How Do I Add New Shares or Shareholders to My UK Limited Company?

Adding shares means filing form SH01 with Companies House, free of charge, either directly or through your account with us. Adding a new shareholder involves company minutes, a share certificate, and eventually a Confirmation Statement to bring Companies House up to date.

Key Takeaways

• Adding shares is done using form SH01, "Return of allotment of shares," filed with Companies House at no cost.
• If your company is with us, this can be filed online, typically accepted within a few working hours.
• Adding a shareholder itself doesn't need a separate Companies House filing at the time, just internal records and a share certificate.
• Companies House only learns about new shareholders through your Confirmation Statement, either at your next due date or filed early.
• If a new shareholder ends up holding more than 25% of the company, they may become a Person with Significant Control, which comes with its own reporting and identity verification requirements.

How Do I Add New Shares?

File form SH01, "Return of allotment of shares," with Companies House. There's no fee for this, and the form records how many shares are being added, their value, and the share type.

If your company is set up with us, you can do this directly through your account:

1. Select "Return of Allotment of Shares" from your company admin page.
2. Enter the number of shares you wish to add and select "Submit."
3. The request is sent to Companies House, typically accepted within a few working hours.

If you're filing by paper instead, processing usually takes around 5 days from when Companies House receives the document.

How Do I Add a New Shareholder?

Adding a shareholder itself doesn't require an immediate Companies House filing. It's handled through your company's own records first, then reflected on the public register later through your Confirmation Statement.

1. Record the share issue through company minutes or a written resolution, kept for your company's own records.
2. Draw up a share certificate for the new shareholder, showing how many shares they hold. This also stays with your company records rather than being filed anywhere.

What if a Shareholder Is Receiving Shares From an Existing Shareholder, Not New Ones?

Use a J30 stock transfer form instead. This records who the shares are transferring between and how many are involved, and like the steps above, it's kept for your company's records rather than filed with Companies House directly.

You'll also want to record the transfer through company minutes or a written resolution, and issue new share certificates reflecting the change. Our full guide to the J30 Stock Transfer Form covers this process, including stamp duty, in more depth.

How Do I Let Companies House Know About New Shareholders?

Through your Confirmation Statement. There's no separate form for this, and it's the only way new shareholders or share transfers actually reach the public register.

You can wait until your next Confirmation Statement is due, or file one early if you'd rather have the update reflected sooner. As of February 2026, filing costs £50 for digital submission or £110 for paper. Our guide to PSCs and the Confirmation Statement covers this filing, and what's changed with it recently, in full.

Could a New Shareholder Affect My PSC Register?

Yes, if they end up holding more than 25% of the company's shares or voting rights. This can make them a Person with Significant Control, which needs to be reflected on your PSC register and reported through your Confirmation Statement.

Since November 2025, PSCs also need to verify their identity with Companies House, so adding a shareholder who crosses this threshold can bring that requirement along with it.

FAQs

How do I add new shares to my company?

File form SH01 with Companies House, free of charge, either directly or through your formation agent's account if you have one.

Do I need to file anything with Companies House when I add a new shareholder?

Not immediately. It's recorded through your company's own minutes and a share certificate first, then reported to Companies House through your Confirmation Statement.

How is transferring existing shares different from issuing new ones?

A transfer uses a J30 stock transfer form rather than the SH01 form used for new shares, since it's moving existing shares between people rather than creating new ones.

How much does it cost to file a Confirmation Statement?

As of February 2026, £50 for digital filing or £110 for paper filing.

Can adding a shareholder affect my company's PSC register?

Yes, if they end up holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, which may also trigger identity verification requirements for them.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Companies House processes and fees can change, so it's worth checking current guidance on GOV.UK or Companies House before relying on the details above.