Type your company number and we map out your first year from the Companies House register - nothing else to fill in.
Your company's first year - every date from one number
The working
Where each date comes from
Companies House already holds most of your first-year dates, so we read them straight off the register rather than working them out again:
- The day your company was formed, which starts the clock on everything else.
- Your first year end, including any change you made to it.
- Your first confirmation statement and first accounts, with the exact dates Companies House expects them.
The register does not hold your HMRC dates, so we work those out from the published rules. Corporation Tax registration is 3 months from starting to trade, each tax payment is 9 months and 1 day after a tax period ends, and the tax return is 12 months after your accounts end. Each one is labelled so you can see which is which, and the rules page shows the working.
Why there are often two tax payments
A company's first accounts usually run a little over 12 months, from the day it was formed to the end of the month of its first anniversary. A Corporation Tax period can never be longer than 12 months, so HMRC splits those first accounts in two: the first 12 months, then the few days or weeks left over.
Each part has its own payment date, but both tax returns are due on the same day, 12 months after the accounts end. It looks odd and it is completely normal.
What we assume
- You started trading on the day you formed. The register does not record when a company starts trading, so we take the earliest date, and if you started later your HMRC dates move later too.
- Your profits are under £1.5 million. Larger companies pay Corporation Tax in instalments instead.
- Your company is a private limited company. If the register says otherwise, we tell you on the results.
Frequently asked questions
When are a new company's first accounts due?
If your first accounts cover more than 12 months, which is usual, they are due 21 months after the day your company was formed. After that, accounts are due 9 months after each year end.
What is my company's first year end?
It is the last day of the month in which your company's first anniversary falls, so a company formed on 15 March 2026 has a first year end of 31 March 2027. You can move it later by telling Companies House about a change of year end.
When is my first confirmation statement due?
Your first statement date is the day before your company's first anniversary, and you then have 14 days to file it. A company formed on 15 March 2026 has a statement date of 14 March 2027 and files by 28 March 2027, which costs £50 online.
When do I register for Corporation Tax?
Within 3 months of your company starting to trade, provide services or earn any income. Setting the company up does not count as starting.
Why does my first year have two Corporation Tax periods?
A Corporation Tax period can be no longer than 12 months, and first accounts usually run a little over 12 months, so HMRC splits them into two periods with two payment dates. Both tax returns are due on the same day, 12 months after your first accounts end.
When do I pay Corporation Tax?
For profits up to £1.5 million, 9 months and 1 day after the end of each Corporation Tax period. When the period ends on the last day of a month, that is the 1st of the tenth month after it. The tax return comes later, 12 months after your accounts end.
Do I need to register for VAT?
You must register if your taxable sales for the last 12 months go over £90,000, or you expect them to in the next 30 days alone. You can also choose to register below that.
Do directors need to verify their identity?
Yes, since 18 November 2025 directors and people with significant control verify their identity with Companies House. New ones do it before they are registered and existing ones within a set window, usually around the company's next confirmation statement, and it is free through GOV.UK One Login.