What Documents Do I Need To Set Up a Limited Company in the UK?

You must supply a few documents to Companies House during the incorporation process. These documents show the company house who will run your company, what your business will do and how it will function.

With an online application, your progress will be stopped unless you have these details ready to upload. Therefore, it's best to have your documents ready so you can start your business journey without delays.

Our blog will take you through every document you need to have ready before you form a limited company in the UK.

For the purpose of this blog, we will be focusing on a Limited by Shares company. If you are looking to start a Limited by Guarantee company, the documents you need are very similar, except you do not need shares or a shareholder. 

Key Takeaways

• You need proof of ID and address for the person setting up the company, any directors, and Persons with Significant Control (PSC). The ID must be government-issued, in date, and contain a photo.
• You must have your company name, registered office address, and business activity (SIC code) ready before forming your company. The registered office must be in the UK, and PO boxes are not acceptable.
• At least one director is required to form a company. You will need the director’s full name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, and residential address. This address is not publicly visible, whereas their service address is.
• Your company must have at least one shareholder. You'll need their full name, address, share currency, and share class. The shareholder can also be the director.
• A memorandum and articles of association (M&As) are required. The memorandum is a legal document signed by the shareholders, and the articles set out the company's operating rules. These documents must be signed by both directors and shareholders.
• If you’re appointing a corporate director, additional information is required, including the company's name, registration number, and country of registration. For their ID check you require their incorporation certificate as well as a register of beneficial owners. You cannot appoint a corporate officer as the sole director.
• Many businesses use standard templates for M&As, but you can customise them. If you choose to write your own, it’s advised to consult a professional to avoid delays or rejections in the application.

Proof of ID 

If you are forming your company through us or any company formation agent, you need to have a valid ID and proof of address. This means your ID must be government-issued, in date, and have a photo of you.

Who needs to provide proof of ID? 

We’ll need an ID from the person setting up the company which is the account holder. We will also need proof of ID for any directors, whether they are a person or a company, Finally, any Persons with Significant Control (PSC) will need to provide an ID. This is anyone who owns more than 25% of your company or LLP. In most cases, the account holder, director and PSC are likely one person- you.

Make sure you have the right ID ready and you’ll sail through the ID process.

Company Details 

You must have your company name, its ‘official address’, and business activity ready before you form your company.

Company Name

There are some specific rules when it comes to naming your company. You can not use certain words which are deemed to be sensitive. Secondly, the name must be available for use, which means it can not be the same as an existing company.

An easy way to see if your name is available is by using our company name checker.

Company Address

Your company must have an ‘official’ address, known as the ‘registered office address’. This address does not have to be where you trade from, but simply where you are based. This address is available on Companies House’s public register, which is why it's not always best to use your home address. Even if you are a home-based business.

You can use any address as your registered office as long as it is based in the UK or Northern Ireland, and there is someone there to acknowledge your post. So you can not use a PO box.

Many business owners opt for a registered office service. A registered office service allows them to meet the company address requirements without putting their residential address on a public register or paying for a rented office.

Business Activity

Finally, you must have a SIC code(s) prepared for the application. A SIC (standard industrial classification) code tells Companies House what the nature of your business is. If you don’t know what SIC code your company may use, you can find it by using Companies House’s SIC code list.

Details for your Director and Secretary 

You need at least one director to start a company, but a secretary is completely optional. In order to appoint a director and a secretary you’ll need the following information ready for both. 

• 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)

Remember, you can be a UK company director regardless of your nationality but your service address must be UK-based.

You can use your registered office address as your director’s service address. However. If you are using a registered office service, make sure you are allowed to use the address for service address use too. With Companies MadeSimple your director’s service address is included in our registered office service.

If you want to appoint a company as your director, you’ll need to provide the following information: 

• 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 

If you appoint a corporate director, you must provide one human director as well. A company can not be your sole director.

Share Capital and Shareholder Details 

You must have one shareholder, but there is no limit on the maximum number. Your shareholder can also be your director.

To appoint a shareholder you need the following information:

• Full Name
• 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.

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

Memorandum & Articles (M&As)

Finally, the last documents you need to have prepared before forming your company are your M&As.

A memorandum is a legal document signed by all the shareholders agreeing to form the company. An Article of Association is the written rules on how the company is run, this is signed by the directors and the shareholders.

You’ll need to have both documents prepared and signed by your director and shareholders. Most business owners opt for a template or pre-written M&As as a general one that will cover most companies. However, you can customise M&As to suit your specific needs.

If you form a company with us we can provide you with general M&As to make the formation process as pain-free as possible.

If you choose to draw up your own M&As make sure to consult a business advisor, accountant or solicitor. Incorrect M&As can result in your application and company formation being rejected and delayed.

Start your company today

So there you have it, that’s everything you need to prepare before forming a company. It’s important to make sure your details and documents are correct and ready to go, to ensure your company formation process is fast and pain-free!

Once you’ve prepared your documents, head over to our company name checker- we can help you search your name’s availability and start the company formation process today!

FAQs

What documents do I need to form a limited company in the UK?

To set up a limited company in the UK, you need to provide proof of ID and address for the company’s directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSC). Additionally, you will need to provide details such as the company name, registered office address, business activity (SIC code), and the memorandum and articles of association.

What is proof of ID, and who needs to provide it?

Proof of ID is a government-issued document, such as a passport, driver’s licence, or national ID card, which must be valid and contain a photo. This is required from the person setting up the company, any directors, and any Persons with Significant Control (PSC), typically those owning over 25% of the company.

Do I need to provide a registered office address for my company?

Yes, every company must have a registered office address in the UK or Northern Ireland. This address is publicly available on the Companies House register. It does not need to be where you operate your business, but it must be a physical address (not a PO box) capable of receiving official communications.

Can I use my home address as the registered office address?

Yes, you can use your home address as your registered office, but it will be visible on the public Companies House register. Many business owners choose a registered office service to maintain privacy while meeting the legal requirements.

What is a SIC code, and why do I need one?

A SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) code defines your company’s business activity. You must select the appropriate SIC code during the company formation process to describe what your business does. You can find a list of SIC codes on the Companies House website.

What details do I need to provide for a company director?

You’ll need to provide the director's full name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, country of residence, and residential address. The residential address is not public but must be supplied to Companies House.

What are the memorandum and articles of association (M&As)?

The memorandum is a legal document signed by the shareholders to agree to form the company. The articles of association are the rules that govern how the company will operate. Both documents must be signed by the director and shareholders and are required when setting up a company.

Do I need a company secretary to form a limited company?

No, appointing a company secretary is optional when forming a limited company. However, you do need at least one director, and their details must be provided during the formation process.