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UK Law Reference
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 overview

Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 — full text by section

Consolidated text as published on legislation.gov.uk, snapshot 2026-08-24. Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk

221 sections. Default extent: E+W+S+N.I..

  1. s.1The registrar’s objectives
  2. s.2Statement as to lawful purposes
  3. s.3Information about subscribers
  4. s.4Proposed officers: identity verification
  5. s.5Proposed officers: disqualification
  6. s.6Persons with initial significant control: disqualification
  7. s.7Persons with initial significant control: identity verification
  8. s.8Names for criminal purposes
  9. s.9Names suggesting connection with foreign governments etc
  10. s.10Names containing computer code
  11. s.11Prohibition on re-registering name following direction
  12. s.12Prohibition on using name that another company has been directed to change
  13. s.13Directions to change name: period for compliance
  14. s.14Requirements to change name: removal of old name from public inspection
  15. s.15Objections to company’s registered name
  16. s.16Misleading indication of activities
  17. s.17Direction to change name used for criminal purposes
  18. s.18Direction to change name wrongly registered
  19. s.19Registrar’s power to change names containing computer code
  20. s.20Registrar’s power to change company’s name for breach of direction
  21. s.21Sections 19 and 20: consequential amendments
  22. s.22Company names: exceptions based on national security etc
  23. s.23Use of name suggesting connection with foreign governments etc
  24. s.24Use of name giving misleading indication of activities
  25. s.25Use of name that a company has been required to change
  26. s.26Use of name that another company has been required to change
  27. s.27Use of names: exceptions based on national security etc
  28. s.28Registered office: appropriate address
  29. s.29Registered email addresses etc
  30. s.30Registered email addresses: transitional provision
  31. s.31Disqualification for persistent breaches of companies legislation: GB
  32. s.32Disqualification for persistent breaches of companies legislation: NI
  33. s.33Disqualification on summary conviction: GB
  34. s.34Disqualification on summary conviction: NI
  35. s.35Power to impose director disqualification sanctions
  36. s.36Disqualification of persons designated under sanctions legislation: GB
  37. s.37Section 36: application to other bodies
  38. s.38Disqualification of persons designated under sanctions legislation: NI
  39. s.39Section 38: application to other bodies
  40. s.40Disqualified directors
  41. s.41Section 40: amendments to clarify existing corresponding provisions
  42. s.42Repeal of power to require additional statements
  43. s.43Prohibition on director acting unless ID verified
  44. s.44Prohibition on acting unless directorship notified
  45. s.45Registrar’s power to change a director’s service address
  46. s.46Register of members: information to be included and powers to obtain it
  47. s.47Additional ground for rectifying the register of members
  48. s.48Register of members: protecting information
  49. s.49Register of members: removal of option to use central register
  50. s.50Membership information: one-off statement
  51. s.51Abolition of local registers etc
  52. s.52Protection of date of birth information
  53. s.53Filing obligations of micro-entities
  54. s.54Filing obligations of small companies other than micro-entities
  55. s.55Sections 53 and 54: consequential amendments
  56. s.56Use or disclosure of profit and loss accounts for certain companies
  57. s.57Statements about exemption from audit requirements
  58. s.58Removal of option to abridge Companies Act accounts
  59. s.59Confirmation statements
  60. s.60Duty to confirm lawful purposes
  61. s.61Duty to notify a change in company’s principal business activities
  62. s.62Duty to deliver information about exemption from Part 21A
  63. s.63Confirmation statements: offences
  64. s.64Identity verification of persons with significant control
  65. s.65Procedure etc for verifying identity
  66. s.66Authorisation of corporate service providers
  67. s.67Exemption from identity verification: national security grounds
  68. s.68Allocation of unique identifiers
  69. s.69Identity verification: material unavailable for public inspection
  70. s.70Registrar’s power to strike off company registered on false basis
  71. s.71Requirements for administrative restoration
  72. s.72Delivery of documents: identity verification etc
  73. s.73Disqualification from delivering documents
  74. s.74Proper delivery: requirements about who may deliver documents
  75. s.75Delivery of documents by electronic means
  76. s.76Delivery of order confirming reduction of share capital
  77. s.77Delivery of statutory declaration of solvency
  78. s.78Registrar’s rules requiring documents to be delivered together
  79. s.79Power to reject documents for inconsistencies
  80. s.80Informal correction of document
  81. s.81Preservation of original documents
  82. s.82Records relating to dissolved companies etc
  83. s.83Power to require additional information
  84. s.84Registrar’s notice to resolve inconsistencies
  85. s.85Administrative removal of material from the register
  86. s.86Rectification of the register under court order
  87. s.87Power to require businesses to report discrepancies
  88. s.88Inspection of the register: general
  89. s.89Copies of material on the register
  90. s.90Material not available for public inspection
  91. s.91Protecting information on the register
  92. s.92Analysis of information for the purposes of crime prevention or detection
  93. s.93Fees: costs that may be taken into account
  94. s.94Disclosure of information
  95. s.95Use or disclosure of directors’ address information by companies
  96. s.96Use or disclosure of PSC information by companies
  97. s.97Use of directors’ address information by registrar
  98. s.98Change of addresses of officers of overseas companies by registrar
  99. s.99Overseas companies: availability of material for public inspection etc
  100. s.100Registered addresses of an overseas company
  101. s.101Overseas companies: identity verification of directors
  102. s.102General false statement offences
  103. s.103False statement offences: national security etc defence
  104. s.104Financial penalties
  105. s.105Registered office: rectification of register
  106. s.106Rectification of register: service addresses
  107. s.107Rectification of register: principal office addresses
  108. s.108Service of documents on people with significant control
  109. s.109Meaning of “limited partnership”
  110. s.110Required information about partners
  111. s.111Required information about partners: transitional provision
  112. s.112Details about general nature of partnership business
  113. s.113A limited partnership’s registered office
  114. s.114A limited partnership’s registered office: transitional provision
  115. s.115A limited partnership’s registered office: consequential amendments
  116. s.116A limited partnership’s registered email address
  117. s.117A limited partnership’s registered email address: transitional provision
  118. s.118Restrictions on general partners
  119. s.119Officers of general partners
  120. s.120Officers of general partners: transitional provision
  121. s.121Removal of option to authenticate application by signature
  122. s.122Notification of information about partners
  123. s.123New partners: transitional provision about required information
  124. s.124New general partners: transitional provision about officers
  125. s.125Notification of other changes
  126. s.126Confirmation statements
  127. s.127Confirmation statements: Scottish partnerships
  128. s.128Power for HMRC to obtain accounts
  129. s.129Dissolution and winding up: modifications of general law
  130. s.130Dissolution by the court when a partner has a mental disorder
  131. s.131Winding up limited partnerships on grounds of public interest
  132. s.132Winding up dissolved limited partnerships
  133. s.133Power to make provision about winding up
  134. s.134Winding up of limited partnerships: concurrent proceedings
  135. s.135Sequestration of limited partnerships: concurrent winding up proceedings
  136. s.136The register of limited partnerships
  137. s.137Material not available for public inspection
  138. s.138Records relating to dissolved or deregistered limited partnerships
  139. s.139Disclosure of information about partners
  140. s.140Duty to notify registrar of dissolution
  141. s.141Registrar’s power to confirm dissolution of limited partnership
  142. s.142Registrar’s power to confirm dissolution: transitional provision
  143. s.143Voluntary deregistration of limited partnership
  144. s.144Removal of limited partnership from index of names
  145. s.145Delivery of documents relating to limited partnerships
  146. s.146General false statement offences
  147. s.147National security exemption from identity verification
  148. s.148Service on a limited partnership
  149. s.149Application of company law
  150. s.150Application of Partnership Act 1890 (meaning of firm)
  151. s.151Limited partnerships: regulations
  152. s.152Limited partnerships: further amendments
  153. s.153Registration of qualifying Scottish partnerships
  154. s.154Power to amend disqualification legislation in relation to relevant entities: GB
  155. s.155Power to amend disqualification legislation in relation to relevant entities: NI
  156. s.156Register of overseas entities
  157. s.157Required information about overseas entities: address information
  158. s.158Registration of information about land
  159. s.159Registration of information about trusts
  160. s.160Registration of information about managing officers: age limits
  161. s.161Registrable beneficial owners: cases involving trusts
  162. s.162Registrable beneficial owners: nominees
  163. s.163Information about changes in beneficiaries under trusts
  164. s.164Applications for removal
  165. s.165Verification of registrable beneficial owners and managing officers
  166. s.166Material unavailable for public inspection: verification information
  167. s.167Material unavailable for public inspection
  168. s.168Protection of information
  169. s.169Resolving inconsistencies in the register
  170. s.170Administrative removal of material from register
  171. s.171False statement offences in connection with information notices
  172. s.172General false statement offences
  173. s.173Enforcement of requirement to register: updated language about penalties etc
  174. s.174Overseas entities: further information for transitional cases
  175. s.175Financial penalties: interaction with offences
  176. s.176Meaning of “service address”
  177. s.177Meaning of “registered overseas entity” in land registration legislation
  178. s.178Power to apply Part 1 amendments to register of overseas entities
  179. s.179Cryptoassets: confiscation orders
  180. s.180Cryptoassets: civil recovery
  181. s.181Cryptoassets: terrorism
  182. s.182Money laundering: exiting and paying away exemptions
  183. s.183Money laundering: exemptions for mixed-property transactions
  184. s.184Money laundering: offences of failing to disclose
  185. s.185Money laundering: information orders
  186. s.186Terrorist financing: information orders
  187. s.187Enhanced due diligence: designation of high-risk countries
  188. s.188Direct disclosures of information: restrictions on civil liability
  189. s.189Indirect disclosure of information: restrictions on civil liability
  190. s.190Meaning of “privileged disclosure”
  191. s.191Meaning of “relevant actions”
  192. s.192Meaning of “business relationship”
  193. s.193Other defined terms in sections 188 to 191
  194. s.194Strategic litigation against public participation: requirement to make rules of court(E+W)
  195. s.195Meaning of “SLAPP” claim(E+W)
  196. s.196Attributing criminal liability for economic crimes to certain bodies
    No text published
  197. s.197Power to amend list of economic crimes
    No text published
  198. s.198Offences under section 196 committed by partnerships
    No text published
  199. s.199Failure to prevent fraud
  200. s.200Fraud offences: supplementary
  201. s.201Section 199: large organisations
  202. s.202Large organisations: parent undertakings
  203. s.203Offences under section 199 committed by partnerships
  204. s.204Guidance about preventing fraud offences
  205. s.205Failure to prevent fraud: minor definitions
  206. s.206Failure to prevent fraud: miscellaneous
  207. s.207Law Society: powers to fine in cases relating to economic crime
  208. s.208Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal: powers to fine in cases relating to economic crime
  209. s.209Regulators of legal services: objective relating to economic crime
  210. s.210Approved regulators: information powers relating to economic crime
  211. s.211Serious Fraud Office: pre-investigation powers
  212. s.212Reports on payments to governments regulations: false statement offences etc
  213. s.213Reports on the implementation and operation of Parts 1 to 3
  214. s.214Sanctions enforcement: monetary penalties
  215. s.215Report on costs orders for proceedings for civil recovery
  216. s.216Power to make consequential provision
  217. s.217Regulations
  218. s.218Extent
  219. s.219Commencement
  220. s.220Transitional provision
  221. s.221Short title