There are a number of dates, codes and numbers that you need to be aware of after setting up your limited company. So many, that it’s easy to get in a muddle about what they are and where to find them. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at the accounting reference date, also known as the ARD.
Where to find the ARD
If you completed your company formation with 1st Formations:
- Log in to your company dashboard
- Select ‘My Companies’
- Click on the company ID, name or ‘View’ icon
- The ARD can be found in the ‘Company Accounts’ section
If you formed your company with Companies House:
- Access the Companies House search tool
- Enter the company name or number
- Click on the correct company name
- The ARD can be found in the ‘Accounts’ section and will appear next to ‘First accounts made up to‘ or ‘Next accounts made up to’
What is the accounting reference date?
It’s the date that signposts the end of a company’s financial year. This, in turn, means that it’s the date that a company’s annual accounts must be made up to. This is not the same as the annual accounts due date which falls 21 months after the company is formed, and then every 12 months.
The accounting reference date is assigned as soon as a company has been incorporated and is automatically set as the last day of the month in which the company was formed.
Example of an accounting reference date
If you registered your company on 07/03/2022, the ARD would be 31/03, with the first ARD being set as 31/03/2023. The following ARD would be 31/03/24 and so on. This will not change unless it’s updated by the company directors.
There you have it, how to find your company’s accounting reference date. Please leave a comment if you have any questions.
