Small business owners can register a limited company directly with Companies House or you can use the services of a company formation agent, accountant or solicitor.
How much will registration cost?
Companies House charges a standard registration fee of £20. It also offers a premium same-day registration service for a fee of £50.
The quickest way to incorporate a company is to file the application electronically. Paper application forms are available through the Companies House website.
Am I automatically registered for tax when I set up a company?
When you register a new company, the Companies Registrar passes your details on to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). But you are also obliged to contact your own local HMRC office to let them know that your company exists. If you do not do this, you may have to pay a penalty.
As well as registering your business as a company, there are several other things that you need to do to put it your new company on a proper legal footing.
- Display your company's name so it can be clearly seen by all visitors to its registered office or other places of business.
- Display your company's name clearly on all its business stationery, including letters, invoices, receipts and cheques.
- Show your company's place of registration, registered number and registered office address on all its business letters, order forms, emails and faxes.
- If any company directors' names are included in letters (other than in the text or as the person signing it) you must include the names of all the directors.
- Send all the necessary registration documents and forms to the Registrar of Companies, completed and signed. See the page in this guide on registration documents and forms.
- Check you have received confirmation - certificate of incorporation - from the Registrar of Companies that your application for limited company status has been successful. The company comes into existence only when the Registrar of Companies issues a certificate of incorporation.
- Contact HM Revenue & Customs.
Smarta.com offers a company registration service powered by the National Business Register.
You can search for available names then register a business name, or set up a company and/or register a trademark with us.
You will receive a professional binder with all your official documents via post within 3 days and there is a helpline that you can call if you have any questions.