How to register a UK company

To register a UK company you need a permitted name, a jurisdiction, a registered office address, at least one director, at least one shareholder, a statement of capital, your people with significant control, and articles of association. Companies House charges £100 to register digitally.

Before you start

Two decisions are permanent and worth five minutes each: the jurisdiction, which cannot be changed afterwards, and the share structure, which can be changed but rarely cheaply. Everything else — name, address, directors — can be altered later by filing.

Step one: the name

It must use permitted characters, end with a permitted ending, and not reduce to the same string as an existing company under the "same as" rules. Sensitive words need written non-objection from a named body. None of this gives you trade mark rights, which is a separate search.

Step two: the jurisdiction

England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. It fixes the number prefix, the registry holding your file, and where the registered office must be. Pick where the company will actually be administered.

Step three: the addresses

A registered office, published, in the jurisdiction of registration. A service address for each director, also published. Use your home for either and it stays in the historic record permanently, even after you change it.

Step four: the people

At least one director who is a natural person aged 16 or over. At least one shareholder. Anyone with more than 25% of shares or votes is a person with significant control and goes on a public register.

Step five: the shares

How many, of what class, at what nominal value. One £1 share is legal and awkward; a hundred penny shares costs the same and divides cleanly when a second shareholder arrives.

Step six: submit and verify

Directors and PSCs must have a verified identity. Once the incorporation is accepted you get a company number and certificate, and the filing calendar starts.

Where to go next

• Name Check
• Pricing
• Packages