In any given period, a company is dormant if it does not carry out any accounting transactions, disregarding the following:

• payments for shares issued on formation of the company;
• fee paid to Companies House to change the company’s name;
• fee paid to Companies House on re-registration of the company;
• fee paid to Companies House on filing an annual return; and
• payment of a civil penalty for late filing of accounts.

Dormant companies can file dormant company accounts with Companies House.

If a company commences trading or carries out any transaction (other than those listed above) then it will cease to be dormant and normal company accounts will have to be filed.

Dormant company accounts consist of an abbreviated balance sheet and notes. These accounts contain far less information than a normal set of company accounts.

The following dormant companies do not have to have their accounts audited:

• a company which has been dormant since incorporation;
• a company which is dormant for the accounting period for which accounts are prepared provided that it is a small company;
• a company which is dormant for the accounting period for which accounts are prepared that is not a small company solely because it is a PLC.

As with normal company accounts the shareholders can demand that dormant company accounts are audited.

You can obtain a standard form for Dormant Company Accounts from Companies House. The standard form is known as Form DCA.

View Standard Form here.

You can use this standard form if:

• the company has not traded since its incorporation; and
• it is not a subsidiary company.

You cannot use this standard form DCA if your company has become dormant after a period of activity.

The penalties and offences are the same as those for failure to file normal company accounts.

The time limits are the same as for active companies.