If you run a limited company, you may be wondering if you need to file a tax return for company directors this year, and what has changed.
For the 2025/26 tax year, HMRC has made extra information mandatory on the Self Assessment return for directors of close companies, and in September 2026 it also clarified exactly who has to provide it.
This guide explains who needs to file, what the new boxes ask for, and what to get ready before 2027 deadline.
Do company directors need to file a tax return?
Not automatically, as being a director does not, on its own, mean you must file a Self Assessment tax return. You usually need to if you have income that has not been taxed through PAYE, such as dividends, rental income or self-employment profits, or if HMRC has asked you to complete one. A director who is paid a salary through payroll and has no other untaxed income may not need to file a tax return at all.
The new reporting rules do not change that. They don’t create a new duty to file a return, and only apply if you are already required to complete one. Directors who are outside Self Assessment do not need to register just to report this information.
If you are unsure if you need to file, our Self Assessment tax return service can check your position and handle the filing for you.
What is new on the tax return for company directors in 2025/26?
The employment pages of the Self Assessment return (the SA102) have asked two questions for a long time that, until 2024/25, were optional. For 2025/26 they are mandatory, and directors of close companies must provide more detail.
For each close company you were a director of, you now need to give:
- Box 6 and box 7: whether you were a director, and whether the company was a close company
- Boxes 7.1 to 7.4: the company’s name, its registered number, the dividends you received from it in the year, and your percentage shareholding.
What is a close company?
In short, a close company is a UK company controlled by five or fewer shareholders (known as participators), or by any number of participators who are also directors. Most small, family-run and owner-managed limited companies fall into this category, so if you run your own company, the new boxes almost certainly apply to you.
Who has to complete the close company boxes?
HMRC has now clarified several edge cases, which are the questions directors most often get stuck on:
- Unpaid directors: you must still complete the boxes, even if you received no pay or dividends from the company
- Dormant companies: directors of dormant close companies must complete them too
- Charity and CIC directors: on 8th September 2026, HMRC updated its return notes so that directors of a registered charity or community interest company do not need to complete the boxes if they received no employment income or dividends from that company or any connected company
- Part-year close companies: if the company was close status for any part of the tax year, the boxes must be completed.
Tax return for company directors, including multiple directorships and your shareholding percentage
If you are a director of more than one close company, you complete a separate SA102 for each one. This catches out directors with several small companies, as it means extra pages even where a company paid no dividends or salary.
Where no dividends were received, you still need to complete the relevant box with a zero rather than leave it blank.
For the shareholding, HMRC’s notes say to enter the highest percentage you owned at any point in the tax year, worked out by the nominal value of the shares. So, if your shareholding changed during the year, the figure is the highest it reached, not the figure at 5th April.
Personal tax return vs company tax return
One of the most common searches around this topic is if you can do your own Limited company tax return. It helps to separate the two:
- Your personal Self Assessment return reports your own income, including salary, dividends and the new close company details. This is the return covered in this guide, tax return for company directors.
- The company tax return (CT600) is filed on behalf of the company and covers its profits and corporation tax. It is a separate obligation with its own deadlines. For help with this, visit our business accounts and taxation service.
Filing one does not cover the other. If you are managing both and the new reporting requirements have added to the workload, it is worth getting professional support so nothing is missed.
What to gather before you file a tax return for company director or directors
Being prepared makes the tax return for company directors much quicker to complete. Before you start, collect:
- The full legal name and registered number of each company you were a director of in 2025/26 tax year
- Confirmation of if each company was a close company at any point in the year
- The dividends you received from each company, taken from your dividend vouchers or board minutes (use zero if none)
- Your highest percentage shareholding in each company during the year, with share capital details
- Your usual Self Assessment details, such as other income, expenses and your Unique Taxpayer Reference.
If any of this is missing or unclear, it is better to sort it out early than to rush it in January. Our team can help you prepare and file your Self Assessment return.
Deadlines and penalties for a director’s tax return
For the 2025/26 tax year, the deadlines are:
- 31st October 2026: paper tax returns
- 31st January 2027: online tax returns, and payment of any tax due.
Missing the usual deadlines can trigger the standard late filing and late payment penalties. On top of that, HMRC may charge a separate £60 penalty if you fail to provide the required close company information or give it incorrectly or incompletely. According to ICAEW in September 2026, this is charged once per return, regardless of how many directorships or boxes are affected.
Frequently asked questions about a tax return for company directors
Do I need to complete the close company boxes if I am an unpaid director?
Yes, in most cases. HMRC has confirmed that unpaid directors of close companies must complete them. The exception is directors of registered charities and community interest companies who received no employment or dividend income from the company.
Can I do my own tax return as a company director?
Yes, you can complete your own Self Assessment return if you are comfortable with the process. The new close company boxes add more detail, so many directors prefer to have an accountant check their figures, particularly if they have several directorships or have changed their shareholding.
Do I need to register for Self Assessment just because I am a director?
No. The new reporting requirements only apply to directors who already must file a return. You do not need to register for Self Assessment purely to report close company information.
Need help with your tax return for company directors?
The new reporting rules add more admin to an already busy time of year, especially if you hold more than one directorship. At Tax Driven Accountants, we can prepare and file your return, check the close company details, and make sure it is submitted well before 31st January.
Contact us on 0800 999 1800 or send us an enquiry to get started, and for the latest quick news in the accountancy world, feel free to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
This guide is general information based on HMRC guidance at the time of writing and is not personalised tax advice. Last updated: 4th November 2026.
