Get CIS Registration and Compliance Right from Day One

Registering incorrectly, or not at all, costs subcontractors an unnecessary 10 percentage points on every invoice, since unregistered subcontractors are deducted 30% instead of the standard 20% rate. Our construction accountants handle your CIS registration, contractor verification, and ongoing compliance so deductions are correct from your very first payment.

  • Verification & Compliance Experts
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  • CIS Refund Specialists
cis registration and compliance

£3.1m+

CIS Recovered

100 %

HMRC & MTD Ready

50+

Five-Star Reviews

Construction

Tax EXPERTS

Fixed Fee

No hidden charges

accountants for construction business

HMRC Compliance

Who We Are

Accountants who keep your CIS position clean, always

Whether you are registering as a subcontractor, a contractor, or both, CIS compliance is not a one-off task, it is a rolling obligation covering monthly returns, verification checks, and deduction statement accuracy. We register you correctly, verify every contractor or subcontractor relationship, and keep your filing history spotless so nothing jeopardises your standing with HMRC.

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CIS registration for subcontractors, contractors, and dual-role businesses

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Monthly contractor returns and subcontractor verification checks

Contractor Verification & Monthly Returns

 Verify every subcontractor, file every return, on time

Contractors must verify each subcontractor with HMRC before the first payment to confirm the correct deduction rate — 0%, 20%, or 30% — and must submit monthly CIS returns covering every payment made. Missed verifications or late returns are one of the most common triggers for HMRC penalties and can also disqualify a subcontractor from gross payment status at their next annual review.

We run verification checks before work starts, file monthly returns ahead of deadline, and reconcile deduction statements against actual payments so your records match HMRC’s at all times.

construction tax accounting
construction accountants uk

100%

CIS Compliance Rate

Getting the Rate Right

 0%, 20%, or 30% — never the wrong deduction

Every CIS payment falls into one of three categories: gross payment status at 0%, standard registered status at 20%, or unregistered/unverified status at 30%. Materials and VAT are always excluded from the deduction calculation, but getting this split wrong on even a single invoice creates a reconciliation headache at year end.

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Correct classification of labour versus materials on every invoice

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Verification records kept for HMRC inspection, contractor by contractor

Common Pain Points

Compliance Traps That Catch Construction Businesses Out

CIS compliance looks simple on paper but the detail is where businesses lose money or fall foul of HMRC.

Unverified Subcontractors Deducted at 30%

A single missed verification check before the first payment forces the higher rate, and correcting it retrospectively is far harder than doing it right the first time.

Late or Missing Monthly Returns

Even one late CIS return can jeopardise a subcontractor’s gross payment status at their next annual review, alongside triggering automatic HMRC penalties.

Materials Wrongly Included in Deductions

CIS deductions apply to labour only; materials costs must be stripped out of every invoice before the rate is applied, and errors here distort both parties’ tax positions.

Dual Contractor/Subcontractor Confusion

Businesses acting as both a contractor and a subcontractor often mix up their obligations on each side, missing verification duties on one and deduction reconciliation on the other.

Poor Record-Keeping for HMRC Reviews

Verification numbers, deduction statements, and payment records must be retrievable on demand, and gaps here routinely surface during compliance checks.

Free Consultation

Let’s talk about your construction accounting challenges

Book a 30-minute call with our specialist accountant for construction business. We’ll look at how your business is set up and flag quick wins you can act on straight away.

  • CIS and VAT reverse charge handled correctly
  • Deep expertise in contractor, subcontractor tax rules
  • Forward-looking advice, not just year-end filing
  • Transparent fixed fees, no surprises
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Our Services

Complete CIS Registration and Compliance Support

From your first registration to ongoing monthly filing, we manage every part of your CIS obligations.

CIS Registration

We register subcontractors, contractors, and dual-role businesses correctly with HMRC from the outset, avoiding the 30% unregistered rate entirely.

 

Contractor Verification Checks

We verify every subcontractor before the first payment and keep verification records audit-ready.

Monthly CIS Returns

We prepare and file contractor returns on time, every month, avoiding late-filing penalties and gross status risk.

Deduction Statement Reconciliation

We match every deduction statement issued or received against your accounting records so nothing is missed at year end.

Compliance Health Checks

We review your existing CIS setup for errors, gaps, or misclassifications before they become HMRC problems.

 

HMRC Correspondence Handling

We manage registration queries, verification disputes, and compliance reviews directly with HMRC on your behalf.

A Simple, Fast Onboarding Process

Four stages from enquiry to full onboarding

Moving to a new accountant mid-contract feels risky, so we have built a process designed to protect your CIS records, VAT position and ongoing site work throughout.

Initial Consultation

A free 30-minute call to walk through your current contracts, subcontractor arrangements and any outstanding CIS or VAT issues.

Custom Fee Proposal

Within 48 hours, you receive a fixed-fee proposal built around your actual contract volume and subcontractor headcount, not a generic package.

Coordinated Transition

We contact your current accountant directly to transfer CIS records, VAT history and working papers without any gaps in compliance.

Continued Support

Once onboarded, our accountant remains your single point of contact for every contract, HMRC query and financial decision going forward.

Client Stories

Real feedback from real construction businesses

Over 60 verified five-star reviews from subcontractors, contractors and developers across the UK.

★★★★★

“I’d been under-claiming CIS repayments for two years without realising it. They found and recovered £14,000 within weeks of taking us on. Nobody had ever explained the scheme to me this clearly before.”

Gary Mitchell

Subcontractor · Leeds

★★★★★

“We had no real idea which contracts were making money until they built us a proper job-costing system. Now we price the next tender based on actual data, not guesswork.”

Karen & Tom Whitfield

Groundworks Contractors · Bristol

★★★★★

“Every site brings its own VAT and SDLT questions, and they have never once been slow to answer. Switching from our old firm was the easiest financial decision we have made in years.”

Daniel Osei

Construction Developer · Manchester

Why Choose US

Why choose Construction Tax Accountants

Dedicated Accountant

Your dedicated accountant already knows your subcontractor list, your live contracts and your VAT position, so every call picks up exactly where the last one left off.

ACCA Qualified Team

Registered as Chartered Certified Accountants, providing you with expert advice you can rely on and trust completely.

Transparent Fixed Fees

You will never receive an unexpected invoice. All fees are fixed, all-inclusive and agreed upfront, with no hourly rates and no extra charges for additional advice or HMRC queries.

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Repayments Chased, Not Just Filed

We do not wait for HMRC to process your CIS repayment in its own time. We track every claim and follow up until it is paid.

Cloud Systems Built for Site-Based Businesses

We work across Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent, integrated with CIS and job-costing tools so your figures are accurate whether you are in the office or on site.

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Beyond the Numbers

We connect clients with invoice-finance providers, contractor-insurance brokers and CITB levy specialists as part of the relationship, not as an upsell.

FAQS

Commonly Asked Accounting Questions about CIS Registration & Compliance

Do I need to register for CIS if I only do occasional subcontract work?
Yes. Anyone providing labour or construction services to a contractor must register for CIS, regardless of how often they work.
What happens if a subcontractor isn't verified before I pay them?
You must deduct the higher 30% rate until verification is completed, so verify before the first payment to avoid overdeducting.
How often do I need to file CIS returns as a contractor?
Monthly, covering every payment made to subcontractors in that tax month, with penalties applying automatically for late submission.
Are materials included in the CIS deduction calculation?
No. Deductions apply only to the labour element of an invoice; materials costs are excluded before the rate is applied.
Can I be both a contractor and a subcontractor under CIS?
Yes, and this is common in construction. You’ll have verification and return obligations as a contractor, and deduction reconciliation as a subcontractor, which we manage together.
What records do I need to keep for CIS compliance?
Verification numbers, deduction statements, and payment records for both directions of any CIS relationship, retrievable for HMRC review at any time.
Why choose Construction Tax Accountants for CIS compliance?
We manage CIS registration and returns daily across the sector, so verification, filing, and reconciliation errors that trip up generalist accountants rarely happen on our watch.

Still have questions?

Our construction accountants are ready to answer any questions about your specific tax situation  with no obligation for an initial conversation.

  • Mon–Fri, 9am–5:30pm

 

Book Free Consultation