How to register a limited company

Registering a private limited company with Companies House costs £100 online and is usually within 24 hours. This guide covers how to set up a limited company step by step: what to prepare, how to file, and what to do in the first year.

Have this ready before you start

• A name that isn't the "same as" an existing company's, ending in "Limited" or "Ltd".
• A registered office address in the UK, and a registered email address.
• For each director: full name, date of birth, nationality, a service address and their Companies House personal code.
• For each shareholder: their name and how many shares they'll hold.
• The people with significant control, and how they control the company.
• A SIC code that describes what the company will do.

1. Choose a name that's available

The name can't be the "same as" an existing company's, and it usually ends in "Limited" or "Ltd". See how the "same as" rules work, or check a name now. You can still change the name later if you need to.

2. Set up a registered office address

A physical UK address in the same country the company is registered in (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland). It appears on the public register, so many people use an accountant's or a registered office service's address instead of their home.

You also need a registered email address: Required; it is not published on the public register.

3. Appoint at least one director

• Minimum number of directors: 1.
• Minimum age: 16 years.
• Directors do not have to live in the UK, but the company needs a UK registered office address.
• Company secretary: Not required for a private limited company.

4. Choose at least one shareholder

You need at least 1 shareholder, who can also be a director. You'll also confirm who the people with significant control are, for example anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.

5. Verify your identity

Since 18 November 2025, identity verification has been a legal requirement. New directors provide their Companies House personal code when the company is registered. Read our identity verification guide.

6. Pick a SIC code and agree the company's rules

A SIC code describes what the company does. You'll also need a memorandum of association and articles of association. Most small companies use the standard "model articles".

7. Register

Register online with Companies House (£100, usually within 24 hours), by post (£124, 8 to 10 days), or through a provider that files for you. When it's done you get a certificate of incorporation with your company number.

Ways to register, compared

Prices are from each provider's own page; follow a price to see its source and check date.

After you register

• Open a business bank account in the company's name, so its money stays separate from yours. Compare business accounts for a new limited company.
• Diary your first confirmation statement. Its review period ends 12 months after incorporation (first) or after the last confirmation statement date, and it's due within 14 days after that. See confirmation statements.
• Keep the registered office and directors' details up to date with Companies House, and check the company's deadlines any time with the company search.
• Protect the name: a company name doesn't stop someone else using it as a brand, so consider a trade mark search and buy the matching domain names.