It costs £100 and takes about 24 hours. Don’t overthink this.
If you’re planning to raise investment, you need a limited company. Sole trader status won’t work for equity funding, SEIS/EIS (government tax relief schemes that make investing in your company much more attractive to angels and early backers), or most grant programmes. A private limited company (Ltd) is the standard structure for UK startups.
A company name (Companies House checks availability instantly). A registered office address (this goes on the public register, so many founders use a service address rather than their home). At least one director (that’s you). A SIC code describing your business activity. And your share structure — most startups start with 100 ordinary shares split between founders.
Go to gov.uk and register online. The fee is £100 as of February 2026. Postal applications cost £124. You’ll receive a certificate of incorporation within 24 hours, confirming the company legally exists with a unique company number.
You’ll also need to confirm your “person with significant control” (PSC) during registration. That’s anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.
Before signing contracts, opening a bank account, or taking anyone’s money. The company needs to exist first.
What good looks like: A founder who registers the company in week one, sets up the share structure properly from the start, and uses a service address rather than cluttering the public register with their home address.
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This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Always do your own research and seek independent professional advice.