Aside from a few exceptions, almost anyone can register a company in the UK. This includes individual people and corporate bodies, minors between the ages of 16 and 18 years old, and non-UK residents.
This post will briefly overview company registration requirements and restrictions – specifically, who can and cannot register, own, and manage a UK limited company.
You must have at least one shareholder and one natural (human) director to lawfully form a limited company. These two roles can be filled by the same person, meaning one individual can register, own, and manage a company singlehandedly.
You do not have to live in the UK to be a director or shareholder of a UK company. However, the company must provide and maintain a registered office address in the UK.
Anyone can be a company director, apart from individuals who are:
Corporate bodies (e.g. companies) can also be directors of other companies, but there must always be at least one other director who is a natural person. You can’t have a corporate body as the sole director.
None of the restrictions that apply to directors apply to company shareholders. Absolutely anyone (natural or corporate) can own shares in a company, including minors. A corporate body can even be the sole shareholder.
However, disqualified directors must exercise caution if they are also shareholders. If their shares provide voting rights and/or they are a person with significant control (PSC), certain actions they perform as a shareholder or PSC could violate the conditions of their disqualification order.
Yes, one person can register a limited company by appointing themselves as the sole shareholder and sole director. This means they will own the whole company and have total control over its management.
Nevertheless, if you set up a company on your own, there is nothing to stop you from bringing in new shareholders or appointing new directors later. The limited company structure is flexible, so you always have that option.
Yes, you can register a limited company in the UK even if you’re a non-UK resident. This is really common and not as difficult as you may think.
Our recent post on UK company formation for non-residents explains how the process works in detail.
Moreover, our specialist Non-Residents Company Formation Packages provide everything you need to register a company in the UK.
Hopefully, this post has given you a better understanding of who can and cannot register a company in the UK.
If you are ready to register a company , visit Rapid Formations’ homepage. There, you can check if your company name is available to use at Companies House.