Small Business Compliance Renewal Checklist UK
Most small businesses in the UK have a handful of renewals they cannot afford to miss: employers' liability insurance if they employ staff, the data protection fee if they handle personal information, vehicle MOT and tax, and a fire risk assessment that is kept up to date. This checklist lists each one, who it comes from, what to watch for and what can go wrong if it lapses, so you can put every date in one place. It is general guidance for businesses in Great Britain, not legal advice, and the official pages linked in each row are the final word.
What renewals does a UK small business need to track?
Think of the list in three groups: things the law requires, things your contracts or customers require, and things that simply cost you money if you forget them. The table below covers the first group for a typical small employer, plus vehicles. Your own business may need more or fewer rows.
| Item | How often | Who it comes from | If it lapses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employers' liability insurance | Check your policy date. Cover must be in place as soon as you employ staff. | An authorised insurer | You can be fined, and you may be unprotected if an employee is hurt |
| Data protection fee | Check your renewal date with the ICO | Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) | You may not be meeting the fee requirement under the Data Protection (Charges and Information) Regulations 2018 |
| Fire risk assessment | Review it regularly, and after any change to the premises | You, as the responsible person, or a competent assessor | Breaking fire safety rules can lead to a fine or prison |
| Vehicle MOT | Every year after the first test | An MOT test centre | Fine of up to £1,000 for driving without a valid MOT |
| Vehicle tax | Check the DVLA reminder | DVLA | Vehicle must be taxed, or declared off the road (SORN) |
| Business and vehicle insurance | Your policy renewal date | Your insurer or broker | Cover ends, and you may be driving uninsured |
| Software, domain and SSL renewals | Check each supplier's date | Your suppliers | Websites and tools stop working |
Do I need employers' liability insurance?
If you employ anyone, almost certainly yes. GOV.UK says you must have employers' liability insurance as soon as you become an employer, from an authorised insurer, with cover of at least £5 million. You must also display the certificate where employees can read it, for example in the workplace or on an intranet.
You do not need it if you only employ close family members, or people who are based outside England, Scotland and Wales. GOV.UK states that being uninsured can mean a fine of £2,500 for every day you are not properly covered. Put the policy end date in your tracker with an alert at least 30 days ahead, so there is time to compare quotes before it renews.
Do I have to pay the data protection fee?
Organisations that use personal information, including sole traders, generally need to pay a data protection fee to the ICO, unless they are exempt. Check the ICO's current guidance for whether you are exempt and what you owe, rather than relying on an old invoice. Log your renewal date once you have it, and keep the ICO's reminder emails going to an address that more than one person sees.
How often should I review my fire risk assessment?
GOV.UK says the responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly. There is no single date to copy from a calendar, so set your own review reminder, for example once a year, and add an extra one whenever you change the layout, the number of people in the building or what you store. The responsible person is whoever has control of the premises, which might be you, a landlord or a building manager.
What about MOT and vehicle tax?
A new vehicle needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration. After that, you can test up to a month, less a day, before the expiry date and keep the same renewal date. For example, if the MOT runs out on 15 May, the earliest you can test and keep that date is 16 April. GOV.UK says you can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.
Vehicle tax is separate. Even exempt vehicles must still be taxed, and a vehicle that is off the road should be declared with a SORN. Track MOT, tax and insurance as three separate entries for each vehicle, because they rarely fall on the same day.
What else should go on the list?
Add anything that stops work if it lapses, even if no law is involved: professional or public liability insurance if your customers ask for it, equipment servicing, trade body memberships, domain names, SSL certificates and software subscriptions. For software and subscriptions, our software licence renewal checklist goes into more detail. If you work in a specific sector, see the checklists for landlords, construction trades and hospitality and food businesses.
How do I keep track of all these dates?
Write down each item with its expiry date, its supplier, how much notice you need and where the document is stored. A spreadsheet works for a few items, but it will not warn you when a date is near. MyRenewals holds each renewal with its date, supplier, value and notice period, and sends email alerts before the date arrives. The Free plan covers up to 10 renewals, Starter is £9 a month for up to 100, and Professional is £19 a month for up to 1,000. You can also start with our free contract renewal tracker template, and read how to track contract renewals for the method behind it.
Track these renewals free in MyRenewals
Frequently asked questions
Is employers' liability insurance a legal requirement?
Yes, for most businesses that employ staff. GOV.UK says you need cover of at least £5 million from an authorised insurer, with a few exceptions such as employing only close family.
How far ahead should I set renewal reminders?
Set the first alert at least 30 days before the date for insurance and fees, so you can compare quotes. For certificates that take time to arrange, such as inspections, allow longer.
Can I do my MOT early without losing my renewal date?
Yes. You can test up to a month, less a day, before the current MOT expires and keep the same renewal date. Testing earlier than that moves the date.
Is a fire risk assessment a one-off job?
No. GOV.UK says you must review it regularly, so treat it as a recurring entry in your tracker, not a one-off task.