CAC annual returns, deadlines and penalties

Every registered company and business name files an annual return with the CAC. These articles cover the deadlines, the fees, the penalties that now reach directors too, and how to get back on the register.

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CAC's July 2026 notice: 100,000 companies face strike-off

CAC strike off notice: on 15 Jul 2026, CAC named 100,000 companies and gave them 90 days to file all outstanding returns.

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Why did the business name annual return fee rise?

Business name annual return fee increase: CAC's 2025 schedule raised the fee, now paid directly on the iCRP portal for every filing.

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How much is the CAC annual return penalty for a public company?

CAC annual return penalty for public companies: the one-off fine per late return for a PLC, how it compares with other bands, and who else is liable.

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What happens after you file your CAC annual return?

What happens after filing a CAC annual return: an acknowledgement first, then an updated record you can go and confirm yourself.

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What documents do you need for a CAC annual return?

Documents needed for a CAC annual return: director, shareholder and share capital details, gathered for the right year before you file.

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How do you calculate your CAC annual return penalty?

How to calculate your CAC annual return penalty for multiple missed years, with a worked example and a free calculator to check your figure.

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Does CAC still charge a daily penalty for late annual returns?

Does CAC still charge a daily penalty for late annual returns? What is suspended, what still applies, and what to confirm before you relax.

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Can you get more time to file a CAC annual return?

CAC annual return extension: CAMA allows more time for the AGM and the return itself, if you ask before the deadline passes.

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What law backs the CAC annual return penalty?

The law behind the CAC annual return penalty: CAMA 2020, the Companies Regulations 2021, and where the actual figures come from.

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How much is the CAC annual return penalty for a private company?

CAC annual return penalty for private companies that are not small: the one-off fine per late return, and why each officer owes the same amount.

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How much does CAC fine a director for a late annual return?

CAC annual return penalty for directors: the per-head figure for each late return, now published for every company type, and who counts.

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The incorporated trustees statement of affairs, explained

Incorporated trustees statement of affairs deadline: a separate CAC filing due twice a year, every July and every January.

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Why does CAC reject a change of directors filing?

Why CAC rejects a change of directors filing: the rule tying it to annual returns and PSC information, and what to clear before you resubmit.

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The 30 June deadline for a business name's annual return

Business name annual return deadline: every registered business name must file by 30 June each year, except in its first year.

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How do you clear a CAC annual return backlog?

A checklist for clearing a CAC annual return backlog: what to gather, how the penalty is confirmed, and the order to file missed years in.

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CAC annual return vs audited accounts vs tax return

CAC annual return vs audited accounts vs tax return: three different documents, each filed with a different body for a different reason.

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Can CAC still penalise directors after a company is struck off?

CAC penalty for directors of a struck-off company: why the debt survives, who CAC pursues next, and what it means for your other companies.

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How many years of default before CAC strikes off a company?

How many years before CAC strikes off a company for missed annual returns, and what happens to the penalty bill before that point.

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How do you restore a company that CAC struck off?

How to restore a company struck off by CAC: the general route CAMA 2020 allows, what you clear first, and why there is no fixed price to quote.

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The CAC annual return for a company limited by guarantee

Annual return for a company limited by guarantee: a flat fee and a flat penalty apply instead of any share-capital band.

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What happens if you never file CAC annual returns?

What happens if you do not file CAC annual returns: the growing fine, blocked filings, personal liability, and eventually strike-off.

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How to check if your CAC annual returns are up to date

How to check if your CAC annual returns are up to date: use CAC's own public search, not a guess from memory or an old receipt.

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Common mistakes when filing a CAC annual return

Common CAC annual return filing mistakes: wrong-year directors, skipped dormant years, and filing out of the right order.

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When did CAC start enforcing annual return penalties?

When did CAC start enforcing annual return penalties? The 2023 notice, the announced date, and the later date enforcement actually began.

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Filing a CAC annual return after a change of directors or shares

CAC annual return after change of directors: file the separate CAC notice first, then reflect the change in the next return.

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Who actually pays the CAC annual return penalty?

Who pays the CAC annual return penalty, the company or its directors? What CAC's notice says, and what each side actually owes.

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What is the CAC late filing penalty for a business name?

CAC late filing penalty for business names: the one-off fine per late return on CAC's schedule, and how it adds up if you owe several years.

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How the CAC annual return fee follows share capital

CAC annual return fee by share capital: the 2025 schedule sets four fee bands, from the smallest companies to the largest.

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How much is the CAC annual return penalty for a small company?

CAC annual return penalty for small companies: the one-off fine per late return, the same charge per officer, and the figure agents misquote.

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When is your company's CAC annual return due?

When is a CAC annual return due? Every company must file once a year, but the exact date follows the AGM, not a fixed calendar day.

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How to file CAC annual returns for missed years

How to file CAC annual returns for previous years: one backdated return at a time, filed oldest year first on the portal.

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When does your company's first CAC annual return fall due?

First CAC annual return after incorporation: the incorporation year is exempt, so most companies file their first return the year after.

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Does a dormant company still owe CAC annual returns?

Does a dormant company need to file CAC annual returns? What the register still expects, and what happens to the penalty while you wait.

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The CAC annual return for incorporated trustees

Incorporated trustees annual return: NGOs, churches and associations file between 30 June and 31 December, with audited accounts.

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Filing your CAC annual return online, step by step

How to file a CAC annual return online: log in, complete the return for the right year, then pay and keep your acknowledgement.

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