies House puts it plainly: “You must apply for the extension (or file your accounts) before your filing deadline, or you’ll receive a late filing penalty.” Companies House guidance explains the cutoff.
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Check the company’s actual due date through the Companies House company search before applying. For subsequent accounts, the usual period is nine months after the end of the accounting reference period for a private company and six months for a public company. First accounts and some altered accounting reference dates follow different rules, so do not calculate those due dates using the ordinary nine- or six-month period without checking.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Accounts must be delivered by the deadline; sending them on that date is not enough.
- A deadline falling on a Sunday or bank holiday still applies.
- Accounts rejected after a close-to-deadline submission do not get extra time automatically.
These filing rules and the statutory basis for extensions are set out in section 442 of the Companies Act 2006 and Companies House’s accounts filing guidance.
What reasons can justify more time?
The event must be exceptional, outside the company’s control and the reason it cannot send its accounts on time. Companies House gives unexpected illness and a fire that destroys company records a few days before the deadline as examples. They are examples, not guarantees that an application will be accepted.
The guidance does not provide a complete eligibility checklist. Explain what happened, when it happened, and how it prevented timely filing; include relevant supporting evidence if you have it. Ordinary delay alone should not be treated as a qualifying reason.
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How to apply to Companies House
Online application
The official online service is the direct application route and estimates that it takes up to 15 minutes. Have these details ready:
- the company number;
- an email address;
- a full explanation of why more time is needed; and
- any relevant supporting documents you choose to provide.
Supporting documents are optional on the form; the guidance does not make a particular document mandatory. Companies House reviews the request, emails its decision and may ask for more information.
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Application by post
GOV.UK also describes applying by post. Write to Companies House explaining what happened and how much extra time you need, and send the letter to Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ. The guidance does not identify email as a route for making the initial application.
What to do while the application is being considered
Do not treat a submitted request as an extension. Companies House says to file by the normal deadline if possible while it considers the application. It may still send a reminder letter before confirming the result.
If Companies House approves the request, it will give the company a new deadline for that accounts filing. File acceptable accounts by that date. The extension does not change future accounts deadlines, and Companies House says an extension may not be available if the deadline has already been extended. Under section 442, an extension cannot make the filing period longer than 12 months after the end of the relevant accounting reference period.
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Companies House says late-filing penalties are automatic. Its guidance, updated 16 January 2026, sets out the following company penalties according to how late the accounts arrive:
Best Value
| How late | Private company | Public company |
|---|---|---|
| Up to one month | £150 | £750 |
| More than one month, up to three months | £375 | £1,500 |
| More than three months, up to six months | £750 | £3,000 |
| More than six months | £1,500 | £7,500 |
Companies House says these penalties double if the company files late in two successive financial years. They are penalties for late accounts, not a fee to apply for more time. Check the current late-filing penalty guidance for any later changes.
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