Your company needs a name.
If you're creating a private limited company (whether limited by shares or guarantee), the name needs to end in "limited", "ltd", or if your company will be registered with its registered office in Wales, you can choose the Welsh equivalent "cyfyngedig".
Public companies must have their names end "plc", "public limited company", or in Wales, "cwmni cyfyngedig cyhoeddus" or "ccc".
Unlimited companies do not need to have their name in any particular form. In addition, certain companies limited by guarantee may apply for permission to omit "limited" from their names.
You cannot use a name that already exists in the register. Companies House keeps all names in capital letters, so it does not matter how you capitalise your company's name.
The following words may not be used without permission:
Your company must have a registered office.
Your company's registered office must be in the UK. Slightly different laws and regulations will apply to your company depending on where the registered office is situated within the UK. You should note that your company's registered office may not ever be moved outside of the country within the UK where it was first registered.
The registered office will be the place to which official documents may be served on the company. You should pick an address from which the directors can collect post regularly.
The country within the UK in which your company's registered office will be located.
Slightly different rules will apply to your company, depending on where it is registered. For the purpose of this incorporation process, the only material difference is that companies registered in Wales may choose an entirely Welsh language name (and so use "cyfyngedig" in place of "limited").
A private company limited by shares is the usual form for a company conducting a business.
A private company limited by guarantee is more usual for charities, clubs, and non-profit organisations. They do not have a share capital.
Public companies can offer shares to the public in certain circumstances. They must meet certain requirements, including:
The members (shareholders) of unlimited companies are liable for the debts of the company in a winding up, without limit. Accordingly, they are very uncommon.
Your company's articles define its constitution.
Model articles are a "default" option prescribed by law. The currently in force model articles are flexible enough for most companies that are to be run in the usual way.
Model articles with amendments means that your company uses the model articles but for amendments which you specify here.
Entirely bespoke articles are just that. You may specify what you like in them. You are free to base them on the model articles if you wish.
Normally, a company is free to change its articles at any time, usually by resolution of the members.
This must be ticked if your company's articles contain provisions restricting the circumstances under which they can be changed.
Model articles are not restricted, so you cannot select this if you are using model articles.
Your company must have at least one director, and at least one director must be an individual (rather than company or other corporate body). If you want more than one director, just press the "Add another director" button to add more directors (or company secretaries).
Directors manage the company and its affairs. Your company must have at least one.
Company secretaries have the authority to file certain documents on behalf of the company, and are usually responsible for technical aspects of company administation. You do not need to have one, and it is common not to appoint a company secretary.
The generic term for a director or company secretary is "officer", which is why we have used it in this form.
You must specify whether the officer is an individual, or a corporate body. If it is a corporate body, you must say whether it is incorporated in the EEA or outside.
The EEA includes the UK, the rest of the EU, and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. If your intended officer is corporate body, but is not incorporated in any of those countries, then select "incorporated outside the EEA".
The officer's given name(s). That is, their names other than their family name.
John Sebastian Smith would write "John Sebastian" here. For names from cultures where the family name is written first (like Soros Gyorgy or Mao Zedong), do not write the first name here.
The officer's family name(s).
John Sebastian Smith would write "Smith" here; For names from cultures where the family name is written first (like Soros Gyorgy or Mao Zedong), write the first name here.
Address where the officer will accept official notices by post. This will be shown publicly.
If the officer is a corporate body, it might be sensible to enter their registered office, but it is not required.
For example, a Swiss company might be a "Societe Anonyme".
You have selected a company limited by guarantee. It does not have shares. Instead each member guarantees to contribute a specific amount in case the company is insolvent when it is wound up.
Please enter the amount which each member promises to pay in case of an insolvent winding up.
Please enter the member's full name.
This box is used for for the member's name whether the member is an individual or a corporate body.
Please enter the member's address.
This does not have to be their residential address. It will be shown publicly.
If you wish to upload a complete set of articles, or a set of amendments to the model articles, you can select the file here.
You may also specify amendments on this form - use the add amendment button.
If your articles contain restrictions on changing them later, you must select restricted articles (right).
You may upload your document in the following formats:
Use this button to add an amendment to the model articles
Please specify an email address for this officer. We need to email them so they can confirm their consent to act. They will also be able to log in to manage the company online (unless you have this disabled).
In case this officer is a company, please give the email for a person authorised to act on its behalf, such as a director.
Please specify an email address for this member. We need to email them so they can confirm their consent to subscribe as a member. They will also be able to log in to vote on any vote conducted online (unless you have this disabled).
In case this member is a company, please give the email for a person authorised to act on its behalf, such as a director.
Please tell us whether this member will be an individual or a corporate body.
This information will help us send an appropriate and informative email to the given email address, so they can indicate their consent to be a member, and make use of the other features to manage the company online.