Part 16

Audit
Chapter 1

Requirement for audited accounts

Requirement for audited accounts

Requirement for audited accounts
475
1
A company's annual accounts for a financial year must be audited in accordance with this Part unless the company—
a
is exempt from audit under—
- section 477 (small companies),
- section 479A (subsidiary companies) or
- section 480 (dormant companies);
or
b
is exempt from the requirements of this Part under section 482 (non-profit-making companies subject to public sector audit).
2
A company is not entitled to any such exemption unless its balance sheet contains a statement by the directors to that effect.
2
A company is not entitled to any such exemption unless its balance sheet contains a statement by the directors—
a
identifying the exemption in question, and
b
confirming that the company qualifies for the exemption.
3
A company is not entitled to exemption under any of the provisions mentioned in subsection (1)(a) unless its balance sheet contains a statement by the directors to the effect that—
a
the members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476, and
b
the directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of this Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
4
The statement required by subsection (2) or (3) must appear on the balance sheet above the signature required by section 414.
S. 475 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2008) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1911), reg. 33 (as amended (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2012/2301, regs. 1, 20(2))
S. 475(1) applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Insurance Accounts Directive (Miscellaneous Insurance Undertakings) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/565), reg. 3
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Bank Accounts Directive (Miscellaneous Banks) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/567), reg. 4, Sch. para. 1 (with Sch. para. 11)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Partnerships (Accounts) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/569), regs. 4, 7, Sch. Pt. 1
Ss. 475-481 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2436), regs. 3-5, Sch. 1 para. 11 (with transitional provisions and savings in regs. 7, 9, Sch. 2)
Pts. 1-39 (except for Pt. 7 and ss. 662-669), 45-47 extended (12.5.2011) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1265), art. 5(1), Sch. 1 para. 2
Words in s. 475(1)(a) inserted (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2301), regs. 1, 6
Pts. 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))
Pt. 16 excluded (8.4.2020) by Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019 (c. 27), s. 14(2)(3), Sch. 2 para. 9(9)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.10.2018) by The Occupational Pension Schemes (Master Trusts) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1030), regs. 1(2), 9(4)-(8)
Pt. 16 excluded (S.) (1.10.2024) by The Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) Order 2024 (S.S.I. 2024/266), arts. 1(1), 3
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (6.4.2022) by The Occupational Pension Schemes (Master Trusts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (S.R. 2022/121), regs. 1, 9(4)-(8)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (3.10.2022) by The Occupational Pension Schemes (Master Trusts) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (S.R. 2022/234), regs. 1, 9(4)-(8)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2008/565, reg. 3 (as substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 2(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Statutory Auditors Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1164), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 2 para. 3 (with reg. 2(6)(7)))
Pt. 16 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2017) by The Risk Transformation Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1212), regs. 1(2), 162, 163 (with reg. 189)
S. 475(2) 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. 57, 219(1)(2)(b)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (27.3.2024) by The Occupational Pension Schemes (Master Trusts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (S.R. 2024/78), regs. 1, 9(5)(a)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (29.9.2023) by The Occupational Pension Schemes (Master Trusts) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 (S.R. 2023/148), regs. 1, 9(4)-(8)
S. 475 applied (with modifications) in part (31.7.2015) by The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1493), regs. 1(2), 7(1) (with reg. 11)
Pt. 16 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (1.4.2023) by The Occupational Pension Schemes (Master Trusts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023 (S.R. 2023/59), regs. 1, 9(5)(a)
Pt. 16 excluded (S.) (30.10.2022) by The Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) (No. 2) Order 2022 (S.S.I. 2022/308), arts. 1(1), 3
Pt. 16 excluded (S.) (26.11.2020) by The Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) Order 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/402), arts. 1(1), 3
Pt. 16 excluded (S.) (15.6.2022) by The Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) Order 2022 (S.S.I. 2022/207), arts. 1(1), 3
Pt. 16 excluded (S.) (10.3.2021) by The Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) Order 2021 (S.S.I. 2021/129), arts. 1(1), 3