QuickBooks CT600 Filing: Can You File Corporation Tax Through QuickBooks?
Short answer: No. QuickBooks (including QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed) does not file CT600 Corporation Tax returns to HMRC. Here's what you need to know.
What QuickBooks Does for Corporation Tax
QuickBooks is popular accounting software used by millions of small businesses. For UK limited companies, it provides:
- ✅ Income and expense tracking — categorise all your transactions
- ✅ Profit & loss reports — see your company's financial performance
- ✅ Balance sheet — assets, liabilities, and equity
- ✅ VAT returns — MTD-compliant VAT filing to HMRC
- ✅ Bank reconciliation — automatic bank feeds and matching
- ✅ Receipt capture — snap photos of receipts
What QuickBooks Does NOT Do
- ❌ File CT600 returns — no HMRC corporation tax submission
- ❌ Generate iXBRL accounts — required for Companies House and HMRC
- ❌ Calculate corporation tax — no CT600 tax computation
- ❌ Handle marginal relief — the complex calculation for profits between £50K-£250K
- ❌ Generate CT600 supplementary pages — CT600A, CT600C, etc.
Why Can't QuickBooks File CT600s?
Like most accounting software, QuickBooks focuses on bookkeeping and reporting. Filing a CT600 requires:
- HMRC vendor registration — Intuit (QuickBooks' parent) hasn't registered for CT600 filing
- CT600 XML schema — HMRC's specific data format for corporation tax returns
- iXBRL generation — inline XBRL financial statements
- Tax computation engine — calculating corporation tax with marginal relief, financial year splits, and associated company rules
These are specialised requirements that go beyond general accounting software.
How to File Your CT600 If You Use QuickBooks
Option 1: Taxpipe (£59 per filing) — Recommended
Taxpipe is designed specifically for CT600 filing:
- Get your numbers from QuickBooks — run your P&L and balance sheet for the accounting period
- Enter them into Taxpipe — the guided wizard walks you through each CT600 box
- Taxpipe calculates your tax — including marginal relief if applicable
- Submit to HMRC — direct electronic filing with confirmation
Total cost: QuickBooks Simple Start (£12/month) + Taxpipe (£59/year) = £203/year for complete accounting and tax filing. Compare that to £500+ for an accountant.
Option 2: Accountant (£300-£800+)
An accountant will take your QuickBooks data and prepare the CT600. Good for complex situations, but expensive for straightforward companies.
Option 3: HMRC Free Service (ending 31 March 2026)
HMRC's own filing tool is free but basic. It closes permanently on 31 March 2026, so this is not a long-term option.
QuickBooks vs Taxpipe: Side by Side
| Feature | QuickBooks | Taxpipe |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Bookkeeping & accounting | CT600 tax filing |
| Bank feeds | ✅ | ❌ |
| Invoicing | ✅ | ❌ |
| Expense tracking | ✅ | ❌ |
| VAT returns | ✅ (MTD) | ❌ |
| Payroll | ✅ (add-on) | ❌ |
| CT600 filing | ❌ | ✅ |
| iXBRL accounts | ❌ | ✅ |
| Tax computation | ❌ | ✅ |
| HMRC submission | ❌ (CT600) | ✅ |
| Starting price | £12/month | £59/filing |
Use both: QuickBooks handles your accounting year-round. Taxpipe handles the annual CT600 filing.
Step-by-Step: QuickBooks to Taxpipe
1. Finalise Your Year-End in QuickBooks
- Reconcile all bank accounts
- Review uncategorised transactions
- Adjust any accruals or prepayments
- Run the profit & loss report for your accounting period
2. Note the Key Figures
From your QuickBooks reports, you'll need:
- Total income/turnover → CT600 Box 145
- Cost of sales → used to calculate Box 155
- Trading profit or loss → CT600 Box 155/235
- Bank interest received → CT600 Box 160
- Rental income (if any) → CT600 Box 205
- Capital allowances (if claiming) → CT600 Box 240
3. Create Your Return in Taxpipe
- Sign up at taxpipe.co.uk
- Add your company details (CRN and UTR)
- Select the accounting period that matches your QuickBooks year-end
4. Enter Data in the Wizard
Taxpipe's wizard guides you through each section:
- Company details
- Accounting period
- Income and expenses
- Capital allowances
- Tax computation (auto-calculated)
5. Review, Pay, and Submit
- Check the tax computation summary
- Pay £59
- Taxpipe submits directly to HMRC
- Download your confirmation for your records
QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop
Both versions of QuickBooks lack CT600 filing. If you're using the older QuickBooks Desktop (which Intuit is phasing out), the workflow is the same — export your figures and enter them into Taxpipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does QuickBooks have any CT600 integration?
No. QuickBooks UK supports MTD for VAT but has no CT600 functionality. Some third-party apps in the QuickBooks App Store handle CT600, but they're typically more expensive than Taxpipe.
Can I export QuickBooks data to Taxpipe?
Currently you'll need to enter key figures manually (it takes about 15 minutes). The figures you need are all in your standard QuickBooks P&L and balance sheet reports.
I use QuickBooks Self-Employed — do I need CT600?
QuickBooks Self-Employed is for sole traders, not limited companies. Sole traders file self-assessment (SA100), not CT600. If you've incorporated as a limited company, you need QuickBooks Online (not Self-Employed) and CT600 filing.
What about Sage or other accounting software?
The same principle applies — most accounting software (Sage, FreeAgent, Wave, Coconut) handles bookkeeping but not CT600 filing. Taxpipe works alongside any accounting software.
Using QuickBooks? File your CT600 with Taxpipe for £59 — enter your QuickBooks figures, and we handle the rest.