How to Register a Private Limited Company With Companies House Online
Register a UK private limited company with Companies House, verify directors, choose a name and SIC code, report PSCs and check the current online and postal fees.
GB United Kingdom
Business ~ 12 min read
10 FAQ
Updated 2026-09-09
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To register a private limited company in the UK, choose the company type and name, appoint at least one director, identify shareholders or guarantors and people with significant control, arrange an appropriate registered office and email address, choose a SIC code and prepare the constitutional information. New directors must verify their identity for Companies House and provide their Companies House personal code as part of the incorporation filing. The standard online incorporation fee is £100 and Companies House normally processes online applications within 24 hours, although complex applications can take longer. A paper application using form IN01 costs £124 and takes longer. Once accepted, Companies House issues a certificate of incorporation showing that the company legally exists.
What you need
- A proposed company name that complies with Companies House rules.
- At least one director; an individual director must be aged 16 or over.
- For a company limited by shares, at least one shareholder and details of the shares and initial shareholdings.
- Details of every person with significant control (PSC), or the appropriate statement if the company has no registrable PSC.
- An appropriate registered office address in the same UK jurisdiction in which the company is registered.
- An appropriate registered email address that Companies House can use to contact the company; this email address is not made public.
- A valid SIC code from the Companies House condensed SIC list.
- A memorandum of association and articles of association. The standard online service creates the memorandum automatically, and model articles can be used where suitable.
- A statement of capital and initial shareholdings for a company limited by shares, or a statement of guarantee for a company limited by guarantee.
- Companies House personal codes for new directors after they have verified their identities.
- Payment of the applicable incorporation fee.
Eligibility
One or more people can form a UK company by agreeing to form it for lawful purposes and subscribing to the memorandum of association. A private company must have at least one director, and an individual director must be 16 or over. Directors do not have to live in the UK, but the company must have an appropriate registered office address in the part of the UK in which it is registered. A company limited by shares needs at least one shareholder, who may also be the director. You must identify any people with significant control and comply with the current Companies House identity-verification requirements. This procedure covers incorporation of a private limited company; sole trader registration is a different business structure.
How to do it
- Decide whether a limited company is the right structure. If you intend to work for yourself without incorporating, compare the separate sole trader registration process.
- Choose whether the company will be limited by shares or limited by guarantee. Most commercial private companies are limited by shares.
- Choose a compliant company name and check the Companies House register. A private limited company name normally ends in Limited or Ltd, subject to statutory exceptions.
- Appoint at least one director. Each new director must complete the required Companies House identity verification and obtain a personal code before the incorporation filing requires that code.
- Choose the shareholders and share structure if the company is limited by shares, or the guarantors and guarantee amount if it is limited by guarantee.
- Identify every person with significant control. This commonly includes anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, anyone who can appoint or remove a majority of directors, or someone otherwise exercising qualifying significant influence or control.
- Arrange an appropriate registered office address in the relevant UK jurisdiction and a registered email address. Do not use a home address as the registered office or a public service address unless you are comfortable with it appearing on the public register.
- Select the correct SIC code describing the company's intended business activity.
- Prepare the memorandum and articles of association and the required statement of capital or guarantee. If you use the standard online service, the memorandum is created automatically.
- Submit the incorporation online and pay £100, or submit paper form IN01 with the required documents and £124.
- Wait for Companies House to examine the application. Standard online applications are normally processed within 24 hours, though complex cases can take longer.
- Once approved, keep the certificate of incorporation, which gives the company name, registration number and date of formation.
- Complete the company's tax and employment setup as required. The standard online incorporation service usually also sets the company up for Corporation Tax unless it is dormant. VAT registration is separate; if applicable, see how to register your business for VAT with HMRC.
Prepare the company structure before you register
Companies House needs more than a business name. Before submitting the incorporation, decide whether the private company will be limited by shares or guarantee, who will direct and own or control it, where its registered office will be and what business activity it will carry on.
A company limited by shares must have at least one shareholder. The same person can be both the only shareholder and the only director.
A private company must have at least one director. An individual director must be 16 or over. Directors do not need to live in the UK, and a private limited company does not have to appoint a company secretary.
Verify each new director before completing incorporation
Companies House identity verification became a legal requirement from 18 November 2025. A person becoming a director now needs to verify their identity and receives a unique Companies House personal code.
When registering a new company, Companies House requires the personal code for each new director as part of the registration filing. A person generally verifies only once and can use the same personal code to connect that verified identity to different Companies House roles and companies.
Identity can be verified directly through the Companies House service using GOV.UK One Login or through a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider. The GOV.UK service supports specified identity documents including biometric passports from any country and certain UK-issued photo identity documents.
Check that your proposed company name can be registered
Your proposed name cannot be the same as another registered company name. Companies House also has rules covering names that are too similar to existing names and names containing sensitive words or expressions.
A private limited company name must normally end in Limited or Ltd. A company registered as a Welsh company can use the Welsh equivalents where the rules allow.
If a proposed name contains a prescribed sensitive expression or implies a connection with the UK government or a devolved administration, you may need permission from the appropriate department or body and must provide the supporting approval with the incorporation application.
Arrange an appropriate address and email before applying
You must provide a physical registered office address in the UK and it must be in the same part of the UK in which the company is registered. For example, a Scottish company must have its registered office in Scotland.
The registered office must be an appropriate address: company correspondence delivered there must be expected to come to the attention of someone acting for the company, and delivery must be capable of being acknowledged. A Royal Mail PO Box on its own cannot be used as the registered office.
The registered office address is publicly available. If you use your home as the registered office or as a director's public service address, it can therefore appear online. Arrange another suitable address before incorporation if you do not want your home address published.
You must also provide a registered email address that Companies House can use to contact the company. The registered email address is not published on the public register.
Report the people who ultimately own or control the company
You must identify the company's people with significant control and provide the required information to Companies House.
An individual is commonly a PSC if they meet one or more of these conditions:
- they hold more than 25% of the company's shares;
- they hold more than 25% of the voting rights;
- they can appoint or remove a majority of the board of directors;
- they have the right to exercise, or actually exercise, significant influence or control over the company; or
- they exercise qualifying control through a trust or firm.
If the company does not have a registrable PSC, you still need to provide the legally required statement rather than leaving the PSC information unanswered.
PSCs also have mandatory verification duties
People with significant control are also subject to Companies House identity verification. After verification, each PSC receives a Companies House personal code that connects their verified identity to the register.
A person who becomes a PSC after 18 November 2025 can provide their personal code when first added to the register or within the applicable 14-day period. The specific deadline depends on the person's role and circumstances, so directors who are also PSCs should not assume that providing a code for the director role automatically completes the separate PSC requirement.
Use a Companies House condensed SIC code
The incorporation filing asks for the company's intended business activity using a Standard Industrial Classification or SIC code.
Companies House instructs companies to use codes from its condensed SIC list. Using a code that is not on that list can cause a filing to be rejected.
Prepare the memorandum, articles and capital statement
Every incorporated company needs a memorandum of association and articles of association.
The memorandum records that the initial members want to form the company. When the standard online service is used, the memorandum is created automatically from the information supplied during registration.
The articles are the company's internal rules. You can use the statutory model articles where suitable or provide bespoke articles that comply with the law.
For a company limited by shares, the application must include a statement of capital and initial shareholdings. This includes the shareholders, number and value of the shares and the rights attached to each class. A company limited by guarantee provides a statement of guarantee instead.
The standard online incorporation service costs £100
The GOV.UK incorporation service is the quickest standard route for most private limited companies. The current Companies House fee is £100.
The standard web service supports private companies limited by shares and certain private companies limited by guarantee, and allows supporting documents for company names and articles to be uploaded where needed.
The service normally registers the company for Corporation Tax at the same time unless the company is dormant. It can also be used to register for PAYE where appropriate.
Companies House normally processes online applications within 24 hours
Companies House says standard online incorporation applications are normally processed within 24 hours. This is not a guaranteed deadline, and a complex application can take longer.
There is no same-day option through the standard GOV.UK web incorporation service. A same-day service exists through qualifying software filing and currently costs £156 where the filing is made by 3pm Monday to Friday.
Paper incorporation costs £124 and takes longer
If you cannot or do not want to use the standard online service, Companies House accepts a paper incorporation using form IN01.
The current paper fee is £124. Companies House says paper applications normally take longer than online applications and does not state a single guaranteed completion time.
A paper incorporation package normally includes form IN01, the memorandum of association, the articles of association unless model articles are adopted completely, the correct fee and any required supporting information for a sensitive company name.
Confirm that the company is being formed for lawful purposes
The subscribers must confirm during incorporation that they are forming the company for lawful purposes. Companies House will not accept an incorporation filing where required lawful-purpose statements have not been made.
After incorporation, the company must also confirm through its confirmation statement process that its intended future activities are lawful.
The application is checked before legal incorporation
Companies House examines the incorporation documents and carries out checks, including checking whether proposed officers appear on the disqualified directors register.
If the filing passes the required checks, Companies House incorporates the company, issues a certificate of incorporation and places the relevant filing information on the public company record.
The company does not legally exist until Companies House issues the certificate of incorporation. Take this into account before entering contracts, producing company stationery or taking other steps that depend on the incorporated company already existing.
Keep the certificate and company number after approval
The certificate of incorporation is conclusive evidence that the company has been registered. It shows the company's registered name, company registration number and incorporation date.
Keep the certificate and company number safely because they are used for subsequent Companies House, banking, tax and business administration.
Corporation Tax and VAT are separate ongoing obligations
The standard online service normally sets the company up for Corporation Tax at the same time unless it is dormant. If Corporation Tax was not added during incorporation, HMRC provides a separate route for adding Corporation Tax services when the company starts doing business.
VAT registration is a separate issue and depends on the VAT registration rules rather than simply on being incorporated. If your company needs to register, follow the separate Helpydo guide to register your business for VAT with HMRC.
Do not incorporate only because you are starting self-employment
A limited company and a sole trader are different legal and tax structures. Incorporation creates a separate legal entity and brings ongoing Companies House responsibilities, including accounts and confirmation statements.
If you intend to work for yourself personally rather than through a separate company, compare the requirements for registering as a sole trader before paying the incorporation fee.
Avoid preventable incorporation errors
- Do not submit the application before required new directors have completed Companies House identity verification and obtained the personal codes needed for incorporation.
- Check the company name against the register and obtain approval for any sensitive word or expression where required.
- Do not use an unsuitable PO Box or an address where company correspondence cannot reliably reach someone acting for the company.
- Remember that the registered office and directors' service addresses are public; choose them carefully before filing.
- Identify all PSCs rather than reporting only the shareholders whose names are most obvious.
- Use a SIC code from the Companies House condensed list.
- Make sure share numbers, values, ownership and rights are internally consistent in the statement of capital.
- Use the correct current fee: £100 for standard online incorporation or £124 for a paper IN01 application.
- Do not treat submission as incorporation. The company legally exists only after Companies House issues the certificate of incorporation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a limited company with Companies House in 2026?
The standard online incorporation fee is £100. A paper application using form IN01 costs £124. Agents or commercial software providers may charge their own additional fees.
How long does Companies House take to register a company online?
Companies House says standard online applications are normally processed within 24 hours, although complex applications can take longer.
Do directors need to verify their identity before registering a new company?
Yes. Mandatory identity verification applies to new directors, and the Companies House personal code issued after verification is required as part of the incorporation filing.
How old must a director be to register a limited company?
An individual company director must be at least 16 years old.
Do directors of a UK limited company have to live in the UK?
No. Directors do not have to live in the UK, but the company must have an appropriate registered office address in the relevant part of the UK.
Can one person be both the director and shareholder?
Yes. A company limited by shares needs at least one shareholder, and that shareholder can also be the company's director.
Do I need a company secretary for a private limited company?
No. A private limited company does not have to appoint a company secretary, although it can choose to have one.
What is a person with significant control when registering a company?
A PSC is usually someone who has more than 25% of the company's shares or voting rights, can appoint or remove a majority of directors, or otherwise exercises qualifying significant influence or control.
Will my registered office address be public?
Yes. The company's registered office address appears on the public Companies House register. The company's registered email address does not.
What do I receive after Companies House approves the registration?
Companies House issues a certificate of incorporation showing the company name, company registration number and date of incorporation. The company legally exists once this certificate is issued.
Official sources
GOV.UK - Set up a private limited company: Register your companyGOV.UK - Set up a limited company: step by stepCompanies House - Incorporation and namesCompanies House - Register a private or public company: form IN01Companies House - Companies House feesGOV.UK - Registered office addresses and email addressesGOV.UK - Appoint directors and a company secretaryGOV.UK - Choose shareholders for a company limited by sharesGOV.UK - Prepare documents agreeing how to run your companyCompanies House - People with significant controlCompanies House - Verifying your identity for Companies HouseCompanies House - Verify your identity for Companies HouseCompanies House - When you need to verify your identityCompanies House - Standard industrial classification SIC codesRelated procedures
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