Set up a limited company: step by step
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-11)

How to set up a limited company, appoint directors and shareholders or guarantors, and register for tax.

Check if setting up a limited company is right for you

Check what a private limited company is (/limited-company-formation)

How you set up your business depends on what sort of work you do. It can also affect the way you pay tax and get funding.

Most businesses register as a limited company or a sole trader.

Find out about the different ways to set up a business (/set-up-business)

Find local advice and free support for your business on business.gov.uk (https://www.business.gov.uk)

Choose your limited company type

Check whether you’ll be limited by shares or guarantee (/limited-company-formation/limited-company-types)

Choose directors and a company secretary

You must appoint a director but you do not have to appoint a company secretary.

Find out what directors are responsible for (/running-a-limited-company) Check who can be a director or company secretary (/limited-company-formation/appoint-directors-and-company-secretaries)

Decide who the shareholders are

You need at least one shareholder, who can be a director.

Check how to choose shareholders for a company limited by shares (/limited-company-formation/shareholders) Find out how dividends from shares are taxed (/tax-on-dividends)

Decide who your guarantors are

You need at least one guarantor who can be a director.

Check how to choose guarantors for a company limited by guarantee (/limited-company-formation/guarantors)

Identify people with significant control (PSC) over your company

You need to identify people with significant control (PSC) - for example, anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.

Find out what counts as a PSC (/guidance/people-with-significant-control-pscs)

You’ll confirm these when you register your company with Companies House.

Choose a name

Check the rules for company names (/limited-company-formation/choose-company-name) Check if the name you want is available (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company-name-availability) Check existing trade marks (/search-for-trademark)

Prepare documents agreeing how to run your company

You need to prepare documents agreeing how to run your company. These documents include the :
- ‘memorandum of association’
- ‘articles of association’
- ‘statement of capital’
- ‘statement of guarantee’
Find out how to create these documents (/limited-company-formation/documents)

Check what records you'll need to keep

Check the company and accounting records you must keep (/running-a-limited-company/company-and-accounting-records)

Register your company with Companies House

You’ll need to register an official address and choose a SIC code - this identifies what your company does.

Check the rules for registered office addresses and email addresses (/limited-company-formation/company-address) Check what your SIC code is (/government/publications/standard-industrial-classification-of-economic-activities-sic) Register your company with Companies House (/limited-company-formation/register-your-company)

Find out what to do after you've registered

There are some things you may need to do once you’ve registered a limited company.

Add Corporation Tax services to your business tax account (/limited-company-formation/add-corporation-tax-services-to-business-tax-account) Check the next steps for your limited company (/next-steps-for-your-business)