Company Incorporation · United KingdomYour company’s details go on a public register. We make sure they’re right before they get there.
We form UK private limited companies for founders in the UK and abroad, handling identity verification, share structure, PSC details and the first HMRC steps.
Business & Incorporation
At a glance
- Authorities
- Companies House · HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
- Forms & references
- IN01CS01AA01
- Filed with
- Companies House
- Filing fee
- £100 online, £124 on paper (at the time of writing)
- Typical timing
- Online filings are usually processed within 24 hours once complete
- Minimum
- One director (an individual aged 16+) and one shareholder
Overview
What it is, and why it matters.
Incorporation is the filing that creates a private limited company at Companies House. It sets the company’s name, registered office, directors, shareholders, people with significant control (PSCs) and articles of association, and most of it is public from the moment the company exists.
Since 18 November 2025, every new director and PSC must verify their identity with Companies House, through GOV.UK One Login or an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP). Directors need their personal code before the company can be registered, and this is now the step that most often holds things up.
A registered company is not yet registered for tax. HMRC posts a Corporation Tax UTR after incorporation, but Corporation Tax, PAYE and VAT are separate registrations, and choices made at incorporation, such as the year end, share classes and SIC codes, carry through to all of them.
Who needs it
Who typically needs it.
- 01
Sole traders stepping up
Freelancers and contractors whose profits, clients or plans now point towards trading through a limited company.
- 02
Founders based outside the UK
Owners in Pakistan, the US and elsewhere who want a UK company to contract with UK customers, platforms or payment providers.
- 03
Co-founders sharing ownership
Two or more people who need share percentages, share classes and PSC entries that reflect what they have actually agreed.
- 04
Businesses adding a UK subsidiary
Existing companies, in the UK or overseas, setting up a UK subsidiary with a corporate shareholder and its controllers recorded correctly.
When you need it
The moments that usually trigger it.
- You’ve decided to trade through a limited company rather than as a sole trader.
- A client or platform has asked you to invoice through a UK company.
- You live outside the UK and want a UK entity to sell to UK customers.
- You’re bringing in a co-founder or investor and need a share structure that matches the deal.
- You need a company in place before signing a lease, a supplier contract or a marketplace agreement.
Scope
Exactly what we handle.
Our engagement letter lists these specifically, so you know what is included before any work begins.
- 01
Checking the proposed name against the register and the rules on sensitive words and “same as” names.
- 02
Advising on share capital, share classes and whether the model articles are enough for you.
- 03
Choosing SIC codes and an accounting reference date that suit your trade and reporting plans.
- 04
Guiding each director and PSC through Companies House identity verification and collecting their personal codes.
- 05
Preparing and filing the incorporation online, including the registered email address and lawful purpose statement.
- 06
Issuing share certificates and setting up the company’s statutory records after registration.
- 07
Adding Corporation Tax at HMRC once the UTR arrives, and lining up PAYE and VAT where they apply.
- 08
Putting the first confirmation statement, accounts and tax deadlines into your calendar.
The process
How it runs, step by step.
Timings depend on the authority and on how quickly documents come together. We tell you what’s typical for your case at the start.
Start with a conversationScoping call
We confirm who the directors, shareholders and PSCs are, where they live, what the company will do and when it will start trading.
Identity verification
Each director and PSC verifies their identity with Companies House and shares their personal code with us. If the One Login app doesn’t accept your documents, we explain the alternative routes.
Structure and documents
We agree the name, share capital, articles, SIC codes and registered office, and send you a summary to approve before anything is filed.
Filing
We file the incorporation online. Once Companies House accepts it, you receive the certificate of incorporation and company number.
Aftercare
We issue share certificates, set up the statutory records, add Corporation Tax when HMRC’s UTR letter arrives and diarise the first deadlines.
What we’ll need
The information to have ready.
A typical checklist. After the first conversation we send a version specific to your situation, so you don’t gather anything you don’t need.
Directors and PSCs
- Full name, date of birth and nationality
- Residential address and a service address (which can differ)
- Companies House personal code once identity is verified
- How each PSC holds control: shares, voting rights or the right to appoint directors
The company
- Proposed name, and a fallback in case it isn’t available
- What the company will do, so we can choose SIC codes
- Registered office address and registered email address
- Planned trading start date and preferred year end
Shares
- Number of shares, nominal value and who will hold them
- Any different share classes or rights
- Any investor or co-founder terms already agreed
For our client checks
- Photo ID and proof of address for each director and shareholder
Please don’t email passports or bank statements. Once we’ve spoken, you’ll get access to a secure upload.
Common mistakes
Where this usually goes wrong.
The problems we are most often asked to fix, and what they tend to cost.
- Mistake 01
Treating the registered office as a formality
The registered office is public and must be an appropriate UK address where post is dealt with. Using a home address without thinking puts it on the register; an address where letters go unread means missing HMRC and Companies House post.
- Mistake 02
Leaving identity verification to the last minute
The company can’t be registered until each director has a personal code, and a PSC who misses their 14-day window is in breach. Verifying early keeps the filing moving.
- Mistake 03
Splitting shares without thinking about control
A 50/50 split gives each founder a PSC entry and, in practice, a veto. Changing it later means share issues or transfers, more filings and sometimes a tax cost.
- Mistake 04
Assuming incorporation registers you for tax
Companies House tells HMRC the company exists, but Corporation Tax still has to be added within 3 months of starting business activity, and PAYE and VAT are separate. Missing this can lead to penalties.
- Mistake 05
Accepting the default year end
The accounting reference date defaults to the last day of the month of incorporation. It can be changed within limits using form AA01, but it is easier to choose it deliberately at the start.
Worth knowing
The limits, stated upfront.
We are not solicitors. Bespoke articles, shareholders’ agreements and investment documents should be drafted or reviewed by a lawyer.
Forming a UK company does not give anyone the right to live or work in the UK. Visa questions need a regulated immigration adviser.
Companies House decides whether to accept a filing and may query names, addresses or identity details; timing depends on its checks.
Banks and payment providers apply their own onboarding rules, and some are cautious with non-resident directors. We can’t guarantee an account will be opened.
Questions
Company Incorporation: frequently asked.
If yours isn’t here, ask us directly. We’ll answer in plain terms.
Ask a questionCan I form a UK company if I don’t live in the UK?
Yes. There is no residence requirement for directors or shareholders, but the company needs a UK registered office and every director and PSC must verify their identity with Companies House, which can usually be done from abroad.
How long does incorporation take?
Online incorporations are usually processed within 24 hours once the filing is complete and every director has a personal code. Name issues or extra checks by Companies House can take longer.
What does it cost?
The Companies House fee is £100 for an online incorporation at the time of writing (£124 on paper). Our own fee depends on the structure and how many people are involved, and we confirm it before we start.
Who counts as a person with significant control?
Broadly, anyone who holds more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, can appoint or remove a majority of the directors, or otherwise has significant influence or control. Their details go on the public register, with home addresses and full dates of birth withheld.
Can I use my home address?
You can, but the registered office is public. Many founders use a separate registered office and service address, as long as the registered office is an appropriate UK address where post is actually handled.
Should I form a limited company or an LLP?
For most owner-managed businesses a private limited company is simpler. An LLP suits some professional partnerships because members are taxed individually on their profit share, and we talk it through before anything is filed.
Related
Often needed alongside this.
The equivalent in our other countries
Speak with a consultant
Talk to us about company Incorporation.
Pick the closest match and we’ll take it from there. You’ll get a written scope and fee before any work begins.
Or use our three-step guide, or email hello@fiscorra.com
