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Company Formation & Registration in the UK

£50
Companies House online fee
~24 hrs
Typical approval time
1+
Director required (min.)

Forming a UK limited company is one of the most common routes for starting a business. Company formation is the process of legally incorporating the business as a separate entity at Companies House — distinct from the founder(s) personally.

Online vs Paper Registration

The vast majority of UK company registrations are done online, either directly via the Companies House website or through a third-party formation agent, rather than by posting a paper application. Online registration is faster, cheaper, and has built-in validation that catches many errors before submission — paper applications take considerably longer (typically 8-10 days) and cost more.

Before You Start: Choosing a Name

The first practical step is choosing a company name. It must be distinct from existing registered companies and not offensive or misleading. Once you've confirmed the name meets Companies House rules, you can proceed with registration — either directly with Companies House (£50) or through a formation agent, who typically bundles the registration with extras like a registered office address or printed documents for an additional fee.

What You Need to Register

  • Company name — checked against the Companies House register for uniqueness
  • Registered office address — must be in England, Scotland, or Wales (Northern Ireland companies register separately; addresses outside the UK are not accepted)
  • At least one director — must be aged 16 or over. A company secretary is optional since April 2008, but if appointed, the company needs at least two officers, since one person cannot hold both roles as sole director
  • At least one share — allocated to a shareholder on incorporation; the shareholder can also be a director, or a separate person or corporate entity

What Companies House Checks

Once submitted, Companies House runs the application through automated validation, with some applications checked manually. Checks typically include:

  • The registered office address is within a permitted UK country
  • All named directors are 16 or over
  • At least one share has been allocated
  • Addresses validate against the Royal Mail postcode system

After You Register

Once approved — usually within around 24 hours for a same-day online submission — you receive an official company number and a Certificate of Incorporation. From here you'll need to open a business bank account, register for Corporation Tax with HMRC within 3 months of starting to trade, and set up your accounting records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Registering online directly with Companies House costs £50 (raised from £12 in May 2024), and is usually approved within 24 hours. Third-party formation agents often charge more for bundled extras (registered office address, documents, statutory registers) but the core Companies House fee is the same regardless of which route you use.

Same-day registration is possible if submitted early enough in the working day via the standard online service; otherwise approval typically comes within 24 hours. Paper applications sent by post take significantly longer — usually 8-10 days.

A company name that meets Companies House rules (distinct and not offensive, not identical or too similar to an existing company), a registered office address in England, Scotland, or Wales, at least one director aged 16 or over, and at least one share allocated to a shareholder on incorporation.

You can register directly with Companies House yourself for £50 — no agent is required. Formation agents are useful if you want bundled extras (a London registered office address, printed documents, company seal) but add cost on top of the core fee for a process you can otherwise do yourself.