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Public limited company (PLC)

A public limited company may offer shares to the public, and needs £50,000 of issued share capital, two directors and a qualified company secretary.

A PLC is not the same as a listed company — most PLCs are not on any exchange. A newly registered one cannot trade or borrow until Companies House issues a trading certificate confirming the capital requirement has been met.

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Related terms

  • Company secretary — A company secretary is an officer responsible for a company's administration and filings — optional for a private company, compulsory and qualified for a public one.
  • Share capital — Share capital is the total nominal value of the shares a company has issued, recorded in a statement of capital at Companies House.

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