Companies House filing software for accounts and company changes
Prepare your annual accounts from your books and file them with Companies House in iXBRL. Confirmation statements, officer and address changes and new incorporations go from the same place.
Free to get started, including filing. No card required.
Software-only accounts filing is coming
From April 2028, Companies House will require all UK registered companies to file their accounts in iXBRL using commercial software. Its web and paper filing routes will close for accounts, and the option to file abridged accounts will be removed. The change was announced on 9 June 2026, moved back from April 2027.
Source: GOV.UK — Companies House to bring in changes to accounts filing from April 2028. Last checked 1 October 2026.
You don’t have to wait. Accounts can be filed through software today. What the change means and how to get ready.
How filing accounts works
Choose the accounts, built from your books
Enter the period, choose the type of accounts and the filing format, and add the board approval date and average employee numbers. The accounts and their notes are built from the books.
Check before anything is sent
- Documents older than your latest change to the books must be rebuilt first
- A balance sheet that doesn’t balance can’t be filed
- Live accounts need the date the board approved them
Test, then file
The submit dialog opens in test mode, so a practice run files nothing. Untick it to file for real with the company’s authentication code.
The filing moves from submitted to accepted or rejected. Companies House reviews filings itself, so acceptance can take a while.
The accounts you can file
Micro-entity
FRS 105 accounts for the smallest companies.
Small company
FRS 102 section 1A, filed as full, filleted or abridged accounts.
Full accounts
Full FRS 102 accounts, and audited accounts for medium and large companies.
Dormant
Accounts for a company with no significant transactions in the year.
Everything you can file with Companies House
Sent to Companies House using the company’s authentication code.
| Filing | Form |
|---|---|
| Annual accounts | iXBRL |
| Confirmation statement | CS01 |
| Change of registered office address | AD01 |
| Change of company name | NM01 |
| New director or company secretary | AP01 / AP03 |
| Change to a director’s or secretary’s details | CH01 / CH03 |
| Director or secretary leaving | TM01 / TM02 |
| Setting up a new company | IN01 |
See an accounts filing in the app
Thirty seconds on a demo company: starting a filing, the balance sheet built from the books, and the notes.
What it doesn’t do
Group and consolidated accounts
Group accounts with intra-group eliminations aren’t supported.
Accounts from figures kept elsewhere
The accounts are built from the books in A4O Accounts. To start, enter your opening balances as a journal and import your bank statements.
How we look after your data
Your HMRC password isn’t kept
When you file a Corporation Tax return, your Government Gateway password is used for that submission and never stored. The copy of each submission we keep has the credentials removed.
Sensitive details are encrypted
Companies House authentication codes and HMRC and bank access tokens are encrypted in our database with AES-256-GCM. Passwords are hashed with bcrypt, and repeated failed sign-ins lock the account.
Every filing is logged
Each submission, and each change to key records, is logged with who made it and when, and the app has no way to edit or delete those records. Only a Manager on the company can submit a filing.
What it costs
Create an account, add your company and file for real, with no card and nothing to pay. If we ever introduce paid plans, we’ll tell you at least 30 days before anything changes.
Questions about filing with Companies House
Can I file accounts with Companies House for real?
Yes. Companies House filing is live. Accounts go through Companies House’s filing gateway in iXBRL, using the company’s authentication code, and you can send a test submission first.
How much does it cost?
Nothing to get started, including filing, and you don’t need a card. If we ever introduce paid plans, we’ll tell you at least 30 days before anything changes.
Which accounts can I file?
Micro-entity (FRS 105), small company (FRS 102 section 1A), full FRS 102, audited and dormant accounts, as full, filleted or abridged. Group and consolidated accounts aren’t supported.
What do I need to file?
The company’s registration number and its Companies House authentication code, saved on the company. The code is stored encrypted. Only a Manager on the company can submit a filing.
What happens if Companies House rejects the accounts?
The rejection comes back with the reason, so you can fix the accounts and send them again. Each submission is kept with the company, with the documents as filed.
Do I need software to file accounts today?
Not yet. Companies House still accepts accounts through its own online service and on paper. From April 2028 it will require all companies to file accounts in iXBRL using commercial software.
Does it file my Company Tax Return too?
Yes, as a separate filing with HMRC. The CT600, with its accounts and tax computation, is prepared from the same books as the accounts you send Companies House.
Related
File this year’s accounts.
Add your company, bring in the books and prepare the accounts for Companies House.
No card required. Need a hand? Email us.