What Is Companies House and How Do You Register a Company?
Companies House is the UK government agency responsible for incorporating companies, maintaining company records, and making registered company information available to the public. It plays an important role when a limited company is created and throughout the company’s life.
Members of the public can also search Companies House information to check a company’s legal name, company number, registered office, directors, filing history and other available records. If you are starting a UK limited company, understanding Companies House can help you register correctly and meet your filing responsibilities afterwards.
That is explains what it does, who needs to register, how company registration works, how to search the company registers and how it differs from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
What Is Companies House and What Does It Do?
Companies House is an executive agency of the UK government’s Department for Business and Trade. It incorporates and dissolves limited companies, registers company information and makes much of that information available through the public register.
Companies House maintains the official registers of companies in the UK. These records help show whether a company legally exists and provide important information about its structure and filing history. People sometimes search online for Companies House Ltd, but Companies House itself is not an ordinary private limited company. It is a government agency.
What Does Companies House Do?
Companies House registers companies and maintains important information about them throughout their existence. When a new company is successfully incorporated, it issues a certificate of incorporation. This confirms that the company legally exists and shows its company number and date of formation.
These can include annual accounts, confirmation statements, changes to directors, changes to the registered office and information about people with significant control. It also maintains the public company register. This allows people to check useful information about companies before entering into business relationships with them.
Why Is Companies House Important for UK Companies?
Companies House is important because it creates and maintains the official public record of UK registered companies. Without incorporation at Companies House, a business cannot operate as a UK limited company. Incorporation creates a legal entity that is separate from its owners.
The register also supports transparency. Customers, suppliers, lenders, investors and other businesses can check whether a company is active, who its directors are, when its accounts are due and what documents have previously been filed. Companies House information can therefore be useful when carrying out basic business checks. However, information appearing on the register should still be considered alongside other checks when making important financial or commercial decisions.
How to Register a Company with Companies House in the UK?
You can register a private limited company with Companies House by choosing the company structure, appointing directors and shareholders, selecting a company name and submitting an incorporation application. Most commercial companies are limited by shares, while companies limited by guarantee are often used by non-profit organisations. A private company needs at least one director and, if limited by shares, at least one shareholder. You must also identify any people with significant control (PSCs) and provide an eligible UK registered office address.
Before applying, check that your company name is available and choose the correct SIC code for your business activity. You will also need constitutional documents, including the memorandum and articles of association, plus share information where applicable.
Directors may also need to complete Companies House identity verification and provide their personal codes. As at August 2026, online incorporation costs £100 and is usually completed within 24 hours. Paper applications using form IN01 cost £124 and normally take 8–10 days. Once approved, Companies House issues a certificate of incorporation, confirming that the company legally exists.
Who Must Register with Companies House in the UK?
Limited companies, LLPs and certain other incorporated entities must register with Companies House. A private company limited by shares must be incorporated with Companies House before it can legally operate as that limited company. Companies limited by guarantee and public limited companies also have Companies House registration requirements.
Community interest companies also register within the Companies House system, although additional rules apply because of their particular legal structure. A limited liability partnership, or LLP, must also register with Companies House. An LLP must have at least two designated members and must meet the relevant registration and filing requirements.
A sole trader does not normally register a business as a company with Companies House unless they decide to incorporate a limited company. An overseas company may also need Companies House registration, but simply doing business with UK customers does not automatically create this requirement.
An overseas company generally needs to register when it has a qualifying physical presence in the UK, such as a branch or place of business through which it carries on business. The UK establishment must normally be registered within one month of opening. Separate requirements can apply to overseas entities that own or deal with certain UK property under the Register of Overseas Entities.
What Services and Information Does Companies House Provide?
Companies House provides incorporation, filing, company-search and company-record services. Its services allow businesses to register new companies, submit annual accounts, file confirmation statements and report important changes to company details. Companies can also update information about directors, registered offices, people with significant control and certain other company records.
A Companies House account is used for some online services. Depending on the service, you may also need the company’s authentication code. Companies House has been updating its online account and identity-verification systems, so the exact sign-in requirements can depend on the service being used. Companies House also allows the public to search company records for free. Users can access basic company details, filing histories, officer information, SIC codes, previous company names and information about charges where available.
How Do You Find a Company on Companies House?
You can search for a registered company using the Companies House Find and Update Company Information service. A search can usually be made using the company’s name or company number. Officer searches and other search options are also available. The service can show basic information, including the company’s legal name, registration number, status, registered office address and nature of business.
You can also check its filing history, current and resigned officers, previous company names, accounts dates, confirmation statement dates and certain mortgage or charge information. This service is useful when checking an existing company. It can also help when choosing a name for a new company.
Before incorporation, carrying out a Companies House company name check can show whether the proposed name is already being used by another registered company. You should also consider trade mark searches because registration of a company name does not automatically give you trade mark rights.
How Does Companies House Work Across the UK?
Companies House maintains company registers covering England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Companies must be registered in the correct UK jurisdiction and must maintain a registered office address in that jurisdiction. For example, a Scottish company needs a registered office in Scotland, while a company registered in England and Wales needs an address in England or Wales. This is why Companies House in the UK is more than an online company-search service. It forms an important part of the legal system used to create and maintain registered businesses. The Registrar of Companies has statutory responsibilities for the company register and has powers to check and challenge information where necessary.
Where Is Companies House Located in the UK?
The main Companies House office is located in Cardiff.
The postal address is:
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF14 3UZ
This is also the main Companies House address for filing accounts and other documents that need to be submitted by post. Companies registered in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should send paper documents to the main Cardiff office where postal filing is permitted. Many documents can now be filed online, which can be quicker and easier than using paper forms.
Is Companies House Mandatory for Company Registration?
Yes, Companies House registration is mandatory if you want to create a UK limited company. A business does not become a limited company simply because it uses “Ltd” in a trading name, opens a business bank account or registers for tax. The company becomes legally incorporated when Companies House accepts the incorporation application and issues its certificate of incorporation.
Do All Directors Have to Verify Their Identity with Companies House?
Company directors are now subject to mandatory Companies House identity-verification requirements. Mandatory identity verification began on 18 November 2025 and has been introduced through a transition process. A person normally verifies their identity once and receives an 11-character personal code. The code belongs to the person rather than to one particular company. When registering a new company, the personal code for each director is required as part of the registration process where the current rules apply.
PSCs also need to verify their identities and provide their personal codes, but the deadline can differ depending on whether the person is also a director, is only a PSC, or became a PSC after 18 November 2025. Identity can normally be verified directly through GOV.UK One Login or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, or ACSP, such as an authorised accountant or solicitor.
What Is Required to Register a Company with Companies House?
To register a UK private limited company, you need information about the company, its directors, owners, control, address and business activities. You will normally need an acceptable company name, an appropriate registered office address and a registered email address.
You will also need at least one director and, for a company limited by shares, at least one shareholder. You must identify the company’s PSCs and provide the relevant share-capital information. The company needs a suitable SIC code to describe its activities. Its memorandum and articles of association must also be prepared.
The subscribers must confirm that the company is being formed for a lawful purpose. Relevant directors must meet current identity-verification requirements and provide their Companies House personal codes where required. Once it accepts the application, the business receives a company number and certificate of incorporation.
What Are the Filing Requirements for a Limited Company?
A limited company must continue meeting Companies House filing requirements after incorporation. One of the main requirements is filing annual accounts. For a private limited company, the first accounts are normally due 21 months after the company is incorporated. After the first accounting period, annual accounts are normally due 9 months after the company’s financial year ends. The company must also file at least one confirmation statement every 12 months. The filing can be made up to 14 days after the end of the review period.
As at August 2026, the online confirmation statement fee is £50. The paper fee is £110. The confirmation statement is required even when no company information has changed. It confirms that the information held by the Registrar of Companies has been reviewed and is correct.The company must also confirm that its intended future activities are lawful. Director identity-verification information is now linked to the confirmation statement process as well.
Companies should report certain changes when they occur rather than waiting for the next annual filing. These can include changes to directors, PSC information, the registered office and registered email address.
Dormant limited companies normally still need to file accounts and confirmation statements with Companies House. A company generally continues to have these duties until it is formally dissolved. Late filing of company accounts can lead to automatic financial penalties. Continued failure to comply with Companies House requirements can create further problems for the company and its directors.
Do I Need to File a Tax Return for My Company?
An active limited company will normally need to file a Company Tax Return with HMRC when required.A Company Tax Return is different from annual accounts filed. The return deals with the company’s Corporation Tax position and is submitted to HMRC.
A Company Tax Return is normally due 12 months after the end of the Corporation Tax accounting period. Corporation Tax itself is normally payable earlier, usually 9 months and 1 day after the accounting period ends for companies that are not within quarterly instalment payment rules.
The former joint online service used to submit accounts to Companies House and a Company Tax Return to HMRC closed on 31 March 2026. From 1 April 2026, companies generally need suitable software to file their Company Tax Return with HMRC. Companies House accounts can currently still be filed through available UK company registrar web services, suitable software or paper where permitted. Wider changes to accounts filing are planned for April 2028.
Is HMRC the Same as Companies House?
No. HMRC and Companies House are separate government organisations with different responsibilities. They mainly deal with company incorporation, legal company information and statutory filings. This includes registering companies, receiving annual accounts and confirmation statements, and maintaining the public company register.
HMRC mainly deals with taxation. A limited company may deal with HMRC for Corporation Tax, PAYE, VAT and other tax responsibilities. For example, a private company’s annual statutory accounts are normally filed with Companies House, while its Company Tax Return is filed with HMRC.
Companies House and HMRC can exchange information, and some company-registration processes can help set a new company up for Corporation Tax. However, registering a company with Companies House does not remove its separate responsibilities to HMRC. The company must meet both its filing duties and its tax obligations. Understanding the difference helps directors avoid missed deadlines. This maintains the company’s legal public record, while HMRC administers the company’s tax affairs.
What Should You Remember About Companies House?
Companies House is central to forming and maintaining a UK limited company. It registers new companies, maintains the public company register and collects important statutory information throughout a company’s life. Before registration, business owners should choose the correct company structure, check the company name, identify directors and PSCs, choose an appropriate registered office and prepare the required incorporation information.
After incorporation, directors should keep their company records accurate, file annual accounts and confirmation statements on time, and report relevant changes to Companies House. They should also remember that Companies House and HMRC perform different functions. Keeping both Companies House filings and HMRC tax obligations up to date helps a limited company remain compliant.