Register of People with Significant Control Regulations 2016
What this means for your business
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 18 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
What you must do
18 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Management duties 3
Consider addressee's incapacity when judging non‑compliance with PSC notice
If your company receives a People with Significant Control notice and the person it’s addressed to does not comply, you must look at any incapacity (e.g., illness, disability) they may have before deciding whether that failure is a valid reason. This ensures you don’t automatically treat the breach as non‑compliant without considering personal circumstances.
Include required details in a PSC warning notice
If your company has to send a warning notice to a person with significant control because they haven’t complied with an earlier PSC notice, you must make sure the warning notice contains specific information – the date it’s given, a copy of the original notice, details of the relevant shares or rights, a statement that you’ll consider reasons for non‑compliance, an explanation of what a restrictions notice does, and a warning that certain actions may be criminal offences.
Keep secured PSC information confidential unless allowed
If a person has made an application under regulation 36, 37 or 38 and your company has not received the required notification, you must not use or share that person’s secured information. You may only do so to talk to the person, to meet filing duties, with their consent, or for AML compliance. The information is treated as if it isn’t in your PSC register for the relevant sections of the Act.
Notifications 4
Ensure a restrictions notice contains all required details
If your company issues a restrictions notice (a notice that limits how a person can hold shares or interests after an earlier warning notice), you must include a list of specific items. This is a practical, day‑to‑day requirement whenever you send such a notice. The notice must state the date, attach the warning notice, identify the relevant interest, explain its effect, say that certain acts may be offences, and advise that a person can apply to court for a lifting order.
Issue withdrawal notice to remove share restrictions
If your company has issued a restrictions notice on a share or other right and the law later requires that notice to be withdrawn, you must send a withdrawal notice within 14 days. The notice must state the date it is sent, clearly identify the share or right concerned, and confirm that the interest is no longer subject to any restriction.
Notify Companies House when PSC information changes
If you become aware that any information you previously supplied about persons with significant control (PSC) is no longer correct, you must inform Companies House. You need to state what is wrong and the date you first knew it, and you must do this within 14 days.
Notify your company (or subscriber) if you withdraw a PSC application
If you have asked the registrar to act on an application under regulation 36, 37 or 38 and later decide you no longer want that action, you can withdraw the request in writing. You must also tell the company (or the subscriber who made the request) as soon as reasonably practicable.
Record keeping 5
Record late compliance of a PSC notice in the PSC register
If your company receives a notice under sections 790D or 790E and you comply with it after the deadline, you must make a note of this in your People with Significant Control (PSC) register. The entry must state that the notice was complied late and give the exact date of compliance.
Record non‑compliance with PSC notice in the PSC register
If you have served a PSC notice under section 790E and the person you notified does not comply by the deadline, you must add a note to their entry in your company's People with Significant Control (PSC) register stating that they failed to comply. This keeps the register accurate and shows you have acted on the breach.
Record restrictions notice details in your PSC register
If your company issues a restrictions notice, you must add a note about it in your People with Significant Control (PSC) register, and also note any people you could not identify. When you later withdraw the notice or a court lifts the restriction, you must also record those events and the dates they took effect.
Record unidentified registrable persons in your PSC register
If you run a company and you know (or have reasonable cause to think) there is a person who should be listed on your Persons with Significant Control (PSC) register but you cannot identify them, you must still make a note of this in the register. You also need a separate entry for each such unidentified person.
Update PSC register when additional matters cease to be true
If your company has recorded any of the extra PSC details required by regulations 10‑13, you must go back to the PSC register as soon as any of those details stop being correct. You need to note that the detail has ended and record the exact date it ended.
Registration and licensing 4
Record non‑compliant PSC notices in the PSC register
If your company has sent a People with Significant Control (PSC) notice under section 790D and the recipient does not comply by the deadline, you must add a note to your PSC register showing that the notice was sent and not complied with. You need a separate entry for each unanswered notice.
Record that no PSC is identified in your PSC register
If you believe your company has no Person with Significant Control, you still must add a note to your PSC register stating that you know or have reasonable cause to believe there is no registrable person. This keeps the register up‑to‑date and shows you have considered the requirement.
Record that PSC investigation is still ongoing
If your company is still checking whether anyone holds significant control and you haven’t yet entered any PSC details, you must add a note to your People with Significant Control (PSC) register stating that the investigation is not yet complete. This lets Companies House know you are still looking for any registrable persons.
Record unidentified or unconfirmed PSC details in the register
If you have discovered a person who may have significant control of your company but you cannot confirm all of their details, you must note this in your People with Significant Control (PSC) register. You also need a separate entry for each person you cannot identify at all. This keeps the register accurate and compliant.
Reporting and filing 2
Notify registrar of any changes to your application information
If you apply to have a person's residential address kept private from credit reference agencies, you must promptly inform the registrar in writing of any change to the details or evidence you supplied. This ensures the register stays accurate and up‑to‑date.
Notify the registrar of any changes to your application information
If your company (or you as an individual) has made an application under regulation 36, 37 or 38 to protect a person's secured information, you must tell Companies House in writing as soon as you become aware of any change to the information or evidence you originally supplied. The notification must be prompt and in writing.
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sections and provisions
51 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 21
- s.9 Additional matters to be noted in a PSC register the company
- s.10 Additional matters where there is no registrable person or registrable relevant legal entity The company
- s.11 Additional matters where there is an unidentified registrable person
- s.12 Additional matters where an identified registrable person's particulars are not confirmed
- s.13 Additional matters where a company's investigations are ongoing The company
- s.14 Additional matters where there is a failure to comply with a notice given under section 790D of the Act
- s.15 Additional matters where there is a failure to comply with a notice given under section 790E of the Act The company
- s.16 Additional matters where a notice given under section 790D or section 790E of the Act is complied with after the time specified in the notice The company
- s.17 Additional matters where a company has issued a restrictions notice the company
- s.18 Content of a warning notice by reference
- s.19 Content of a restrictions notice by reference
- s.20 Failure to comply with a section 790D , 790DA, 790E or 790EA notice: valid reason
- s.21 Withdrawal of a restrictions notice is required
- s.28 Matters relating to an application made under regulation 25, 26 or 27 question relating
- s.33 Circumstances where the registrar must omit secured information from material on the register available for public inspection the registrar
- s.39 Matters relating to an application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38 question relating
- s.40 Withdrawal of an application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38 that person
- s.42 Unsuccessful determination made under regulation 36, 37 or 38 the registrar
- s.45 Protection by a company of secured information a company
- s.49 Review
- ... and 1 more duties
Offences and penalties 3
Powers 7
- s.26 Application by a company requiring the registrar to refrain from disclosing an individual's usual residential address information to a credit reference agency
- s.27 Application by a subscriber to a memorandum of association requiring the registrar to refrain from disclosing an individual's usual residential address information to a credit reference agency
- s.30 Appealing against a determination made under regulation 25, 26 or 27
- s.36 Application by an individual requiring the registrar to refrain from using or disclosing that individual's secured information
- s.37 Application by a company requiring the registrar to refrain from using or disclosing an individual's secured information
- s.38 Application by a subscriber to a memorandum of association requiring the registrar to refrain from using or disclosing an individual's secured information
- s.41 Appealing against an unsuccessful application made under regulation 36, 37 or 38
Definitions 6
- Schedule 2 PARTICULARS REQUIRED AS TO NATURE OF CONTROL
- s.6 Fee for a copy of a company's PSC register
- s.7 Particulars required as to nature of control
- s.8 Characteristics of a foreign limited partner
- s.25 Application by an individual requiring the registrar to refrain from disclosing that individual's usual residential address information to a credit reference agency the 1907 Act corporate managing officer eligible Scottish partnership
- s.47 Transitional provision for the purpose of section 790K