UK Act of Parliament 1986 United Kingdom

Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

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At a glance

What's here

12 compliance obligations, 6 practical guides across 3 topics · 5 journeys

Penalty landscape

2 of 12 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 1 carries different penalties and 9 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Director or Officer 5
  • Any Person 4

Plus 3 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

3 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

2 guides

Mentioned in related content

1 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Schedules

Browse 4 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.008

Disqualification following winding up under s.85 of Finance Act 2022

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Courts must disqualify directors of wound-up tax avoidance promoters Tribunal / Court
s.009

Competition disqualification order

  • Avoid competition law breaches to prevent director disqualification Director or Officer
s.011

Undischarged bankrupts.

2 years imprisonment
  • Act as a director while bankrupt or under debt restrictions Any Person
s.011

Designated persons under sanctions legislation

2 years imprisonment
  • Acting as a director while subject to sanctions Director or Officer
s.012

Northern Irish disqualification orders.

  • Do not act as a director or manager if disqualified in Northern Ireland Director or Officer
s.012

Northern Irish disqualification undertakings

  • Comply with Northern Irish disqualification undertakings Director or Officer
Browse 50 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.001

Disqualification undertakings: general.

s.005

Disqualification for certain convictions abroad

s.007

Office-holder's report on conduct of directors

s.008

Variation etc. of disqualification undertaking.

s.008

Order disqualifying person instructing unfit director ...

s.008

Application for order under section 8ZA

s.008

Disqualification undertaking instead of an order under section 8ZA

s.008

Order disqualifying person instructing unfit director: other cases

s.008

Disqualification undertaking instead of an order under section 8ZD

s.008

Disqualification on finding of unfitness: promoters of tax avoidance

s.009

Competition undertakings

s.009

Competition investigations

s.009

Co-ordination

s.009

Interpretation

s.012

Determining unfitness etc : matters to be taken into account

s.015

Compensation orders and undertakings

s.015

Amounts payable under compensation orders and undertakings

s.015

Variation and revocation of compensation undertakings

s.020

Legal professional privilege

s.021

Bank insolvency

s.021

Bank administration

s.021

Building society insolvency and special administration

s.022

Application of Act to building societies.

s.022

Application of Act to incorporated friendly societies.

s.022

Application of Act to NHS foundation trusts

s.022

Application of Act to open-ended investment companies

s.022

Application of Act to registered societies

s.022

Application of Act to charitable incorporated organisations

s.022

Application of Act to further education bodies

s.022

Application of Act to protected cell companies

s.022

Power to amend application of Act in relation to relevant entities

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Companies House

Primary

Registration and regulation of UK companies. Maintains the public register of companies, enforces filing requirements for annual accounts and confirmation statements. Gateway …

FRC

Financial Reporting Council

Regulates auditors, accountants, and actuaries. Sets UK Corporate Governance Code and Stewardship Code. Monitors corporate reporting and audit quality. Planned to become …

Insolvency Service

The Insolvency Service

Administers compulsory company liquidations and personal bankruptcies. Investigates director misconduct and can seek disqualification orders. Manages redundancy payments from the National Insurance …

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Regulators

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