Frequently asked questions

When will I get confirmation of my new company formation?

We will typically register your new company within three to six hours of you submitting your online application. This turnaround time is dependent on how busy Companies House is on that day. If you want to register your company urgently, we offer a guaranteed same-day formation service, as long as you submit your order before 14:00 GMT. You will receive the official paperwork via email as soon as your company is registered at Companies House.

What information will I need to complete my company formation?

To register a company, you will first need to choose a unique company name. You'll also need to provide the full name, residential address, date of birth, nationality, business occupation, telephone number, town of birth and eye colour of each director and shareholder.

Can I use my home as the registered address for my new company?

You can use your home address, but we don't recommend it. Your home address will be publicly available for anyone, including marketing agencies and the general public, to view. That's why most companies prefer to use our registered office service, which gives you a prestigious London corporate address and allows you to hide your home address from the internet.

What is the eligibility for registering a UK company?

Any person above the age of 16 can set up a UK limited company. It is not mandatory for directors or shareholders to be UK residents, but the company’s registered address must be in the UK.

Do I need to appoint directors and secretaries for my new company?

Your company must have at least one director over the age of 16. Directors are legally responsible for running the company, filing accounts and submitting official paperwork. Another company can also be a director, but at least one of your directors must be a person. You are not legally required to appoint a company secretary for a private limited company, but some companies choose to do so.

As a director, do I have to publish my home address on the public record?

All directors must submit their residential address and a service address. Both the addresses can be the same or different. However, by choosing a different service address, you can keep your home address confidential and off the public record. Our director's address service allows directors to hide their residential address from the internet, marketing agencies and the general public.

Is the director's home address publicly available?

A director’s home address will be private, but their service address will be publicly available. When registering a company, a director must submit their home address and a service address. These can be the same, but in this case, as your service address, your residential address will be on the public record.

That’s why most company directors prefer to use our director’s address service, allowing them to hide their private address from the public.

What are the points to remember when registering a UK limited company?

1. Your company name should end with “Limited” or “LTD”
2. A minimum of one director and one shareholder should be appointed (one person can be both)
3. The directors and shareholders can be any nationality and reside anywhere in the world
4. The new company’s registered office address should be in the UK (our company formation packages include a registered office address in the UK as standard — even if you reside overseas)
5. The name and address of all appointments (directors and shareholders) should be submitted
6. The minimum share capital for a UK limited Company is £0.01; there is no maximum limit
7. The minimum number of shares to be issued is one (this is selected by default, assuming there is one director who is also the sole shareholder of the business)

You can register your UK limited company securely using our online registration system. After filling in our simple application form, you can review the information provided and save it before you submit it for review. Our formations experts will review (if you opt for pre-submission review) your application carefully before submitting it to Companies House for approval.

You can also benefit from the assistance of dedicated personal manager support. When you select this option (£19.99) at checkout, your allocated personal manager will connect with you to hold your hand and guide you through every step of your new company registration.

Once Companies House approves your submission, your company will be incorporated and we will send you all the documents of registration. Then, you can start trading! We will send you the following documents upon incorporation:

• Certificate of incorporation
• Share certificates
• Memorandum and articles of association
• An email copy of your company register with first entries

What address should I use to register my new company?

All companies are legally required to have a registered address in the UK. This must be a physical address in the UK and is where all official (Companies House and HMRC) communications will be sent. Your company address will be publicly available for anyone to view.

What are the advantages of registering a limited company in the UK?

The cost and speed of incorporating in the UK is much lower than in most other countries. It can take just a few hours to register a UK company. There are no minimum capital requirements and you do not need a lawyer, accountant, magistrate or notary to form a company.

Do I have to be a UK resident to form a company?

You do not have to be a UK resident, but your company must have a UK registered office address .

What do I need to know when choosing my new company name?

If you are registering a new private limited company, you must choose a unique name for your business. Your company name must end with either “Limited” or “Ltd” or the Welsh equivalents (“Cyfyngedig” or “Cyf”). Your name cannot be the same (or similar) to another registered company’s name.

Should directors live in the UK?

Directors don’t have to live in the UK, but companies must have a UK registered office address .

Do I need to be present during the company formation process?

No, you can complete the entire process online without even leaving your home or office! Your new company documents will be emailed to you in PDF format on the day of registration.

Do I have to be a UK resident to form a company?

You are not required to be a UK resident to register a limited company.

Do I need shareholders for my limited company?

A limited company (limited by shares) must have at least one shareholder. There’s no limit on the maximum number of shareholders. However, you can be the sole shareholder (in addition to being the director), owning 100% of the company. The price of an individual share can be any value. You can choose a low share value, such as £1 per share.

How and when do I receive my new company documents?

As soon as Companies House approves your company registration, you will receive electronic copies of your Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Share Certificates for all shareholders. Printed and bound copies of these documents will be posted to you within 24 hours (if applicable).

What is a person of significant control?

Any person who owns more than 25% of the company is a person of significant control (PSC). This person must meet the following conditions:

• They own more than 25% of the company’s share
• They hold more than 25% of the company’s voting rights
• They hold the right to appoint or remove the majority of directors
• They have the right to exercise significant influence or control or already do so

If a trust or firm (and not an individual) is forming this new company and it satisfies the above conditions, the PSC of that trust or firm should be listed as a PSC of the new company.

How can I register a dormant company?

There is no special provision to register a dormant company at Companies House. However, you can make it dormant by informing HMRC that you have not started trading and have no plans of doing so in the immediate future. You can do this only once you’ve received your Unique Tax Reference (UTR). If you do not have a UTR, this will be sent to your registered office address normally around three to four weeks after you’ve registered your new company.

Do I need a solicitor or accountant to register a company?

You can register a company yourself by using our simple and secure online registration system — you do not need a solicitor or accountant. Our prices start from just £9.99 and you can save as much as £400 in solicitor and accountant fees by working with Mint Formations.

When will I get my authentication code?

You will receive your authentication code as soon as your company is approved by Companies House. This will be available for you to view in your online company manager portal.