When you register a company in the UK, you take one of the first formal steps as a founder. For women in business, choosing a limited company structure can protect personal assets, create a clearer boundary between you and your venture, and make it easier to raise investment or bring in co-founders. This guide sets out the current rules, costs, and compliance steps you need to follow in 2026.
Most founders register a private limited company with Companies House, the UK registrar of companies. Once registered, your business becomes a separate legal entity that can own assets, sign contracts, and pay tax in its own right. Before you start, it is worth checking whether a limited company is the right structure compared with operating as a sole trader or partnership. Our guide to what is a limited company explains the basics, and our sole trader vs limited company comparison covers the tax and liability differences.
Choose the Right Business Structure
The structure you choose affects your tax, liability, and administrative workload. Many women founders start as sole traders while testing an idea, then incorporate once turnover grows or they seek investment. The three most common options are:
- Sole trader. Simplest to set up. You keep all profits after tax but are personally liable for business debts. You register with HMRC for Self Assessment rather than Companies House.
- Partnership. Two or more people share profits, losses, and liability. You register the partnership with HMRC.
- Private limited company. A separate legal entity with limited liability for shareholders. It requires annual filings with Companies House and HMRC, but it can be more tax-efficient and credible for raising finance.
If you expect to reinvest profits, take on investment, or work in a sector where clients prefer to contract with a company, a limited company is usually the better choice.
What You Need Before You Register
Gather the following information before starting your application. Companies House will reject incomplete or inaccurate filings, and the identity-verification rules introduced in 2025 mean directors must prove who they are.
Choose and Check Your Company Name
Your name must be unique on the Companies House register and cannot be too similar to an existing name or trademark. It must usually end in “Limited” or “Ltd” (or “Cyfyngedig” / “Cyf” in Wales). Avoid sensitive words, misleading terms, or names that suggest a government connection without permission. You can use a different trading name, but your registered company name must appear on official documents and your website.
Provide a UK Registered Office Address
This must be a physical address in the UK in the same country where you incorporate (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland). It is where official post is sent and where your statutory registers are kept. It can be your home address, business premises, or a registered office service, but it must be a real address; PO Boxes are not accepted on their own. If you are working from home, think carefully before using your home address, because it appears on the public register and can affect your privacy.
Appoint Directors and Shareholders
A private limited company needs at least one director who is aged 16 or over and not disqualified. A director can also be the sole shareholder. You will need each director’s full name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, service address, and residential address. Since 2025, all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) must complete Companies House identity verification (Companies House, 2025). You can verify directly through Companies House or via an authorised corporate service provider. Our article on identity verification for women directors at Companies House explains the process.
Decide Your Shares and Share Capital
Most founders issue ordinary shares with equal voting and dividend rights. You can start with a small share capital, for example one share of £1. Record who owns the shares, how many they hold, and the amount paid or unpaid.
Select Your Standard Industrial Classification Code
This code describes your company’s main business activity. You can choose up to four SIC codes from the Companies House list. Pick the code that best matches what your company actually does, as it affects how your business is classified on the public register.
Prepare Your Memorandum and Articles of Association
The memorandum is a short statement signed by the initial shareholders confirming they agree to form the company. The articles of association set out how the company will be run. Most companies use the standard “model articles” provided by Companies House, but you can draft bespoke articles if your business needs special provisions.
Steps to Register a Company in the UK
You can register online, by post, or through a formation agent. Online registration through Companies House is the fastest and cheapest route.
- Check your chosen company name is available using the Companies House name availability checker.
- Complete the identity verification for each director and PSC.
- Submit your application through the Companies House online service or a formation agent, including your registered office address, director details, shareholder details, share capital, SIC code, and articles of association.
- Pay the registration fee.
- Wait for your certificate of incorporation, which confirms your company number and date of formation.
Online applications are typically approved within 24 hours; postal applications take around 8 to 10 days (Companies House, 2025). If you need same-day incorporation, you can pay a higher fee and submit by 3pm.
Registration Fees and Timescales in 2026
Companies House increased its fees on 1 May 2025. As of 2026, the standard costs are:
| Service | Fee | Timescale |
|---|---|---|
| Online incorporation | £65 | Within 24 hours |
| Same-day incorporation | £78 | Same day if submitted by 3pm |
| Paper incorporation | £71 | 8 to 10 days |
These fees are set by Companies House and apply regardless of whether you apply directly or through an agent (Companies House, 2025). Formation agents charge extra for added services such as registered office addresses, mail forwarding, or bespoke articles. Budgeting for these costs early helps women-led businesses avoid cash-flow surprises in the first year.
After Registration: Tax and Compliance
Once your company is registered, you have ongoing legal duties. Missing deadlines can lead to penalties, so put key dates in your calendar from day one. Staying on top of deadlines from the start is especially valuable if you are balancing business with other caring or employment responsibilities.
Your Corporation Tax Registration
Companies House automatically notifies HMRC when your company is formed. HMRC will send you a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) within a few weeks. You must register for corporation tax online within three months of starting to trade. For the 2026/27 financial year, the main rate of corporation tax is 25% on profits above £250,000. Companies with profits of £50,000 or less pay the small profits rate of 19%. Profits between £50,000 and £250,000 benefit from marginal relief (HMRC, 2025). You must pay corporation tax within nine months and one day of your accounting period end and file your company tax return within 12 months.
When and How to Register for VAT
You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover exceeds the VAT threshold, which is £85,000 for 2026/27 and is frozen at that level until at least April 2028 (HMRC, 2025). You can also register voluntarily if it suits your cash flow or makes your business look more established to corporate clients. The standard VAT rate is 20%. Once registered, you must submit VAT returns through Making Tax Digital (MTD) compatible software.
Set Up PAYE and Workplace Pensions
If you employ staff, register as an employer with HMRC and set up PAYE. You must also enrol eligible employees into a workplace pension scheme and make employer contributions under automatic enrolment duties.
File Your Annual Accounts and Statements
Every year you must file a confirmation statement with Companies House to confirm your company details are up to date, and file annual accounts. Small companies can usually file abridged accounts, but the filing deadlines are strict. You must also keep accurate accounting records for at least six years.
Funding and Support for Women Founders
Setting up the legal structure is only the start. If you need finance, the British Business Bank backs several schemes aimed at improving access to funding for women-led businesses, including Start Up Loans, which offer personal loans of up to £25,000 for early-stage businesses alongside free mentoring (British Business Bank, 2025). You can read more in our Start Up Loans for women founders guide.
For broader context on the state of women’s enterprise in the UK, see our Women in Business: Key UK Facts page.
Use This Checklist to Get Started
- Decide whether a limited company, sole trader, or partnership structure best fits your plans.
- Choose a unique company name and check it against the Companies House register and IPO trademarks database.
- Gather director and shareholder details and complete Companies House identity verification.
- File your incorporation online, pay the £65 fee, and receive your certificate of incorporation.
- Register for corporation tax within three months of trading, and monitor your turnover for VAT registration.
- Open a business bank account, set up accounting software, and diarise your annual filing deadlines.
If you register a company in the UK with the right preparation, the process is straightforward. Taking the time to set things up correctly from the start will save you money, protect your personal assets, and give your women-led business a solid legal foundation.
