Companies Act 2006

477 Small companies: conditions for exemption from audit U.K.

(1) A company that [F1 qualifies as a small company in relation to] a financial year is exempt from the requirements of this Act relating to the audit of accounts for that year.

(2) F2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) F2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) For the purposes of this section—

(a) whether a company qualifies as a small company shall be determined in accordance with section 382(1) to (6), F3 . . .

(b) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) This section has effect subject to—

• section 475(2) and (3) (requirements as to statements to be contained in balance sheet),

• section 476 (right of members to require audit),

• section 478 (companies excluded from small companies exemption), and

• section 479 (availability of small companies exemption in case of group company).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 477(1) substituted (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, 4(a)

F2 S. 477(2)(3) omitted (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2301), regs. 1, 4(b)

F3 S. 477(4)(b) and preceding word omitted (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2301), regs. 1, 4(c)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 477-479 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. 34 (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(3); (E.W.S.) (1.10.2018) by S.I. 2018/1030, regs. 1(2), 31(4); (31.12.2020) by S.I. 2019/177, regs. 2, 50(a) (as amended by S.I. 2020/335, regs. 1, 3, 4 and S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 22, 25(c); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)); (N.I.) (6.4.2022) by S.R. 2022/121, regs. 1, 31(4); (N.I.) (3.10.2022) by S.R. 2022/234, regs. 1, 31(4); (N.I.) (1.4.2023) by S.R. 2023/59, regs. 1, 31(4); and (N.I.) (29.9.2023) by S.R. 2023/148, regs. 1, 31(4)(5))

C2 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)