Regulator profile

Companies House

Enforcement Regulator UK-wide

What Companies House does

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

Company LawFiling RequirementsIncorporation

Contact Companies House

Official guidance from Companies House

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

Set up a limited company (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Audit exemptions (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Running a limited company - accounts (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Apply to strike off and dissolve (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Choosing a company name (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Get information about a company (Companies House) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Paying yourself from a limited company (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Register for Corporation Tax (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

View all 64 guidance documents (opens in a new tab)

Legislation that Companies House directly enforces.

Primary legislation

Limited Partnerships Act 1907 Limited Partnerships Act 1907 Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 Insolvency Act 1986 Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 Companies Act 2006 DA 2015 SBEEA 2015 Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023

Secondary legislation

Limited Liability Partnerships Regulations 2001 European Public Limited-Liability Company (Registration) (Great Britain) Regulations 2004 Companies (Late Filing Penalties) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Filing Periods and Late Filing Penalties) Regulations 2008 Small Companies and Groups (Accounts and Directors' Report) Regulations 2008 The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 Companies (Disclosure of Address) Regulations 2009 Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 The Registrar of Companies and Applications for Striking Off Regulations 2009 The Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009

… and 8 more statutory instruments.

Legislation connected to Companies House’s remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.

Administered / monitored

Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 8, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2008 UK Statutory Instrument Companies (Model Articles) Regulations 2008 UK Statutory Instrument Company Names Adjudicator Rules 2008 UK Statutory Instrument Registrar of Companies (Fees) (Companies, Overseas Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships) Regulations 2012 UK Statutory Instrument The Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018 UK Statutory Instrument Registrar of Companies (Fees) (Limited Partnerships and Business Names) Regulations 2023 UK Statutory Instrument The Registrar of Companies (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 UK Statutory Instrument

Referenced in enforcement

Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 UK Statutory Instrument Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 UK Act of Parliament The Insolvency Act 1986 (Prescribed Part) (Amendment) Order 2020 UK Statutory Instrument

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