If you are working out how to register a company in the UK, the good news is that the process itself is short. You can register a private limited company online with Companies House, and the company is usually set up within 24 hours. The slow part is the preparation: choosing a name, deciding on addresses and getting identity checks done before you start. This guide walks through each step in the order you will meet it, then covers the jobs that follow in your first week as a director.
Before you start: what you need ready
Companies House asks for the same set of details whether you register yourself or pay a formation agent to do it. Have these ready before you open the form:
- A company name that follows the Companies House naming rules and is not the same as an existing company.
- A registered office address in the same UK nation the company is registered in (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland). This address is public.
- A registered email address for Companies House to contact the company. This one is not shown on the public register.
- At least one director. A company secretary is optional for a private limited company.
- At least one shareholder if the company is limited by shares. The shareholder can be the director.
- A SIC code, which is a standard code describing what the company does.
- Details of people with significant control, such as anyone holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.
You will also need a Government Gateway user ID for the company itself. GOV.UK says you cannot use your personal one.
Verify your identity first
Directors may need to verify their identity with GOV.UK One Login before the company is registered. Once you do this you receive a personal code, and you need a code for every director named on the application. Each person only has to verify once, so if you have already done it for another company, you can find your existing code in your Companies House account. Doing this a few days ahead avoids holding up the registration on the day.
How to register a company in the UK: the steps
The GOV.UK registration page sets out the official route. In practice it runs like this:
- Check your chosen name is available and does not break the naming rules.
- Get identity verification codes for each director.
- Decide your registered office address and service addresses.
- Pick your SIC code and confirm who the shareholders and people with significant control are.
- Agree your articles of association. Many small companies use the standard model articles.
- Submit the application online and pay the fee.
Once the company is registered you receive a certificate of incorporation and a company number. You will usually be set up for Corporation Tax at the same time, and HMRC will send the company a 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR).
What it costs and how long it takes
From 1 February 2026, the Companies House fee to register a company online is £100, paid by debit or credit card. Registering by post on form IN01 costs £124 and takes 8 to 10 days. Online registration is usually complete within 24 hours.
The same fee change set the online confirmation statement at £50. That is the yearly filing every company makes to confirm its details are correct, so it is worth putting in your diary now.
Which addresses become public
New directors often ask about this, and it matters if you run the business from home. Every director gives two addresses: a service address, which is public, and a usual residential address, which is kept on a private register. The Companies House guidance on personal information explains who can see the private details.
The registered office address is always public. If you do not want your home address on the register, use a different address for the registered office from the start. You can use a registered office service, but you need permission to use the address and it must be arranged before you incorporate. For your date of birth, only the month and year are shown publicly.
Your first week as a director
Registering the company is the start, not the finish. These are the jobs most new directors deal with next:
- Open a business bank account in the company’s name, so company money stays separate from your own.
- Add Corporation Tax to your business tax account once your UTR arrives.
- Register for PAYE if you will employ staff, including paying yourself a salary through the company.
- Get a domain name and a business email address. A company email builds trust on quotes and invoices. Our guide to getting a business email covers the options.
- Put the right company details on your website and paperwork. Limited companies have to display certain information, and our guide to website legal requirements in the UK lists what to include. Our study of Luton and Bedford trade websites shows how often local firms leave these details out.
- Set up a Google Business Profile so the company can appear in local search and on Google Maps.
Doing it yourself or using an agent
You can register directly with Companies House for the £100 fee. Formation agents charge their own fee, which may or may not include the Companies House fee, and often bundle extras such as a registered office address, a mail forwarding service or share certificates. Neither route makes the company more official. The choice comes down to whether you want those extras and how comfortable you are filling in the forms yourself.
After you register: getting a new Luton business found
Every week new companies are registered at addresses in Luton, Dunstable and Bedford. Registering is the quick part. The harder part is being findable when someone nearby searches for what you do, which takes a website, a verified Google Business Profile and your first few genuine reviews.
If you have just registered a company in Luton or the surrounding area, our New Business Launch package covers the website and the Google setup together.
ST HECS, a Luton company, shows the next step after registration: its company number and registered address are on the website, its Google profile is verified, and its genuine customer reviews are shown on the site.
Getting your new company online
Once your company number arrives, customers will look you up. Our New Business Launch package is built for this moment: a website for £497 fixed, no contract, live in 7 days, with the words written for you and hosting, domain and business email included for the first 12 months. You own the website and the domain, and we set up your Google Business Profile free for new businesses. See the details on our New Business Launch page, or get in touch and tell us what your company does.
