Powered by Lexis+®
Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
CASE STUDY

“In some areas of research there were also significant time savings. You get to what you are looking for more quickly, which all goes to the value of the product.”

Harper Mcleod

Access all documents on Registrar of Companies

Registrar of Companies meaning

/rɛdʒɪˈstrɑː/ /ɒv/ /ˈkʌmp(ə)nis/
What does Registrar of Companies mean?
In legal practice, the Registrar of Companies is the public official and registry that records incorporations, re-registrations, name changes and dissolutions, and keeps the searchable public register of statutory company filings. In the UK, this role is performed by Companies House, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade. The Registrar’s functions and powers are set out in the Companies Act 2006, Part 35 (as amended, including by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023). It maintains the registers for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, covering companies and LLPs, and receives and publishes constitutional documents, accounts, confirmation statements, PSC information, charges and insolvency filings. The Registrar has enforcement and data-integrity powers, including to query or reject information, annotate or remove material, and take compliance action (late‑filing penalties, prosecution and strike‑off). In Ireland, the equivalent authority is the Registrar of Companies at the Companies Registration Office (CRO), established under the Companies Act 2014, which registers incorporations, re‑registrations, name changes and dissolutions and maintains the public register of company filings. The term is statutory in both jurisdictions and is commonly used in practice as “Companies House” (UK) or “CRO” (Ireland).
Speed up all aspects of your legal work with tools that help you to work faster and smarter. Win cases, close deals and grow your business–all whilst saving time and reducing risk.

View the related Checklists about Registrar of Companies

CHECKLISTS
Companies (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2007 (archived): pre-Brexit timetable, court and Registrar process, shareholder/creditor approvals, and employee participation; revoked post-Brexit

NOTE: This archived timetable outlines the usual sequence for a merger under The Companies (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2007, SI 2007/297, before those regulations were revoked at the end of the Brexit implementation period... Background The European framework governing combinations between companies in different EEA member states stems from Directive 2005/56/EC, the Directive on Cross-Border Mergers of Limited Liability Companies (Directive). The UK gave effect to the Directive through The Companies (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2007, SI 2007/2974, as subsequently amended by SI 2008/583, SI 2011/1606 and SI 2015/180 (together, the Cross-Border Mergers Regulations). Beyond setting out a merger mechanism, the Cross-Border Merger Regulations also regulate employee participation arrangements (see Employee participation arrangements below). The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (Code) applies in the usual manner and on the normal basis where at least one party to the merger falls within the Code’s scope. The Takeover Panel (Panel) has issued a practice statement offering practical guidance on how the Code operates in cross-border merger scenarios. For more detailed information,...

Read More Right Arrow
CHECKLISTS
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (England and Wales): From Appointment to Closure - Notifications, Committees, Director Conduct, Investigations and Dividends Checklist

This Checklist outlines the position in relation to a creditors’ voluntary liquidation (CVL) with effect from 6 April 2017. Notifications The appointed liquidator must provide the registrar of companies with the following: a copy of the statement of affairs, to be delivered within five business days after the conclusion of the decision procedure or deemed consent procedure relating to the liquidator’s appointment a copy of the notice of appointment of liquidator, to be sent within 14 days of the appointment The registrar of companies should be notified using Form 600CH. If the liquidator chooses to move the company’s registered office to their business address, they should also submit to the registrar of companies a copy confirming the change of registered office (if this has not already been filed). In February 2014, Companies House issued guidance answering frequently asked questions about insolvency filings at Companies House (most recently updated on 10 March 2022). The guidance contains a list of the...

Read More Right Arrow
CHECKLISTS
Companies Act 2006: Resolutions requiring filing at Companies House—practitioner checklist including transitional Companies Act 1985 matters

Resolutions under the Companies Act 2006 The Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) sets out which decisions must be made by ordinary resolution—meaning a simple majority—of a company’s members, such as dismissing a director. It also identifies those decisions that must be taken by special resolution, or where the applicable approval threshold is 75%. For further guidance on resolutions, refer to Practice Note: Member resolutions. Not all member resolutions of a company are required to be lodged at Companies House. Part 3, Chapter 3 of CA 2006 determines the circumstances in which resolutions must be delivered to the registrar of companies (that is, Companies House). The table below summarises the resolutions that, under CA 2006, must be filed at Companies House. These requirements apply only as specified by CA 2006, Pt 3...

Read More Right Arrow

View the related Flowcharts about Registrar of Companies

FLOWCHARTS
Procedure for transferring certificated shares—flowchart

This diagram outlines the procedure and process for reinstating a company on the company register through the administrative restoration procedure where it has been removed by the registrar under its powers to strike off a defunct company, as provided for in the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). View or print a full-sized PDF version:...

Read More Right Arrow
FLOWCHARTS
UK PSC regime flowchart: identifying PSCs/RLEs, updating the PSC register and Companies House central register, with notes on Scottish partnerships and ECCTA 2023 reforms

View or print a full size PDF version: This flowchart outlines the key stages a standard company follows to identify persons with significant control (PSCs) or relevant legal entities (RLEs), enabling necessary updates to the company’s PSC register and the submission of particulars to the Registrar of Companies for the central register...

Read More Right Arrow

View the related News about Registrar of Companies

NEWS
UK corporate law weekly update: ECCTA reforms for LLPs, FCA NSM changes, NSIA review and case, EU board gender targets, High Court rulings and deadlines—9 January 2025

In this issue: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 Equity capital markets Private M&A (share purchase) Corporate governance—EU Members Company restoration Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information New Q&As Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Protection and Disclosure of Information and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/1377: These Regulations update LLP company law to reflect recent changes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and expand the scenarios in which a person’s residential address can be withheld from the company register, covering former registered office addresses, while maintaining corporate openness and aligning LLP provisions. They commence on 27 January 2025. See: LNB News 07/11/2024 27. Equity capital markets The Financial Conduct Authority has released Policy Statement PS24/19: Enhancing the National Storage Mechanism, setting out the feedback to Consultation Paper CP24/17, its longer-term vision for the NSM, and...

Read More Right Arrow
NEWS
UK corporate law and governance highlights—6 Nov 2025: Companies House fees, FRC guidance, FCA Primary Market corrections, ECCTA/ROE updates, supplier payment reporting

In this issue: Companies House Corporate governance Equity capital markets Accounts and reports Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Companies House Companies House announces fee changes from February 2026 Companies House has confirmed a revised fees schedule from 1 February 2026, following its annual assessment to align charges with the cost of providing services. Notably, the digital incorporation filing fee will rise to £100, and the digital confirmation statement fee will increase to £50. These adjustments are set out in the Registrar of Companies (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1137), which were laid before Parliament on 30 October 2025 and take effect on 1 February 2026. The accompanying explanatory memorandum states that the updated fees are intended to recover increased costs linked to implementing the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA 2023) and the Economic...

Read More Right Arrow
NEWS
UK corporate law weekly: HMRC capital-raising stamp duty/SDRT exemption; Companies House fees amendments; TPT transition plan resources; Procter v Procter; FCA research payment options (11 April 2024)

In this issue: Tax Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Environmental, social and governance Partnerships Financial services regulation Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Tax HMRC confirms availability of capital-raising exemption from 1.5% stamp duty and SDRT charge. HMRC has updated its Stamp Taxes on Shares Manual (STSM053100) to state that the relief from the 1.5% stamp duty and SDRT for capital-raising covers share issues made for non-cash consideration, with no consideration, or where consideration is paid directly to a different party. See: LNB News 10/04/2024 25. Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Registrar of Companies and Register of Overseas Entities (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, SI 2024/454. These Regulations revise the dates on which transitional provisions for changes to Registrar of Companies’ fees apply, correct typographical errors, and remove obsolete references to regulations within the Register of Overseas Entities (Delivery, Protection and Trust Services) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/870. They...

Read More Right Arrow

View the related Practice Notes about Registrar of Companies

PRACTICE NOTES
UK Company Finance, Accounting and Valuation Glossary for Legal Practitioners

Term Meaning Accounting reference date On incorporation, a company is typically assigned an accounting reference date, being the final day of the month that contains the anniversary of its incorporation. Directors can alter this by submitting the relevant form to the Registrar of Companies. It denotes the end of the annual accounting period and is also called the balance sheet date. Accounts payable Sums a business or individual owes to others for goods or services already received. Accounts receivable Sums due to a business or individual from others for goods or services supplied. Accrual In company accounts, recognition of income earned or costs incurred during a reporting period, even though the cash has not yet been received or paid. Adjusted earnings Where reported earnings are affected, positively or negatively, by exceptional one-off events in the year, directors may present adjusted earnings to clarify performance. These are earnings with exceptional items excluded, which they believe better indicate the underlying results...

Read More Right Arrow
PRACTICE NOTES
Perfection and priority of land security: Companies House, HM Land Registry and Land Charges—creation, registration and protection (England and Wales)

Scope of this note Once security has been properly constituted, it is effective as between the security provider and the secured party. It is not, however, automatically binding on third parties such as a liquidator or an administrator of the security provider. In many situations, additional steps must be taken to perfect the security. Perfection is the process by which security is made enforceable against certain third parties (though not necessarily all). The term is sometimes used more widely to cover measures that improve or safeguard a creditor’s position, eg by securing a legal interest or ensuring the priority of its security. For information on the third parties that may not be bound by security that has been perfected, see The difference between perfection and priority below...

Read More Right Arrow
PRACTICE NOTES
Administrative restoration of companies struck off by the Registrar: eligibility, conditions, bona vacantia consent and RT01 process under the Companies Act 2006

This brief note outlines the actions required to return a company to the register by using the administrative restoration route after it has been removed at the behest of the Registrar of Companies under the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). For a full analysis of the legislation, case law and process on administrative restoration, see Practice Note: Company restoration—administrative restoration. For a practical step-by-step overview, see Flowchart: Company restoration—administrative restoration—flowchart. When to use the administrative restoration procedure You may use administrative restoration where the company was struck off on the Registrar’s initiative in accordance with CA 2006 (see Practice Note: The Registrar's powers to strike off a company for further detail). Compared with applying to the court, this route is generally more straightforward, faster and less costly, though the court process remains available even where the striking off was initiated by the Registrar. The administrative route to restore a company cannot be used if the company was struck off...

Read More Right Arrow

View the related Precedents about Registrar of Companies

PRECEDENTS
Precedent: Letter to Interested Parties Enclosing Copy of Application to Strike Company off the Register (Companies Act 2006)

[ Name and address of recipient ] Date: [ insert date ] Dear [ Members OR Organisation name OR Directors OR Individual name ] [ insert company name ] [ LTD OR PLC ] — striking off application We write on behalf of [ insert company name ] [ LTD OR PLC ] (the Company). [ [ As you will be aware, the OR The ] Company has not been [ trading OR in operation ] since [ insert date ], and the directors have no plans to restart the Company’s activities. OR [ Insert other/additional reasons for striking off the company ]. ] As a result, the directors have resolved to submit an application for the Company to be removed from the register of companies. On [ insert date ], the Company’s directors filed a striking-off application with the Registrar of Companies. In line with the Companies Act 2006, a copy of the striking-off application is enclosed. [ Yours faithfully...

Read More Right Arrow
PRECEDENTS
Template covering letter for registering particulars of a charge at Companies House (Form MR01), with enclosures and acknowledgement of receipt

[ Place on the letterheaded paper of the party lodging form MR01 ] [ enter date ] For the attention of: The Registrar of CompaniesCompanies HouseCrown WayCardiffCF14 3UZ Dear [ enter organisation name ] [ enter name of Chargor ]—Company number [ enter company number ] 1 We refer to the [ enter name of...

Read More Right Arrow
PRECEDENTS
Board/committee minutes for AIM admission (IPO placing): approval of new ordinary share allotment and issue, directors’ interest declarations, registrar instructions and SH01 filing—Companies Act 2006

Company number: [ insert number ] [ insert company name ] PLC Minutes from a meeting of the [ committee of the ] board of directors [ (the Committee) ] (the Meeting) of [ insert name of the Company ] (the Company) Convened at [ insert place of meeting ] On [ insert day, month and year of meeting ] at [ insert time of meeting ] [ am OR pm ] Present [ Insert names of the director(s) physically present ] [ [ Insert names of any directors present by telephone as permitted by the Company’s articles of association ] (by telephone) ] [ [ Insert names of any directors present by other means permitted by the Company’s articles of association ] (by [ insert other means ]) ] In attendance [ [ Insert name of anyone in attendance, who does not count towards the quorum for the Meeting (eg the company secretary,...

Read More Right Arrow

View the related Q&As about Registrar of Companies

Q&As
Landlord Forfeiture for Rent Arrears on Bona Vacantia Lease

A company becomes dissolved (or treated as dissolved) after liquidation, administration, or its name being struck off the register by the Registrar of Companies. Once dissolved, the company ceases to have any existence. Upon dissolution, any assets and rights owned by, or held on trust for, the company immediately before dissolution are regarded as bona vacantia and pass to the Crown (or to the Duchy of Lancaster or the Duke of Cornwall if the company’s registered office was in Lancaster or Cornwall, respectively)...

Read More Right Arrow