Companies Act 2014 section 874

Special provisions applying where default in delivery of documents to Registrar

Section 874 allows the Registrar to issue an on-the-spot fine notice to a person (or company) that has failed to deliver a required return or document, giving them a chance to remedy the default and pay a prescribed amount within a set period to avoid prosecution.

• The Registrar may issue a formal notice where there are reasonable grounds to believe a person has failed to file a required return or document (being a category 3 or 4 offence)
• The notice gives the recipient at least 21 days to remedy the default and pay a prescribed amount, during which time no prosecution will be brought
• If the default is corrected and payment is made within the notice period, no prosecution will be brought at all — and any payment made is non-refundable
• Where the person in default is a company, the notice may be delivered to an officer of the company, but all obligations and references apply to the company itself