Do I need a Companies House presenter account to file dormant accounts?

If you have recently seen Companies House mention a “presenter account”, you may be wondering whether you need to create yet another account before filing your dormant company accounts.

Good news! If you are using Just Dormant Accounts, you do not need to apply for your own Companies House presenter account first. You only need your company authentication code which you will have already received.

Why is there confusion?

Companies House has been telling companies that, from 1 April 2028, company accounts will need to be filed using commercial software. This applies to dormant companies too. Some Companies House guidance also says that people need to apply for a presenter account to file using software. That wording is technically about the software filing process, but it can sound as though every company director must personally go and create their own presenter account before using software. That is not necessarily so.

What is a presenter account?

A presenter account is used in the background to submit filings to Companies House through software. It gives the filer a presenter ID and presenter authentication code. Think of it as the software filing identity used to send the accounts to Companies House. But that does not necessarily mean every company owner needs their own one.

The key question is: who is presenting the filing?

Some software products ask the user to enter their own presenter ID and presenter authentication code. In those cases, the company owner or accountant may need to apply for a presenter account. But other services, like Just Dormant Accounts, are designed differently. With our online software, you do not need to obtain your own presenter account because the filing is submitted through our own Companies House filing setup. Our online service is built specifically for dormant accounts filings, so the presenter account side of the process is handled by us.

What do I need to file dormant accounts through JDA?

To file dormant company accounts through Just Dormant Accounts, you only need:

1. Your company number or company name.

2. Your company authentication code.

Your company authentication code is the 6-character code issued by Companies House. It is used to authorise online filings for your company, a bit like a digital signature. So while you do not need your own presenter account to use JDA, you do still need the company authentication code.

Presenter account vs company authentication code

These two things are easy to mix up, so here is the simple difference:

1. A presenter account identifies the person or service presenting the filing to Companies House through software.

2. A company authentication code authorises filings for your specific company.

When you use JDA, we handle the presenter account side. You provide the company authentication code so the dormant accounts can be authorised for your company.

What changes from April 2028?

From 1 April 2028, Companies House will require accounts to be filed using commercial software. The current web and paper routes for accounts filing will close. That means dormant companies will also need to use suitable software to file their accounts. JDA is already built for this. We are listed on GOV.UK’s software finder for filing dormant accounts, and our service is designed to keep the process simple for dormant companies.

Read more about this change in our other article: Companies House confirms April 2028 for software-only accounts filing

So, do I need to apply for a presenter account before using JDA?

No. If you are filing dormant accounts through Just Dormant Accounts, you do not need to apply for your own Companies House presenter account. You just need your company authentication code.

In other words: no extra presenter-account faff. Just find your company, review the balance sheet that is auto-generated, enter your company authentication code, and submit. It all takes just a couple of minutes.

Remember, even when using software, the company’s directors remain responsible for making sure the accounts are correct and filed on time.

Our software is designed to make the filing process quick, simple, and presenter-account-free for you. Use Just Dormant Accounts today if you need to file your dormant accounts.