If you run a UK limited company from overseas, the confirmation statement is one of the easiest filings to confuse with annual accounts or a Corporation Tax return. It is not a tax filing. It is a Companies House filing that confirms the information on the public register is accurate. Even if your company is dormant or nothing changed during the year, the filing is still required. For overseas directors, keeping this record up to date is part of staying compliant, protecting your company from avoidable penalties, and maintaining a credible UK presence.
What a confirmation statement is and why it matters
A confirmation statement is the filing used to confirm that your company details on the Companies House register are correct. It normally becomes due a year after incorporation or a year after the date of the last confirmation statement, and it can be filed up to 14 days after the due date. This makes it separate from both your annual accounts and your CT600 Corporation Tax return.
Before filing, overseas directors should check:
- registered office details
- director details and service addresses
- shareholder information and statement of capital
- People with Significant Control details
- SIC codes and intended lawful business activities
- registered email address and identity verification status
This filing matters because Companies House relies on it to keep the public record current. Banks, suppliers, payment providers, professional partners, and counterparties often review the public register when carrying out their own checks. An overdue or inaccurate record can raise avoidable questions about the company’s governance and compliance.
It is also important to remember that the confirmation statement does not replace your tax and accounting obligations. You may still need to prepare annual accounts, file a CT600, pay Corporation Tax, maintain bookkeeping records, and deal with VAT depending on your activity and turnover.
For non-UK resident owners using a nominee director service or a registered office address, accurate filing is particularly important because the company’s public presence needs to align with the underlying legal record.
What can and cannot be updated through the filing
One of the most common mistakes overseas directors make is assuming the confirmation statement can be used to report every company change. In reality, some changes usually need to be filed separately before the confirmation statement is submitted. That often includes director changes, PSC changes, or registered office changes. By contrast, information such as SIC codes, shareholder information and some statement of capital details may be confirmed or updated as part of the confirmation statement process.
In practice, that means the best approach is to review the entire company record before filing. If your ownership structure changed, if a new director was appointed, or if your service address or registered office has changed, deal with the relevant Companies House forms first. Then file the confirmation statement once the register reflects the correct position.
This is especially relevant for businesses formed through non-resident company formation services, because international founders often manage several compliance tasks remotely and can easily assume that one filing covers everything. It does not.
Key deadlines, fees and filing comparisons
The table below helps separate the confirmation statement from the other two filings that overseas directors most often confuse with it.
| Filing | What it covers and typical timing |
|---|---|
| Confirmation statement | Confirms that the company information on the public register is correct. Usually due 12 months after incorporation or the last confirmation statement, with up to 14 days after the due date to file. Current fee: £50 digital or £110 paper. |
| Annual accounts | Financial statements filed with Companies House. First accounts are usually due 21 months after incorporation, then usually 9 months after the company’s financial year end for a private limited company. |
| CT600 Company Tax Return | Corporation Tax filing to HMRC. Usually due 12 months after the end of the accounting period, with Corporation Tax generally payable 9 months and 1 day after the end of that period. |
Another key point is identity verification. Directors should make sure their Companies House identity verification requirements have been completed and that personal codes are available before the next confirmation statement is filed. Companies should also ensure they have a valid registered email address on file.
Where companies also need indirect tax support, this is a good point in the annual cycle to review whether VAT registration is required or whether any other Companies House or HMRC deadlines are approaching.
FAQs
General information only: this article is intended as general guidance and does not constitute legal, tax or accountancy advice. For help with company formation, nominee services, registered office services, ongoing compliance support or tax and accounting for overseas-owned UK companies, contact CG Incorporations.
Published: 3/19/2026 5:18:33 PM. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.
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