Section 455 tax comes back once the loan that triggered it is gone, which is what makes it a deposit rather than a cost. The reclaim is not automatic, the timing is unhelpful, and companies routinely leave the money with HMRC for years because nobody made the claim. This page covers when the right to reclaim arises, how long you have to wait, and where the claim is actually made.
What gives rise to the reclaim
Permanent repayment of the loan, release of the debt, or writing it off. A partial repayment gives a proportionate reclaim. What does not count is a repayment matched by a fresh loan under the thirty-day or the arrangements rules, because for tax purposes the original loan has not gone anywhere. The reclaim is of the tax only; interest charged on the late payment of the s455 charge is not recoverable.
The waiting period, which is the surprising part
The reclaim cannot be made until nine months and one day after the end of the accounting period in which the loan was repaid. A loan repaid in April 2026 by a company with a March year end therefore supports a claim from 1 January 2028. That is not a processing delay, it is the statutory date, and it means a company should treat the charge as cash locked up for up to two years rather than as something recoverable on request.
Where the claim is made
Ordinarily on form CT600A within the company tax return for the period in which the repayment happened, which is the tidy route and the one that needs no correspondence. Where the return for that period has already been filed, or the reclaim date falls outside the amendment window, the claim is made in writing to HMRC using form L2P, quoting the company's UTR, the accounting period in which the loan was made, the amount repaid and the date. Keep the evidence of repayment: the claim is straightforward and it is checked.
Questions people ask about s455 reclaim
How do I reclaim s455 tax?
Through form CT600A on the company tax return for the period in which the loan was repaid, or by writing to HMRC on form L2P where that return has already been filed.
How long does an s455 reclaim take?
The right to claim arises nine months and one day after the end of the accounting period in which the loan was repaid, so the wait is driven by the statutory date rather than by processing time, and can approach two years.
Can I reclaim the interest as well?
No. Interest charged because the s455 tax was paid late is not recoverable, which is the reason the charge is worth clearing on time even though the tax itself comes back.