Every Gibraltar company has three core annual obligations: an annual return to Companies House Gibraltar, a set of accounts to Companies House, and a corporate tax return to the Income Tax Office. Each runs on its own clock. On top of that, the company must keep its entry on the UBO Register accurate. This guide sets out the deadlines, fees and audit rules as of October 2026.
At a glance
| Obligation | Deadline | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | Within 30 days of the incorporation anniversary | Companies House Gibraltar |
| Accounts | 12 months after year end (private); 10 months (public) | Companies House Gibraltar |
| Corporate tax return | 9 months after the end of the month the period ends | Income Tax Office |
| Payments on account | 28 February and 30 September | Income Tax Office |
| Audit for tax | Required if assessable income exceeds £1.75m | Filed with tax return |
| UBO Register | Within 30 days of incorporation or of any change | UBO Register (eGov portal) |
What is the annual return and when is it due?
The annual return is a snapshot of the company on its return date, which is normally the anniversary of incorporation. It records the registered office, directors and secretary, share capital, members and principal activity code. It must be filed within 30 days of the return date.
The fee table in force since 1 August 2025 lists £103 for a return filed on time, a 3% rise on the £100 set in March 2024; 2026 formation guides quote the same figure. Late returns attract supplementary fees that rise each year:
| Lateness | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 year late | £257.50 |
| 2nd year | £309.00 |
| 3rd year | £360.50 |
| More than 3 years | £412.00 |
If no annual return has been filed for three calendar years, the Registrar can strike a private company off the register. Restoring it then costs between £200 and £1,000 in Registrar’s fees, depending on how long it has been struck off.
When must accounts be filed with Companies House?
A private company must deliver its accounts within 12 months of the end of its financial year; a public company within 10 months. Accounts can be prepared under international accounting standards or the Companies Act 2014 framework, and filed in sterling, Gibraltar pounds, US dollars, euros, yen or Swiss francs.
What you file depends on company size
A company’s size is set by meeting two of three limits, in both the current and the previous year:
| Size | Turnover | Balance sheet | Employees | What to file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro | ≤ £632,000 | ≤ £316,000 | ≤ 10 | Abridged balance sheet |
| Small | ≤ £10.2m | ≤ £5.1m | ≤ 50 | Abridged balance sheet |
| Medium | ≤ £36m | ≤ £18m | ≤ 250 | Full accounts, abridged profit and loss allowed |
| Large | Above medium | Above medium | Above medium | Full accounts, directors’ report, auditor’s report |
A public company is always treated as large. The filing fee is £26 on time, rising to £206.50 in total if filed 13 to 24 months after the period end, and £335 if later still.
Does a Gibraltar company need an audit?
There are two separate tests, and you need to pass both to avoid an audit.
The tax test: £1.75 million
For accounting periods ending on or after 1 July 2024, a company whose assessable income exceeds £1.75 million must send audited accounts with its tax return. Below that, unaudited accounts accompanied by an Independent Accountant’s Report are normally accepted. The threshold was £1.5 million before; the government consulted on raising it in 2024.
The Companies Act test
All limited companies must appoint auditors unless they qualify for an exemption. Companies House guidance links the main exemption to being a small company, and sets out a separate exemption for subsidiaries of EEA parents that guarantee the company’s liabilities. Law firm ISOLAS’s 2026 summary describes a small company as one meeting two of three tests in the year and the year before: turnover up to £10.2 million, a balance sheet total up to £5.1 million and no more than 50 employees, with further conditions in the Act. The Companies Act exemption and the £1.75 million tax test are separate, so a company can be exempt from a statutory audit and still need audited accounts for its tax return.
When an audit is needed regardless of size
- GFSC-regulated firms
- public companies
- companies whose members require an audit
- companies within groups whose parent requires one
Because of the Independent Accountant’s Report requirement, even small companies should budget for an external accountant each year.
When is the corporate tax return due?
The corporate tax return (Form CT1) is due nine months after the end of the month in which the accounting period ends. For a 31 December year end, that is 30 September. Any balance of tax is payable when you file. A company must file a full return even if it has no assessable income and even if the Income Tax Office has not sent it a form.
Tax is charged at 15% on Gibraltar-source profits as of October 2026. Our guide to Gibraltar corporate tax explains what counts as taxable income.
Payments on account
After the first year, companies make two payments on account, each 50% of the previous period’s tax, on 28 February and 30 September. You can apply to reduce them (Form CT4), but surcharges can apply if the final bill turns out higher.
Dividend return
A Gibraltar company that declares a dividend must also file a dividend return (Form CT2) within nine months of the end of the accounting period in which it was declared.
What are the penalties for late tax filing?
For returns originally due on or after 1 January 2025, late-filing penalties depend on company size:
| Size | Day after due date | After 3 months | After 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / small | £100 | £450 | £750 |
| Medium | £750 | £1,250 | £2,000 |
| Large | £1,500 | £3,500 | £5,000 |
Late payment adds a 10% surcharge the day after the due date and a further 20% if the tax is still unpaid after 90 days. Incorrect returns made fraudulently, recklessly or negligently can attract a penalty of up to 150% of the tax understated.
What are the beneficial ownership filing rules?
Gibraltar companies must register their ultimate beneficial owners, and where relevant senior managers, nominators and appointors, on the UBO Register under the Register of Ultimate Beneficial Owners Regulations 2017. New companies must register within 30 days of incorporation, and any change must be filed within 30 days. Filing is online through a corporate eGov account, usually handled by your company manager.
Under the Regulations, the Registrar can impose a civil penalty of up to £10,000 for failing to file or update information, and serious failures are criminal offences carrying up to two years’ imprisonment on indictment. Banks routinely check UBO filings. Neither the Regulations nor the Registrar’s guidance sets a separate annual confirmation; the duty is to report each change within 30 days. Since 2025, trustees of express trusts report trust information to the GFSC rather than to the UBO Register.
Other recurring filings to know about
- Changes of directors or secretary: within 14 days, £26 per form.
- Change of registered office: within 30 days, £26.
- Financial institutions: CRS and FATCA reports by 31 July each year.
- Large multinational groups: country-by-country reporting and Pillar Two notifications.
How do non-residents stay compliant?
Most owners outsource all of this to a licensed company manager, who provides the registered office, keeps the statutory registers and files the annual return, UBO entries and often the tax return. If you live abroad, see owning a Gibraltar company as a non-resident, and for the full set-up sequence see how to set up a company in Gibraltar. The business hub lists every guide in this series.
The 2026 UK–EU treaty does not change company filing deadlines, audit thresholds or corporate tax returns. The 2026 Budget left the corporation tax rate at 15%, and the most recent Companies House fee increase took effect on 1 August 2025.