If you're setting up a business, you've probably seen "Companies House" mentioned and wondered whether you have to register with it. The short answer: it depends entirely on how you trade. Limited companies must register. Sole traders don't register at all.
This guide explains what Companies House is, what it does, and exactly who needs to use it. We'll also cover the big changes that landed in late 2025 and early 2026, including compulsory identity checks and higher fees, so you know what applies to you right now.
It's written for anyone choosing a business structure or running a small UK company, and it sticks to the rules as they stand for the 2025/26 tax year.
What is Companies House?
Companies House is the official registrar of companies in the UK. It's an executive agency of the government, operating under the Department for Business and Trade.
Its job is to incorporate and dissolve limited companies, store the information companies are legally required to file, and make most of that information available to the public.
Think of it as the central, searchable record of UK companies. Anyone can look up a registered company and see who runs it, where it's based and what it has filed.
Companies House maintains the register for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Every limited company and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) trading in the UK has to be on it.
What does Companies House do?
Companies House has a handful of core functions that matter to business owners.
It maintains the public register
The register holds the key facts about each company:
- Company name, number and registered office address
- Directors and (if appointed) the company secretary
- Shareholders and people with significant control (PSCs)
- Annual accounts
- Confirmation statements
- Any charges or mortgages over the company's assets
It makes that information public
With limited exceptions for personal safety, the register is open to anyone, free to search. That transparency lets customers, suppliers, lenders and investors check who they're dealing with before they commit.
It incorporates and dissolves companies
Companies House processes applications to form new companies and issues a certificate of incorporation once a company is on the register. It also handles striking companies off when they stop trading or are formally dissolved.
It checks and enforces
Companies House sets and enforces filing deadlines and can impose penalties when companies miss them. Following the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), it now has stronger powers to query suspicious filings, ask for more evidence, and remove false or misleading information from the register.
Who needs to register with Companies House?
Not every business has to register. It comes down to your legal structure.
Businesses that must register
You must register with Companies House if you trade as:
- A private limited company (Ltd)
- A public limited company (PLC)
- A Community Interest Company (CIC)
- A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
These are all incorporated bodies. They're separate legal "persons" in their own right, and that legal status only exists once Companies House registers them. You can't legally trade as a limited company before it's been incorporated.
Businesses that don't register
You do not register with Companies House if you trade as a:
- Sole trader
- Ordinary (general) partnership
- Unincorporated association
These structures register with HMRC for tax instead. They aren't separate legal entities, so there's nothing for Companies House to incorporate.
If you're weighing up the options, our guide for limited companies and our support for sole traders walk through what each structure involves.
Does a sole trader need to register with Companies House?
No. Sole traders do not register with Companies House. This is one of the clearest differences between being a sole trader and running a limited company.
Why sole traders don't register
As a sole trader, you and your business are legally the same person. There's no separate company to incorporate, so Companies House has nothing to register.
What you register for instead
You do need to register with HMRC for Self Assessment so it knows you're self-employed and can collect Income Tax and National Insurance on your profits.
The deadline to register is 5 October following the end of the tax year in which you started trading.
Illustrative example. Say you start trading as a sole trader in July 2025. That falls in the 2025/26 tax year, which ends on 5 April 2026. You'd need to register for Self Assessment by 5 October 2026.
If you'd like a hand with that side of things, see our Self Assessment service.
Sole traders stay more private
Because you're not on the register, your business accounts aren't published. A limited company's accounts are filed at Companies House and anyone can view them. As a sole trader, your figures stay between you and HMRC.
Can a sole trader become a limited company?
Yes, and plenty do as they grow. When you incorporate, that's the point at which you register with Companies House. You can't trade as the company until it's incorporated, so the registration comes first, not later.
How do I register a limited company?
Registering, or "incorporating", a company is mostly straightforward. Here are the main steps.
- Choose a company name. It must be unique and not too similar to an existing name. You can check availability on the Companies House register.
- Decide your share structure. Work out how many shares to issue, who holds them, and what rights attach to them.
- Appoint at least one director. Directors are legally responsible for running the company and meeting its filing duties.
- Identify your PSCs. You must register anyone with significant control, usually someone who owns or controls more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.
- Prepare your governing documents. That's the memorandum and articles of association, which set out how the company is run.
- Provide a registered office. This must be a real UK address where post can be delivered and acknowledged. A PO box on its own is no longer acceptable.
- Verify your identity and submit the application. New directors and PSCs must complete identity verification (more on that below), then file the incorporation application and pay the fee.
What does it cost to register a company?
These are the current Companies House fees, which apply from 1 February 2026:
| Service | Digital | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Company incorporation | £100 | £124 |
| Confirmation statement | £50 | £110 |
| Change of company name | £20 | £30 |
Filing digitally is cheaper and faster than paper in every case, and most paper filing is being phased out.
How long does it take?
A straightforward online incorporation is usually processed within a day or two. Paper applications take longer.
What has changed at Companies House in 2025 and 2026?
A package of reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act has been rolling out. The headline changes below are now in force, not "coming soon", so they apply to you today.
Identity verification is now compulsory
Since 18 November 2025, identity verification has been mandatory for people setting up, running or controlling companies.
- New directors and PSCs must verify their identity before incorporating or being appointed.
- Existing directors must confirm they've verified their identity when they file their next annual confirmation statement, within a 12-month transition period that runs from 18 November 2025.
- Existing PSCs must verify within 12 months of 18 November 2025.
You can verify free through GOV.UK One Login, online or in person at a participating Post Office, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) such as an accountant.
Fees have increased
The fees in the table above took effect on 1 February 2026. Online incorporation rose to £100 and the confirmation statement fee rose to £50.
The registrar has stronger powers
Companies House can now query information that looks wrong, ask for evidence before accepting a filing, reject suspicious applications, remove inaccurate data, and share intelligence with law enforcement. The aim is a more accurate, harder-to-abuse register.
Tighter rules on names and addresses
Registered offices must be a genuine address where documents can be delivered, so a PO box alone won't do. There are also tighter checks on company names.
What do I need to file with Companies House?
Once you're incorporated, you have ongoing duties. Missing them carries real penalties.
Annual accounts
Every limited company files annual accounts. For a private company, the deadline is usually nine months after the financial year-end. Smaller companies can file simpler accounts with less detail.
Filing accounts late triggers an automatic penalty, set by how late they are:
| How late the accounts are | Penalty (private company) |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 month | £150 |
| More than 1 month, up to 3 months | £375 |
| More than 3 months, up to 6 months | £750 |
| More than 6 months | £1,500 |
The penalty is doubled if you file late in two financial years running.
If preparing and filing accounts is the part you'd rather not handle, that's exactly what our statutory accounts service covers.
Confirmation statement
The confirmation statement (which replaced the old annual return) is filed at least once every 12 months. It confirms or updates your registered details: address, directors, shareholders, PSCs and your SIC code.
File it late and there's no fixed monetary penalty like the accounts table above, but Companies House can take action, including issuing a financial penalty under its new powers and ultimately striking the company off the register. So it's not something to let slide.
Changes during the year
You also have to tell Companies House when certain things change, within set time limits. For example, director appointments or resignations and a change of registered office must be notified within 14 days.
How do I search the Companies House register?
The register is free to search and useful for due diligence on anyone you're about to do business with.
Go to the Companies House service on GOV.UK and search by company name, company number, registered address, or an officer's name.
The results show a company's status (active, dissolved and so on), its number, address, type and incorporation date. Open a company record and you can view its officers, PSCs, full filing history, accounts and confirmation statements. Most of this is free; a few documents carry a small download fee.
You can also search for an individual to see the directorships linked to their name, which is handy when you're vetting a potential partner or supplier.
How do I contact Companies House?
You can reach Companies House by phone on 0303 1234 500 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm), through the contact form on GOV.UK, or by post.
The main office is in Cardiff:
Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ.
There are also offices in Edinburgh and Belfast for Scottish and Northern Irish matters.
How can Zmartly help?
Companies House obligations are easy to put off and expensive to get wrong, especially now identity checks and higher fees are in force. We take that off your plate.
We can form your company correctly from day one, handle identity verification through our authorised provider status, prepare and file your annual accounts and confirmation statement on time, and keep on top of deadlines so you never pick up an automatic penalty. If you're a sole trader weighing up incorporation, we'll talk you through whether it actually suits your situation before you commit.
Our company secretarial service manages your filings and statutory records year-round.
Want help getting your Companies House filings sorted? Book a free 20-minute call with a Zmartly accountant.
Frequently asked questions
What is Companies House?
Companies House is the UK government's official registrar of companies. It incorporates and dissolves limited companies and LLPs, stores the information they're required to file, and makes most of that information publicly available. It maintains the register for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and anyone can search it.
Does a sole trader need to register with Companies House?
No. Companies House only deals with incorporated businesses such as limited companies and LLPs. Sole traders aren't separate legal entities, so there's nothing to register. Instead, a sole trader registers with HMRC for Self Assessment by 5 October following the end of the tax year in which they started trading.
How much does it cost to register a company with Companies House?
From 1 February 2026, online (digital) company incorporation costs £100 and paper incorporation costs £124. The annual confirmation statement costs £50 to file digitally, and a change of company name costs £20 digitally.
What has changed at Companies House recently?
Two big changes are now in force. Identity verification became compulsory from 18 November 2025 for directors and people with significant control, and fees increased from 1 February 2026. Companies House has also gained stronger powers to query and remove inaccurate information, and registered offices must now be a genuine address rather than a PO box.
Do I have to verify my identity with Companies House?
Yes, if you're a director or a person with significant control. New directors and PSCs must verify before incorporating or being appointed. Existing directors and PSCs verify within a 12-month transition period from 18 November 2025. You can do it free through GOV.UK One Login or via an authorised provider such as your accountant.
What happens if I file my accounts late?
Late accounts carry an automatic penalty for a private company: £150 if up to a month late, £375 for one to three months, £750 for three to six months, and £1,500 for more than six months. The penalty doubles if you file late in two financial years running, and your company can ultimately be struck off.
Can I change from sole trader to limited company?
Yes. You incorporate a new limited company with Companies House (£100 online from 1 February 2026), transfer your business assets and contracts to it, register the company for Corporation Tax with HMRC, and tell HMRC you've stopped trading as a sole trader. It's worth getting advice first to check it suits your circumstances.
