How to Register a Limited Company in the UK

To register a private limited company in the UK, you’ll need a company name, a registered office address and details of who will own and run the company. Standard online registration with Companies House costs £100, and applications are usually processed within 24 hours. Companies House registration guidance

If you’re still deciding on the first steps for your business, start with our guide to starting a business in simple steps. If you’re ready to set up a limited company, here’s what you’ll need and how to apply.

What you need before you apply

For a private company limited by shares, have the following ready:

• A company name

• A registered office address and a registered email address

• Details of at least one director and at least one shareholder

• Details of the shares you’ll issue, their value and who will own them

• Details of anyone with significant control over the company

• At least one SIC code describing what the company does

• The Companies House personal codes required for registration

• Your company’s formation documents, including its articles of association

One person can be both the sole director and the sole shareholder.

1. Decide whether a limited company is right for you

A limited company is legally separate from its owners. It can enter contracts, own assets and owe money in its own name. If you operate as a sole trader, you run the business in your own name and are personally responsible for its debts.

A limited company can make sense if you want limited liability or plan to bring in other shareholders or investors. It also comes with ongoing responsibilities, including keeping company records and filing accounts and confirmation statements.

2. Choose your company name

Most private limited companies use Limited or Ltd at the end of their registered name. Before settling on a name, check whether it’s already registered or too similar to an existing company name. Some words and expressions also need permission.

Check for existing trade marks before you commit to a name. Registering it at Companies House doesn’t give you trade mark protection. If you’ll use the name publicly, check the domain and social handles at the same time.

3. Choose your registered office and email address

Your registered office is the company’s official address. It must be an appropriate physical address in the UK jurisdiction where your company is registered, and it appears on the public Companies House register. If you work from home, check what address you can use as your registered office before you apply.

If you’re registering in England and Wales and want to keep your home address off the register as your company’s registered office, you can use the FOUNDRS London registered office and digital mailbox. Official company post is scanned and sent to you digitally.

You’ll also need a registered email address that someone checks regularly. You can use an existing email address. Companies House uses it to contact the company and keeps it off the public register. Companies House address and email requirements

4. Appoint your directors and decide who owns the company

You need at least one director and one shareholder. Directors are responsible for running the company and meeting its obligations. Shareholders own the company through their shares.

Decide how many shares to issue, their nominal value and who will own them. For example, if you issue 100 ordinary shares and take all 100 yourself, you own all the issued shares. If two founders take 60 and 40 shares of the same class, they own 60% and 40% respectively.

If you’re considering different share classes, investor rights or bespoke voting arrangements, get advice before incorporating. Those decisions affect how ownership and control work from day one.

5. Identify your people with significant control

A person with significant control, or PSC, is someone who owns or controls the company in a way that meets the Companies House criteria. Common examples include someone who holds more than 25% of the shares or voting rights or has the right to appoint or remove a majority of the directors. Other forms of significant influence or control can also qualify.

If you’re setting up on your own and will own all the shares, you’ll normally be a PSC as well as the director and shareholder.

6. Choose your SIC code

A Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code tells Companies House what your business does. Choose the code that best describes your main activity. You can use more than one if the company carries out several distinct activities.

7. Prepare your formation documents

The memorandum of association records the original shareholders’ agreement to form the company. The articles of association set out the rules for how it’s run. Straightforward companies can usually use the standard model articles.

You’ll also provide a statement of capital setting out the shares the company is issuing, alongside details of the initial shareholders.

8. Verify your identity for Companies House

Directors and people with significant control must meet Companies House identity verification requirements. You can verify through GOV.UK or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) such as FOUNDRS.

Once verified, you receive a Companies House personal code. If you’re both a director and a PSC, you use the same personal code for both roles. Check the instructions for each role so you know when and how to provide it. Companies House guidance on personal codes

9. Submit your application

Once you’ve made those decisions and gathered the details, you can apply directly through Companies House or register your company with FOUNDRS.

FOUNDRS guides you through the application, checks the details and submits it to Companies House. You pay the £100 Companies House fee. FOUNDRS charges separately for optional services such as a registered office and digital mailbox.

What happens after you register?

Once Companies House approves your application, you’ll receive a certificate of incorporation. It confirms that the company legally exists and shows its company number and incorporation date. Save it with your formation documents.

Next, work out what you need to do before you start trading and which deadlines to put in your diary. Our guide to what to do after registering a limited company covers record-keeping, Corporation Tax, annual accounts and confirmation statements.