Key Takeaways
Companies House is the UK's official Registrar of Companies, maintaining the public register of over 5.4 million entities under uk company law, covering England and Wales (Cardiff office), Scotland (Edinburgh office), and Northern Ireland (Belfast office).
From 18 November 2025, identity verification for company directors and people with significant control becomes mandatory, driven by reforms in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
Most filing and searches are now done through online services, including free company information checks and free email alerts via the "Follow" service, with the London office and all public counters permanently closed.
Companies House works alongside other government departments like HM Revenue & Customs for tax matters and the insolvency service for enforcement, forming part of a wider campaign to combat economic crime and protect the integrity of the uk business environment.
The register holds key data including directors, accounts, confirmation statements, people with significant control, and filing history, all freely accessible to the public.
Introduction: What is Companies House?
Companies House is the uk's official Registrar of Companies. It maintains the official register of companies in the UK, a central register that currently holds records for over 5.43 million entities. As a non-ministerial executive agency of the government, it sits within the Department for Business and Trade and is responsible for processing company registrations and dissolutions across England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Companies House originated from the Joint Stock Companies Act 1844, which first allowed businesses to incorporate by registration rather than by royal charter. The Limited Liability Act 1855 then introduced limited liability for shareholders, and the Joint Stock Companies Act 1856 abolished provisional registration, streamlining the process further. In 1988, Companies House became an executive agency of the government, and by 2020, there were approximately 4.3 million businesses registered. That figure has since grown significantly.
The register covers limited companies, public limited companies, limited liability partnerships and other entities created under company law. It does not cover sole traders or ordinary partnerships, who must instead register with hm revenue & Customs. Almost all services are now accessed online via GOV.UK, including search, filing, and sign in through GOV.UK one login.
The Role of Companies House in UK Company Law
Companies House underpins uk company law by acting as the registrar that checks incorporation applications, issues certificates of incorporation, and records statutory changes such as new directors or a change of registered office. Companies House processes company registrations in the UK and is responsible for maintaining accurate, up-to-date records that the public can rely on.
Every limited company must file annual accounts to report financial activity and submit confirmation statements to verify that key details remain correct. Directors are legally responsible for ensuring company accounts are filed on time. Companies must file annual accounts to verify their information, and failure to do so can result in late filing penalties, enforcement action, or strike-off from the register.
Companies House processes company registrations and dissolutions, and it requires annual accounts from registered companies as a matter of law. In 2024-25 alone, approximately 801,871 new incorporations were processed and around 726,813 companies were dissolved. Filing compliance remains strong, with about 98.5% of companies submitting accounts on time.
The Economic Crime Act 2023 will transform Companies House's role from a passive record keeper into a more proactive regulator. New powers allow it to query suspicious filings, refuse inaccurate data, and share intelligence with law enforcement agencies. These changes align with the UK's wider response to corporate transparency act-style reforms and global standards on beneficial ownership transparency.
Companies House is no longer just a filing cabinet for corporate documents. It is becoming a gatekeeper that can protect the integrity of UK business.
Types of Businesses Registered at Companies House
Companies House is not just for large corporations. It covers a range of legal forms, and most small businesses in the UK operate as a private company limited by shares, the most common type on the register.
Here are the main types registered:
Entity Type | Description |
|---|---|
Private company limited by shares | Most common structure for small and medium businesses |
Private company limited by guarantee | Often used by charities and non-profits |
Public limited companies | Can offer shares to the public; must have "PLC" suffix |
Limited liability partnership (LLP) | Hybrid structure combining partnership flexibility with limited liability |
Limited partnerships | Partners with both limited and general liability |
Community interest companies | Designed for social enterprises |
Overseas entities | Foreign companies with a UK establishment |
Company registration requires a unique name for each business. At least one director and one shareholder is required to register a company. The Articles of Association outline the rules for running the company, and the Memorandum of Association is a legal statement by initial shareholders confirming their intention to form the company. Form IN01 is the main application for company registration in the UK.
Sole traders, ordinary partnerships, and some regulated entities are not registered at Companies House. They instead register with hm revenue & Customs or sector-specific regulators. The registration process for a private limited company is generally completed online, and companies can receive a certificate of incorporation within 24 hours when filing electronically.
What Company Information is on the Register?
Companies House provides free access to company information through its online register, and this data is accessed over 16.3 billion times per year by users including investors, journalists, suppliers, and regulators.
Companies House holds comprehensive public records for all limited companies. The key data points available include:
Company number and full company name
Date of incorporation
Registered office address
Company status (active, dissolved, or in liquidation)
Directors and secretaries
People with significant control
Filing history, including accounts and confirmation statements
SIC codes, which classify the nature of a business's operations
Mortgages and charges, which indicate financial obligations secured against a company's assets
Financial records and filing history are publicly available in Companies House. Companies House provides information about directors and company performance, allowing stakeholders to verify a business's legal identity through the register.
Certain sensitive personal details such as full dates of birth and residential addresses are protected or partially suppressed on the public register to balance transparency with privacy.
Offices and Jurisdictions: Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast
Companies House operates through three main offices, each covering a specific UK jurisdiction under the Companies Act. The london office and walk-in public counters (including in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast) were closed permanently in July 2022, with services now delivered primarily online or by post where necessary.
A company must have a registered office address in the UK, specifically within the jurisdiction where it is registered.
Cardiff Office
The Registrar of Companies for England and Wales is based at the cardiff office and has overall responsibility for most UK company records. This office handles new incorporations for England and Wales, records changes to company details, manages applications to dissolve limited companies, and processes striking-off actions.
The Cardiff office plays a central role in implementing new legislative changes, including identity verification and expanded enforcement powers. While physical counter services have ended, the office still handles postal filings for documents that cannot yet be filed online.
Edinburgh Office
The Registrar of Companies for Scotland is based at the Edinburgh office, overseeing companies whose registered office is in Scotland. The office processes Scottish incorporations, company changes, and dissolutions while maintaining alignment with specific Scottish legal requirements.
Scottish companies remain searchable on the same unified online register alongside England, Wales, and Northern Ireland companies. The Edinburgh office contributes guidance tailored for companies operating under Scottish company law nuances, and companies are clearly identified with an "SC" prefix.
Belfast Office
The Registrar for northern ireland is based at the Belfast office. It handles incorporations, dissolutions, and amendments for companies with a registered office in Northern Ireland. These companies appear on the main Companies House search portal, identified by an "NI" prefix.
The Belfast office works with local agencies and the insolvency service in Northern Ireland on enforcement and economic crime matters, maintaining the separate register that reflects Northern Ireland company regulations.
Digital Services: Sign In, One Login and WebFiling
Nearly all interaction with Companies House is now digital. Companies House allows online document filing for businesses, and users sign in to services using GOV.UK one login, a single account that will eventually work across multiple government departments.
The webfiling service is the primary tool for managing a private company limited by shares. Through it, directors and agents can file confirmation statements, annual accounts, and changes to company details such as director appointments, registered office moves, and share allotments.
Some specific processes, such as filing a charge (mortgage) document, still use a separate sign-in process and should not yet be linked to GOV.UK one login. Accurate login details and email addresses are vital for secure access and for receiving important alerts about company filings and deadlines.
If you're running a business, make sure your webfiling service details are current. Missing a deadline because of an outdated email address is entirely avoidable.
Identity Verification and People with Significant Control
Identity verification for company directors becomes mandatory on 18 November 2025. This applies to both new and existing directors, as well as people with significant control. The Economic Crime Act 2023 mandates identity verification for directors as part of a broader strategy to improve the accuracy of the register and prevent fraud.
A person with significant control is typically someone who owns more than 25% of shares or voting rights in a company, or who otherwise exercises significant control over its affairs. Inaccurate information can lead to increased fraud risk, which is precisely why these reforms exist.
Companies House updates the register to ensure accurate information, and the verification requirement is designed to make it harder to misuse companies for economic crime such as money laundering. Over one million individuals have already voluntarily completed verification ahead of the deadline, receiving their personal codes. An estimated six to seven million people will ultimately need to verify their identity.
Available routes for verification include:
Directly through Companies House online systems using GOV.UK one login
Via an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP) such as a regulated accountant or solicitor
In-person checks at Post Office counters for those who cannot use digital id documents
Failing to complete verification within set deadlines can lead to restrictions on filing, fines, and public annotation on the register. However, prior decisions made by unverified directors are not automatically invalidated.
Using Third Party Providers (ACSPs)
An authorised corporate service provider acts as an intermediary who can perform identity checks on behalf of directors and PSCs using approved methods. Registration for ACSPs opened on 18 March 2025, and these providers must be supervised for anti-money laundering purposes. They handle roles separately from the individual's direct verification route.
Using an ACSP can simplify the process, particularly for overseas directors or those with complex corporate structures who may not have standard UK id documents. Companies planning incorporations after November 2025 should decide early whether to verify directly or through an ACSP to avoid registration delays.
ACSPs follow strict rules on record-keeping and reporting, and they must meet ongoing compliance obligations set by Companies House and their relevant supervisory body.
Corporate Transparency, Economic Crime and the Insolvency Service
Companies House's evolving role is part of a broader government campaign to increase corporate transparency and clamp down on economic crime. The corporate transparency act reforms give Companies House new powers to analyse register data more actively, with intelligence analysts identifying suspicious patterns and potential misuse.
Companies House collaborates with the insolvency service, law enforcement, and other agencies to investigate fraudulent or abusive corporate behaviour. These reforms are influenced by international transparency standards and by debates around legislation in other jurisdictions.
The strategy for 2025–2030 focuses on three pillars:
Building trust in companies house register data
Cracking down on economic crime and fraud
Supporting growth in the UK business environment
Companies House processes around 14.7 million filings per year, with approximately 91.5% processed digitally. The goal is to ensure that companies house register matches reality, giving confidence to users who rely on this data for due diligence, trade, and regulatory approval.
The corporation tax service and related tax obligations remain with hm revenue & Customs, but accurate register data supports effective cross-agency enforcement. Reports from Companies House feed into wider government audit and intelligence operations.
Practical Services: Search, Follow, Certificates and More
Beyond incorporation, Companies House provides a range of everyday services to businesses, professionals, and members of the public.
Free search: Look up any company by name, number, or officer name and view core company information, filings, and status. Companies House provides free access to company information with no registration required.
Follow service: Users can sign up for free email alerts when a chosen company files new documents or changes details. You can contact Companies House for help with this service.
Certificates: Certified copies of documents and certificates of incorporation, good standing, or name change can be ordered for legal, banking, or due diligence purposes.
Welsh language service: Companies House offers a Welsh language service for businesses, including bilingual forms and communication for eligible welsh companies and LLPs with a registered office in Wales.
These tools allow investors, partners, regulators, and the general public to search and verify details about any registered entity. The data available helps protect against fraud, supports due diligence, and keeps the uk business register transparent.
Companies House registers over 4 million UK companies and maintaining this volume of records requires robust systems with service availability at 99.98% and customer satisfaction around 81%.
FAQs about Companies House
Here are answers to common questions not fully covered in the main article.
Do I have to register as a sole trader with Companies House?
No. Sole traders and ordinary partnerships do not register with Companies House. They must instead register for tax with hm revenue & Customs. You only need Companies House if you later decide to incorporate a limited company or LLP.
Is Companies House the same as HM Revenue & Customs?
They are entirely separate bodies. Companies House deals with incorporation, the public register, and company information. HM Revenue & Customs handles the corporation tax service, PAYE, VAT, and related tax matters. A company will typically need to interact with both, but they operate independently.
Can I still file documents on paper instead of online?
Most filings can and should be done via the webfiling service or other online services, but some specific forms and exceptional cases still allow postal submissions. Documents are sent by post to the relevant Cardiff, Edinburgh, or Belfast office. The date of receipt determines your filing date, so allow for postal delays.
Do I need a UK address to register a limited company?
A company must have a registered office address in the relevant UK jurisdiction, but directors and shareholders can be based overseas. Many businesses use a professional registered office provider if they do not have a suitable physical address in England and Wales, Scotland, or northern ireland.
What happens if my company misses a filing deadline?
Failing to file accounts or a confirmation statement on time can lead to late filing penalties, personal liability for directors, and ultimately strike-off from the register. Directors should monitor deadlines via the webfiling service or the "Follow" service and contact Companies House promptly if they believe there is an error or exceptional circumstance. Staying on top of your filing obligations is one of the simplest ways to protect your company's standing on the register.
