Part 15U.K.Accounts and reports

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Pt. 15 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2017) by The Risk Transformation Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1212), regs. 1(2), 162, 163 (with reg. 189)

C2Pts. 1-39 modified (31.12.2020) by Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001, Art. AAA1(3) (as inserted by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1298), regs. 1, 97 (with regs. 140-145) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 5(a)-(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))

C4Pt. 15 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Partnerships (Accounts) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/569), regs. 4, 7, Sch. Pt. 1

C5Pt. 15 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 16 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, Sch. 2)

Chapter 10U.K.Filing of accounts and reports

Filing obligations of different descriptions of companyU.K.

446Filing obligations of unquoted companiesU.K.

(1)The directors of an unquoted company must deliver to the registrar for each financial year of the company a copy of—

(a)the company's annual accounts, F1. . .

[F2(aa)the strategic report,]

(b)the directors' report [F3, F4... [F5and]

F6(ba). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)any separate corporate governance statement.]

(2)The directors must also deliver to the registrar a copy of the auditor's report on those accounts (and [F7the strategic report (where this is covered by the auditor’s report),] the directors' report F8... [F9and any separate corporate governance statement]).

This does not apply if the company is exempt from audit and the directors have taken advantage of that exemption.

(3)The copies of the balance sheet [F10, strategic report] [F11, directors' report F12... and any separate corporate governance statement] delivered to the registrar under this section must state the name of the person who signed it on behalf of the board.

(4)The copy of the auditor's report delivered to the registrar under this section must—

(a)state the name of the auditor and (where the auditor is a firm) the name of the person who signed it as senior statutory auditor, or

(b)if the conditions in section 506 (circumstances in which names may be omitted) are met, state that a resolution has been passed and notified to the Secretary of State in accordance with that section.

[F13(4A)If more than one person is appointed as auditor, the reference in subsection (4)(a) to the name of the auditor is to be read as a reference to the names of all the auditors.]

[F14(5)This section does not apply to companies within—

(a)section 444 (filing obligations of companies subject to the small companies regime), F15. . .

[F16(aa)section 444A (filing obligations of companies entitled to small companies exemption in relation to directors' report), or]

(b)section 445 (filing obligations of medium-sized companies).]

[F14(5)This section does not apply to companies within—

(a)section 443A (filing obligations of micro-entities),

(b)section 444 (filing obligations of small companies other than micro-entities), or

(c)section 445 (filing obligations of medium-sized companies).]

Textual Amendments

F1Word following s. 446(1)(a) omitted (27.6.2009) by virtue of The Companies Act 2006 (Accounts, Reports and Audit) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1581), reg. 3(2) (with application as stated in reg. 1(3))

F2S. 446(1)(aa) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1970), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. para. 10(a)

F3S. 446(1)(c) and preceding word inserted (27.6.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Accounts, Reports and Audit) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1581), reg. 3(2) (with application as stated in reg. 1(3))

F5Word in s. 446(1) inserted (11.5.2025 in relation to accounts and reports for a financial year of a company beginning on or after that date) by The Companies (Directors' Remuneration and Audit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/439), regs. 1(2), 2(3), 8(a)(i)

F6S. 446(1)(ba) and word omitted (11.5.2025 in relation to accounts and reports for a financial year of a company beginning on or after that date) by virtue of The Companies (Directors' Remuneration and Audit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/439), regs. 1(2), 2(3), 8(a)(ii)

F7Words in s. 446(2) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1970), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. para. 10(b)

F8Words in s. 446(2) omitted (11.5.2025 in relation to accounts and reports for a financial year of a company beginning on or after that date) by virtue of The Companies (Directors' Remuneration and Audit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/439), regs. 1(2), 2(3), 8(b)

F9Words in s. 446(2) inserted (27.6.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Accounts, Reports and Audit) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1581), reg. 3(3) (with application as stated in reg. 1(3))

F10Words in s. 446(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1970), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. para. 10(c)

F11Words in s. 446(3) substituted (27.6.2009) by The Companies Act 2006 (Accounts, Reports and Audit) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1581), reg. 3(6) (with application as stated in reg. 1(3))

F12Words in s. 446(3) omitted (11.5.2025 in relation to accounts and reports for a financial year of a company beginning on or after that date) by virtue of The Companies (Directors' Remuneration and Audit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/439), regs. 1(2), 2(3), 8(b)

F13S. 446(4A) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 2(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Statutory Auditors Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1164), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 1 para. 11 (with reg. 2(6)(7))

F14S. 446(5) substituted (26.10.2023 but only so far as it confers a power to make regulations or relates to the exercise of the power, otherwise prosp.) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 55(6), 219(1)(2)(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C9Ss. 441-469 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 10 (with reg. 7, Sch. 2) (as amended (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Unregistered Companies (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1972), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(a))

Commencement Information

I1S. 446 wholly in force at 6.4.2008; s. 446 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 1300; s. 446 in force at 6.4.2008 by S.I. 2007/3495, art. 3(1)(d) (with savings in arts. 7, 12 and subject to transitional adaptations in Sch. 1 para. 8 (as amended (temp. from 27.6.2009) by Companies Act 2006 (Accounts, Reports and Audit) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1581), reg. 3(4)(5) (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3))) and with savings in Sch. 4 paras. 6-8)