Companies House

Executive agency that incorporates and dissolves limited companies, examines and stores company information, and (post-ECCTA 2023) verifies director identity.

This page covers UK-wide law. Where local procedure differs (e.g. courts or tribunals), this is noted in the relevant section.

Overview

Companies House is the registrar of companies in the UK. Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, its role is being transformed from a passive registrar to an active gatekeeper: it now has powers to query and reject suspicious filings, identity-verifies all directors and Persons with Significant Control, and shares intelligence with law enforcement.

What it handles

Company incorporation and dissolution
Annual confirmation statements and statutory accounts
Director identity verification (under ECCTA 2023)
PSC register maintenance
Strike-off objections

Official sources

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house

Last reviewed: 2026-05-21. This is legal information, not legal advice.