Questions and Answers
I have set up a company, what are my filing obligations?
I used to run my business as a sole trader, but I have recently incorporated. What do I need to do differently now?
Last updated 28 Jul 2026 | First published 7 Jul 2020
By Helen Wood, CA 1 min read
Bookkeeping
When you set your business up as a limited company, you have more filing obligations than a sole trader. Companies House should inform HMRC that your company has been formed after you register it, but remains your responsibility to register with HMRC. You must inform them within three months of beginning to trade.
If you are taking on employees, you will need to register for a PAYE scheme before their first payday. You can register up to two months before you first pay them.
You need to decide on a year-end for your company. This can be at any point in the year, but usually it is best to choose a time when you will be best able to finalise your accounting records with your accountant. Your first set of accounts will need to be filed with Companies House 21 months after the company’s incorporation date.
After your first set of accounts are filed, subsequent sets of accounts need to be filed within nine months of your company’s year-end.
The company’s Corporation Tax return must be filed 12 months after the accounting period ends. However, any tax due must be paid nine months and one day after the period ends, so in most cases the return will need to be by then in order to have calculated the tax due.
If your business makes more than £90,000 over 12 months, you will need to register for VAT. You also need to register if you expect your business will make more than £90,000 in the next 30 days. Not all forms of income count towards the £90,000 threshold and in some cases, it may be advantageous to register early.
Need some help?
If you would like to discuss your company’s tax compliance needs with a friendly, experienced TaxAssist Accountant please contact us on 01271 233 250 or use our online contact form.
Last updated 28 Jul 2026 | First published 7 Jul 2020
This article is intended to inform rather than advise and is based on legislation and practice at the time. Taxpayer’s circumstances do vary and if you feel that the information provided is beneficial it is important that you contact us before implementation. If you take, or do not take action as a result of reading this article, before receiving our written endorsement, we will accept no responsibility for any financial loss incurred.
Helen Wood, CA
Helen is a qualified chartered accountant (CA) and joined TaxAssist in 2025 following three years as a freelance content writer for clients in the tax and accounting publishing sector. Prior to this, She spent 17 years at Big Four and Top 10 accountancy firms. Helen writes clear and helpful articles on tax and accounting for businesses and individuals.
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