Every company on the Companies Registry must file an Annual Return within 30 days of the anniversary of incorporation, continuance or amalgamation. The current Registry filing fee is TT$40. Late filing can attract TT$300 for every month or part of a month the return is late.
What the Annual Return is
The Annual Return is a Companies Registry filing containing prescribed current particulars about the company. Registry guidance describes annual returns as including information concerning the company type, registered office, directors, secretaries, shareholders, shares and certain debts.
It is a corporate-record filing. It does not replace a corporation tax return, PAYE filing, VAT return or NIS contribution statement.
The deadline is tied to the incorporation anniversary
The Companies Registry states that the Annual Return must be filed within 30 days of the anniversary of the company's incorporation, continuance or amalgamation.
Example: if a company was incorporated on 10 March, its annual compliance calendar should flag 10 March each year and a filing deadline 30 days afterward. Do not rely on a generic “end of year” reminder.
The current filing fee is TT$40
The Registry's current Annual Return page lists a filing fee of TT$40. That is the Government filing fee. Any professional administrative service used to prepare or manage the filing is separate.
Late filing becomes expensive quickly
The Registry states that the late-filing penalty is TT$300 for every month, or part of a month, that the Annual Return is late, unless an applicable amnesty waives the penalty.
Waiting a few extra days can move a company into another penalty month. Once a filing is overdue, calculate the current position with the Registry rather than relying on an old estimate.
How the filing works in CROS
The Registry's current process requires a CRA, login under the director/secretary role, selection of the Post Incorporation service, completion of the Annual Return and payment of the fee.
After payment, the Registry sends confirmation and the completed return. The published instructions then call for two signed duplicate originals to be delivered to the Companies Counter to be stamped, after which the registered Annual Return is received.
Verify the company record before filing
An Annual Return should reflect the company's actual records. Before filing, compare the registered office, directors, secretary, shareholders/share information and other prescribed particulars with the current company file.
If a director, secretary or registered address changed and the relevant notice was never filed, the Annual Return is not a substitute for the missing change filing. Resolve the underlying company record properly.
See the guide to changing directors, secretary or registered office.
Annual Return and beneficial ownership are separate obligations
Profit and external companies also have beneficial ownership obligations. The beneficial ownership return is a different filing, supported by its own evidence and fee. Maintaining one does not eliminate the other.
Read the separate guide to beneficial ownership returns and updates.
Why banks and third parties care about current filings
A bank, lender, tendering body or commercial counterparty may ask for current company records. First Citizens, for example, lists an Annual Return among the registration documents required for some business digital services.
Leaving the annual return overdue until a transaction arises turns routine compliance into a commercial delay.
Build the deadline into the company calendar
Record the incorporation anniversary, create reminders before the 30-day filing window closes, and assign one person to maintain the company record. For companies with multiple directors, clarify who will gather changes and who will file.
BizReg's current core company service is Limited Company Registration Support. For ongoing compliance assistance outside the published service list, use the BizReg contact page to confirm scope before relying on a service assumption.
Questions people ask
When is a company Annual Return due in Trinidad and Tobago?
Within 30 days of the anniversary of incorporation, continuance or amalgamation, according to the Companies Registry.
What is the current Annual Return filing fee?
The Companies Registry currently lists TT$40.
What is the late penalty?
The Registry states TT$300 for every month or part of a month the return is late, subject to any amnesty in force.
Is the Annual Return the same as a tax return?
No. It is a Companies Registry corporate filing and does not replace tax filings to the Inland Revenue Division.
References
Requirements can change. Check these references for current details.