What details do I need to form a limited company?
When forming a private limited company, you will need:
Proof of ID
We have a legal obligation to check proof of ID and proof of address documents for all customers who use our address services - this is to ensure we comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations and ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) requirements.
Company Name, Company Address and Business Activity
Your company name must not contain any words deemed to be sensitive, or it cannot be the same as an existing company on the Companies House register. You can use our company name check system to check whether your name is available.
Every company must have a registered office within the UK - England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, which is the official address of the company. It will need to be a physical address (i.e. not a PO BOX without physical location) as Companies House, and HMRC will need to send correspondence to this address.
You'll need to choose your company's business activity (a maximum of 4) called a SIC code, which descriptions can be found in the SIC reference table.
Officer Details (Director and Secretary)
To incorporate a private limited company, you need at least one director, who must be at least16 years or older. You may also have a secretary, but this is optional. The information you will need to supply for each officer includes:
- Full Name
- Date of Birth (Must be 16 years or older)
- Nationality
- Occupation
- Country of Residence
- Residential Address (This is not displayed on public record)
- Service Address (Can be the same as the registered office)
You can be a UK company director regardless of your nationality.
A Corporate (Company) Director
if you want to appoint a company as a director, you will need to supply the following:
- Company Name
- Full Name (of the Company Director)
- Company's Address
- EEA or Non-EEA (whether the company is registered in the European Union or not)
- Country Registered
- Registration Number
If the company is non-EEA you will also need to provide the following: - Governing Law (?)
- Legal Form (?)
Please note, Corporate Directors cannot be the only director. If you have a Corporate Director, you will need at least one human director as well.
For instructions on how to incorporate a company director, click here.
Share Capital and Shareholder Details
A minimum of 1 shareholder is required. You can be both director and shareholder. You will need to supply the name and address of each initial shareholder in the company (known as a subscriber).
- Full Name
- Residential Address
- Share Currency (GBP, EUR, USD)
- Share Class (Ordinary, Preference, Redeemable)
- Number of Shares
- Value Per Share
- 3 Security Questions (these act as an online signature)
- First three letters of Town of birth
- Last three digits of Telephone number
- First three letters of Mother's Maiden Name
You can be a UK company shareholder regardless of your nationality or location.
A (Corporate) Company Shareholder
If you want to appoint a company as a shareholder, you will need the following information:
- Company Name
- Full Name (of the Company Director)
- Company's Address
- Share Currency (GBP, EUR, USD)
- Share Class (Ordinary, Preference, Redeemable)
- Number of Shares
- Value Per Share
- 3 Security Questions (these act as an online signature. Use the Company Director for the questions)
- First three letters of Town of birth
- Last three digits of Telephone number
- First three letters of Mother's Maiden Name
For instructions on how to appoint a corporate shareholder, click here.
People with Significant Control (PSC)
A PSC is a person or relevant legal entity (such as a company) who has significant influence or control over the company. All UK Limited companies will need to provide Companies House a record of people who own or control their company. Also known as people with significant control (PSC).
See our how it works page for assistance.