When Do I Need to Register for PAYE as a UK Limited Company?
You should register for PAYE at least two weeks before your first payday, ideally earlier, so everything’s in place before you run payroll. Here’s what actually triggers PAYE registration, how to get it set up, and the mistake many new directors make early on: paying yourself before you have registered. We’ve helped a lot of new founders set this up over the years, and the same issue comes up again and again.
What is PAYE registration and why do I need it?
PAYE (Pay As You Earn) is the system HMRC uses to collect Income Tax and National Insurance from employees, including directors who pay themselves a salary.
In practice, this usually comes up when you start paying yourself a small monthly salary. Once it goes over £125 a week (or £541 a month), PAYE kicks in. You are legally required to register with HMRC as an employer, run payroll on or before each payday, and submit a Full Payment Submission (FPS) report on the same day you pay. PAYE sits separately from Corporation Tax and your personal Self-Assessment. You’ll deal with each one on its own.
What is the PAYE registration deadline?
You’ll need to register with HMRC as an employer at least two weeks before your first payday (this is one that catches a lot of people out early on).
It’s a tight window, which can feel restrictive if you’re setting up payroll at the same time as everything else. HMRC needs time to set up your PAYE scheme and send you your employer reference codes before your first payroll run, but they also do not want companies registering ahead of trading. Two weeks is the minimum, but in practice giving yourself four to six weeks tends to make things much smoother. If your first payday is Friday 30 May, register by Friday 16 May at the latest.
Does paying myself a director’s salary count?
Yes, paying yourself a salary as a director counts here too (a lot of people assume it doesn’t at first).
This is a mistake that comes up a lot, especially with first-time directors running their own payroll. A lot of first-time directors assume PAYE only applies once they hire staff, not when they start paying themselves. Both of those assumptions tend to lead people in the wrong direction. What often happens is a director sets up a small monthly salary for tax efficiency. Once that crosses the Lower Earnings Limit, PAYE applies, and by that point, you should already be registered. If you are taking dividends instead of a salary, PAYE does not apply, but most directors take a small salary and dividends together for tax efficiency.
How do I register for PAYE?
You register online through your business tax account. Most people do this themselves the first time, although it can feel a bit fiddly if you’re new to HMRC’s system. You need your company’s UTR and authentication code.
The form itself is fairly quick, around 15–20 minutes, but only if you’ve got everything to hand: your UTR, company details, first payday, and expected number of employees. After you register, HMRC will post both your PAYE and Accounts Office reference out, so there’s a bit of waiting involved, which is why leaving it until the last minute can cause problems. You can’t run payroll without those two references (and this is usually the point where people realise they’ve left it a bit late). If you have not yet sorted out the wider HMRC side of things, Do I Need to Tell HMRC I Have Set Up a Limited Company UK? covers Corporation Tax registration and the other steps.
What happens if I miss the PAYE registration deadline?
If you miss the deadline, it’s not the end of the world, but it does make things more awkward; you may have to run a late submission and HMRC will issue a late-filing penalty if your first FPS is more than three days after payday.
For small payrolls, penalties usually start at £100 a month and increase depending on how late things are and how many people you’re paying. Interest accrues on any unpaid Income Tax and National Insurance from the original payday. If you’ve already paid yourself before registering (which happens more often than you’d think), register straight away and submit the FPS for that pay date with the explanation “first FPS for new scheme”. HMRC will accept the late filing but the penalty clock has already started.
Where does PAYE fit in the wider checklist?
PAYE registration is one of several key deadlines you’ll deal with in your first year, alongside the confirmation statement, annual accounts, and Corporation Tax payment. We have laid out the full deadline-ordered list in What to Do After Registering a Company in the UK: A Deadline-Ordered Checklist so you can see exactly when each one is due across your first year.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need PAYE if I am the only director and only take dividends?
No, dividends are paid out of post-tax profits and do not go through PAYE, so you only need to register if you also pay yourself any salary above the Lower Earnings Limit.
How long does PAYE registration take?
The online form takes around 20 minutes, and HMRC posts your employer PAYE and Accounts Office references within five working days, so allow at least two weeks before your first payday.
Can I register for PAYE the same day as forming my limited company?
You can, but HMRC will not accept registrations more than two months before your first payday, so most directors register four to six weeks before they need it.
What is the difference between PAYE and Corporation Tax registration?
PAYE registers you as an employer running payroll, while Corporation Tax registration tells HMRC your company is trading and liable for Corporation Tax on its profits.
Do I have to use HMRC’s payroll software or can I use something else?
You can use any HMRC-recognised payroll software, tools like BrightPay, Xero or QuickBooks are common choices if you’re running payroll yourself, and HMRC also offer a free Basic PAYE Tools download for very small employers.
