Registering your company with Companies House.
Names, addresses, identity checks, SIC codes, documents and formation packages — every decision on the application, explained.
15 guides · 195 minutes of reading · Linked to official sources
Most of the legal choices in a company formation are made on the application itself. Getting names, public addresses, share details and PSC information right first time avoids costly corrections later.
Use these guides to compare direct registration with formation agents, understand what package extras actually include and complete identity verification correctly.
- How much does it really cost to form a company?
- What address will appear on the public register?
- How does Companies House identity verification work?
- Is a formation agent worth it?
All registration guides.
How to choose and check a limited company name
Check name availability, sensitive words, trade marks and trading names before registering your company.
Registered office and address privacy: what becomes public?
Understand registered offices, service addresses, home address privacy and what to check before buying an address service.
Directors, shareholders and PSCs explained
Understand who runs a company, who owns it, how shares work and when people with significant control must be disclosed.
Companies House identity verification: directors and PSCs
Learn who must verify, what a personal code does and why directors and PSCs have separate role-linking requirements.
SIC codes: choosing the right business activity
Find the Companies House classification that describes what your company does, including multiple activities and later changes.
Company formation documents: what each one means
Understand the certificate, memorandum, articles, capital statement and the different codes you receive after incorporation.
Online company formation: every important application choice explained
A field-by-field guide to company type, jurisdiction, names, addresses, directors, shares, PSCs, articles, SIC codes and optional formation services.
Share capital, nominal value and share classes explained
A practical guide to UK limited company share capital, nominal value, and share classes. Learn how to set up, issue, and manage shares for your business.
Articles of association: model articles versus bespoke articles
A practical guide for UK companies on choosing between standard model articles of association and custom bespoke articles. Understand the pros, cons, and costs.
Shareholders' agreements: what co-founders should settle in writing
A practical guide for UK co-founders on creating a shareholders' agreement. Learn what to include, from roles and equity to leaver provisions and disputes.
Setting up a subsidiary: ownership, funding and group responsibilities
Plan a new subsidiary’s share ownership, board, contracts, funding, PSC reporting and ongoing records without confusing it with a branch.
Changing a limited company’s name: approval, filing and rebranding
Follow the legal name-change process, distinguish a trading name and coordinate bank, customer and tax records after registration.
Changing your registered office: filing, mail and address privacy
Move the registered office without losing official post, confusing service addresses or assuming old public records disappear.
Trade marks and brand protection for a new company
Understand how a registered company name differs from a trade mark, what UKIPO registration costs and how to search, apply and defend a brand.
Tide company formation: a step-by-step walkthrough
How to form a UK limited company through Tide for £14.99 including the Companies House fee, from choosing a name to opening your business account.