Knowledge base / Renewals and deadlines

Build a 12-month compliance calendar for your small business

Turn scattered filing, licence and insurance dates into one yearly calendar, with a free template and a calendar file you can import.

What a compliance calendar is

It is one list, by month, of everything the business must file, renew, pay, inspect or review during the year. It replaces the scattered notes, emails and memories that usually hold these dates, and it lets anyone in the team see what is coming.

Step 1: collect every recurring obligation

Go through last year's bank statements, emails and paperwork and list each recurring item: tax and payroll filings, sales tax or VAT/GST returns, annual company returns, licence and permit renewals, insurance renewals, equipment inspections, lease break dates and key software renewals.

Step 2: put each one in its month

Use the free 12-month compliance calendar template. For each obligation, record the due day, the owner and whether it is done. Quarterly items appear four times; monthly items twelve.

Step 3: add lead time

The due date is not when the work starts. Note how much notice each item needs: a tax return may need two weeks of preparation, an inspection may need booking six weeks ahead. Put reminders at those points, not on the deadline.

Step 4: get it into your calendar

Use the free renewal calendar builder to turn the dates into a calendar file with reminders, and import it into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar.

Step 5: review each quarter

Businesses change: new staff, vehicles, premises and suppliers bring new obligations. A short quarterly review keeps the calendar complete.