How to Register a Company in the UK | EntityFlo

How to Register a Company in the UK | EntityFlo

Registering a company in the UK costs £50 online and takes 24 hours. There's no residency requirement for directors — anyone can incorporate a UK company from anywhere in the world. Companies House is the registrar. Here's how it works.

Companies House is the UK's executive agency responsible for company registration and the public register of companies. All UK companies are registered under the Companies Act 2006 .

Companies House operates a publicly accessible register — find and update.company information.service.gov.uk — where anyone can search company details, filing history, and director information.

Type Description Best For Private Company Limited by Shares (Ltd) Standard private limited company Most businesses, startups, SMEs Public Limited Company (PLC) Can offer shares to the public Listed companies, large capital raises Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Hybrid of company and partnership Professional services (law, accountancy) Company Limited by Guarantee No share capital Charities, NFPs, clubs Community Interest Company (CIC) Social enterprise structure Social businesses

For most businesses, Private Limited by Shares (Ltd) is the right choice. This guide focuses on that structure.

1. Company Name Check availability on the Companies House name availability checker Must end in "Limited" or "Ltd" (Welsh equivalents accepted for Welsh registered companies) Cannot be the same as or too similar to an existing registered name Certain sensitive words require prior approval (e.g., "Royal," "National," "Bank," "Trust") Cannot be offensive

2. Registered Office Address Must be a physical address in the same UK nation as registration (England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland) Not a PO box This is where statutory mail is sent — HMRC notices, Companies House correspondence, legal documents Can be your accountant's, solicitor's, or a registered office service provider's address

3. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code The UK requires you to classify your company's primary activity using a SIC code. Choose the code that best describes what your company does. You can find SIC codes on the Companies House website.

4. Director Details At least one director is required. Unlike Australia and New Zealand, the UK has no residency requirement for directors. A director can be based anywhere in the world.

Directors must: Be aged 16 or over Not be an undischarged bankrupt Not be disqualified from acting as a company director

For each director, you'll need: Full name Date of birth (month and year only on the public register — full date kept private) Nationality Country of residence Occupation Service address (shown publicly) and residential address (kept private by Companies House)

5. Shareholder (Member) Details Full name and address of each shareholder Number and class of shares Statement of capital: total shares issued, aggregate nominal value, amounts paid/unpaid

6. Share Structure and Nominal Value UK shares have a nominal value (also called par value) — a minimum legal value per share. The most common is £0.01 or £1 per share. The actual price at which shares are issued (the issue price) can be higher, with the excess going to a share premium account.

7. Articles of Association The UK uses Model Articles as a default — a standard set of rules that govern how the company operates internally. You can adopt Model Articles unchanged (the simplest option) or adopt custom articles that modify or replace them.

For most small companies: adopt the Model Articles as is.

8. Memorandum of Association A simple document confirming that the founding subscribers (shareholders) agree to form a company. Companies House generates this automatically during online registration — you don't need to draft it separately.

9. PSC Information The UK requires all companies to maintain a Register of Persons with Significant Control (PSC) . A PSC is anyone who: Owns more than 25% of shares or voting rights Can appoint or remove a majority of directors Has significant influence or control over the company

You'll need to identify and submit PSC details at registration.

Step 1: Create a Companies House Account Go to find and update.company information.service.gov.uk and create an account.

Step 2: Use WebFiling or GOV.UK Formation You can register via: Companies House WebFiling — the direct Companies House portal GOV.UK's "Register a Company" service — a simplified interface Authorised formation agents — third party services (some offer same day processing for an additional fee)

Step 3: Complete the IN01 Application This is the incorporation application form. You'll enter: Company name and registered office Director details Shareholder details and statement of capital Articles of Association choice (Model Articles or custom) PSC information SIC code

Step 4: Pay the Fee £50 for online registration. Paper applications cost more and take longer.

Step 5: Receive Your Certificate of Incorporation Companies House typically processes online applications within 24 hours (often faster). You'll receive: A Certificate of Incorporation with your Company Registration Number (CRN) Your company is now legally incorporated

Confirmation Statement (Annual) Every year, you must file a Confirmation Statement with Companies House. This confirms your company's registered details are correct — directors, shareholders, registered office, SIC code, PSC register.

Cost: £34 (online) per year Deadline: Within 14 days of each anniversary of incorporation (or each anniversary of your last confirmation statement)

This replaced the old "Annual Return" in 2016.

Annual Accounts Every year, your company must file annual accounts (financial statements) with Companies House. Small companies can file simplified accounts. Micro entities have even lighter requirements.

Deadline: Within 9 months of your company's financial year end (for private companies)

PSC Register Maintain your Register of Persons with Significant Control and keep it up to date. Any changes must be notified to Companies House within 14 days.

Director and Shareholder Changes Adding or removing a director: notify Companies House within 14 days using the relevant form Share transfers: update the register of members; if it changes PSC status, notify Companies House

HMRC Tax Registration Separate from Companies House registration: Register for Corporation Tax within 3 months of starting to trade Register for VAT if turnover will exceed £90,000 (2024 threshold) Register for PAYE if employing people

Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 The UK has recently strengthened requirements around identity verification for directors and PSCs. Companies House is implementing mandatory identity verification — check current requirements as these are rolling out progressively.

Private Limited Company (Ltd): Owned by shareholders, managed by directors (who can be the same people) Corporation Tax on profits Annual accounts and confirmation statement required More familiar structure — preferred by investors and banks

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP): Owned and managed by members (partners) Profits taxed at member level (pass through taxation), not entity level Less administrative overhead in some respects Preferred by professional services firms (law, accountancy, consulting)

For most businesses, Ltd is the right choice. For professional partnerships, LLP deserves consideration — get advice from a UK accountant or solicitor.

EntityFlo integrates directly with Companies House, giving you:

Live Data Sync Your UK entity details in EntityFlo reflect what's on the Companies House register — directors, shareholders, filed accounts, confirmation statement status.

Automated Deadlines Confirmation statement due dates, accounts filing deadlines, PSC update obligations — all flagged automatically in EntityFlo's compliance calendar.

Cross Jurisdiction Management If you manage UK entities alongside AU, NZ, or other jurisdictions, EntityFlo shows everything in one view. One compliance calendar. One document repository. No jurisdiction left unmonitored.

See how Entity 360 works for multi jurisdiction portfolios