The register of members is the company's own record of who owns its shares, and it — not Companies House — is the legal evidence of share ownership.
It must be kept up to date as transfers happen, not once a year when the confirmation statement falls due. Undocumented transfers are found during due diligence, years later, at exactly the moment a buyer or a lender is looking.
Related terms
- Shareholder — A shareholder owns shares in a company, which carry defined rights: typically to vote, to receive dividends, and to share in capital on a winding up.
- Stock transfer form — A stock transfer form is the document used to transfer existing shares from one holder to another, and is stamped by HMRC where stamp duty is payable.
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Statutory rules, then the Companies House register. Free, and no email required.
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