Private company limited by shares
The standard UK company. Each member's liability is limited to any unpaid amount on their shares.
- Entiva fee to form
- $9
- Government fees to form
- £152
- Run plan
- $49 a month
- Steps to form
- 13
- Ongoing filings
- 12
- Ways to close
- 5
Who it suits, and what defines it.
Governed by the Companies Act 2006.
Who it suits
- Founders who want the standard UK company.
- Owners who want liability limited to the unpaid amount on their shares.
- Companies that can use model articles or their own bespoke articles.
Key facts
- Liability
- Limited to any unpaid share amount
- Law
- Companies Act 2006
- Registered in
- England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
- Directors
- At least one individual aged 16 or over
- UK-resident director
- Not required
- Share capital
- No minimum
- Company secretary
- Optional
- Confirmation statement
- Every 12 months
What the law requires.
10 rules, each in plain words.
A registered office at an appropriate address
Since 4 March 2024 it cannot be a PO box and must be in the part of the UK where the company is registered.
A registered email address
It is given to Companies House and is not made public.
A lawful purpose statement
It is needed when the company is formed and in every confirmation statement.
Identity verification for every director
Since 18 November 2025 each new director verifies their identity and gives their Companies House personal code.
Personal codes for people with significant control (PSCs)
A PSC holds more than 25% of shares or votes, can appoint a board majority, or has significant influence or control.
No minimum share capital
There is no requirement for a UK-resident director either.
A register of members kept by the company
It is kept at the registered office or one alternative inspection location, and since 26 January 2026 it cannot be kept on the central register.
No local registers of directors or PSCs
Since 18 November 2025 that information is filed with, and held by, Companies House.
Corporation Tax registration with HMRC
The company must tell HMRC within 3 months of starting its Corporation Tax accounting period.
A different deadline for the first accounts
They are due 21 months after incorporation, or 3 months after the accounting year end if later.
How Entiva forms it.
13 steps. Entiva prepares and files each one, and collects every signature the law needs.
The steps
13 steps- 1Check the name is available
The UK has no name reservation. A name is held only by incorporating.
- 2Verify each director's identity
Each director needs a Companies House personal code before incorporation.
- 3Choose the articles of association
Model articles apply by default. Bespoke articles go in the incorporation application.
- 4Incorporate the company at Companies House
Government fee: £100, or £156 for same-day filing.
- 5Set up the register of members
The company keeps the register of members. Officer and PSC details are held by Companies House.
- 6Set up the accounting records
Bookkeeping starts from day one.
- 7Register for Corporation Tax
Within 3 months of starting to trade or having taxable activity. HMRC posts the Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR).
- 8Register as an employer for PAYEOnly if needed
Only if the company employs staff. Before the first payday, and not more than 2 months before.
- 9Register for VAT
Compulsory when taxable turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling 12 months. Voluntary earlier.
- 10File the workplace pension declarationOnly if needed
Only once there is a member of staff, within 5 months of the duties start date.
- 11Pay the data protection fee
Paid to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) before processing personal data, unless exempt.
- 12Set up handling of statutory postOnly if needed
Optional. Sets how post at the registered office or service address is handled.
- 13Order the certificate of incorporationOnly if needed
Optional. A certified copy can carry an apostille for use abroad.
Documents
8- Memorandum of association (prescribed form)
- Articles of association (not filed if model articles apply)
- Statement of capital and initial shareholdings
- Statement of proposed officers with consent to act
- Statement of initial significant control
- Statement of compliance (Companies Act 2006, section 13)
- Lawful-purpose and no-disqualification statements
- Certificate of incorporation
Who takes part
7- Every director verifies their identity with Companies House
- A company acting as director or secretary is checked, with the people who own it
- A company secretary, if appointed, has their identity checked
- Each PSC gives a personal code when added or within 14 days
- Shareholders with 25% or less and no other control are recorded and screened
- Corporate shareholders are checked down to the individuals who own them
- Anyone owning or controlling over 25% gives ID and proof of address
What has to be filed, and when.
Entiva tracks every deadline from the day it is formed, and files before each one.
Every year, and as things happen
12 filings- File the confirmation statement
Within 14 days after the end of each 12-month review period
- File the annual accounts
9 months after the accounting year end
- File the Company Tax Return
12 months after the end of the accounting period
- Pay Corporation Tax
9 months and 1 day after the accounting period ends
- Verify existing people with significant control
In each existing PSC's birth-month or confirmation-date window, until about 18 Nov 2026
- Pay the data protection fee
Every 12 months, on the renewal date the ICO sets
- File the workplace pension declaration
Within 5 months of duties starting, and within 5 months of each re-enrolment
- File the employment-related securities return
By 6 July after each tax year, if a share scheme is registered
- Report and publish the gender pay gap
By 4 April each year, with 250 or more employees
- Keep the accounting records
At least 3 years for the Companies Act. HMRC requires 6 years
- Handle post at the registered office
Always: the registered office must be an appropriate address
- File dormant company accounts
While dormant: 9 months after the accounting year end
The changes Entiva handles.
Each change is prepared, approved, signed and filed.
The most common changes
10 changes- Appoint a director
- Record a director's or secretary's resignation
- Change the registered office
- Issue new shares
- Transfer shares between holders
- Change the company name
- Amend the articles of association
- Appoint an auditor
- Add a person with significant control
- Declare a dividend
How it closes.
5 routes. The right one depends on whether it can pay its debts, and who starts it.
Voluntary strike-off
For a company that has not traded, sold stock or changed name in the last 3 months, and is not in a company voluntary arrangement or threatened with liquidation.
- 1
Cancel the VAT registration
- 2
Close the PAYE scheme
- 3
Apply to strike the company off the register
- 4
Withdraw the application if the position changes
- 5
The Gazette publishes notices and the company is dissolved
Members' voluntary liquidation
For a solvent company with assets to distribute, where the directors can make a declaration of solvency.
- 1
Pass the directors' resolution
- 2
Start the members' voluntary liquidation
- 3
File the liquidator's annual progress report
- 4
Make the final account and dissolve the company
- 5
Cancel the VAT registration
- 6
Close the PAYE scheme
Creditors' voluntary liquidation
For a company that cannot pay its debts. A licensed insolvency practitioner is needed.
- 1
Start the creditors' voluntary liquidation
- 2
Make the final account and dissolve the company
Compulsory liquidation
When the court orders the company wound up, on the company's own petition or a creditor's.
- 1
Petition the court to wind up the company
- 2
Winding-up order made; the Official Receiver or a liquidator acts
- 3
The company is dissolved after the liquidator is released
Administration ending in dissolution
When the administrator decides no further distribution is possible.
- 1
Appoint an administrator
- 2
The administrator files notice of the move to dissolution
What Entiva does for you.
From the first filing to the last.
Private company limited by shares
- Prepares the incorporation documents and files them with Companies House.Formation
- Verifies each director's identity and obtains their Companies House personal code.People
- Sets up and keeps the register of members and minute book.Formation
- Files the confirmation statement within 14 days of each review period.Ongoing
- Files the annual accounts once the board has approved them and a director has signed.Ongoing
- Files the Company Tax Return (CT600) with HMRC after an officer approves it.Ongoing
Build it with the API.
Every step on this page is an action in the Entiva API, with its documents, signatures and filing.
What it costs, item by item.
Every Entiva fee and every government fee, from forming it to closing it.
Forming it
$9one-off
- Government fees
- £152
Steps marked only if needed are not counted.
Closing it
From $129
- Entiva fee
- Fixed, quoted first
- Government fees
- At cost
Included in the Run plan
- Registered office in the UK
- File the confirmation statement
- File the annual accounts
- File the Company Tax Return
- Verify existing people with significant control
- File the employment-related securities return
- Routine changes
- Every deadline tracked
Extra, at a fixed fee
- File the workplace pension declarationOnly if needed
- Pay the data protection fee
- Report and publish the gender pay gap
Each extra is quoted before it starts, and nothing is done until you approve it.
Forming it
Entiva's formation fee is $9, one-off. Government fees are passed through at cost.
£100 software, £156 same-day, £124 paper.
The registration threshold is £90,000.
Tier 1 £52; tier 2 £78; tier 3 £3,763; £5 off by direct debit.
Excludes steps marked only if needed.
Every year
The Run plan costs $49 a month ($588 a year).
£50 online or software, £110 paper.
CICs pay £15 for the CIC34 report, shown as a separate line in government_fees[].
Late filing penalties: 200 GBP at 1 day, another 200 GBP at 3 months, then 10% of unpaid tax at 6 and 12 months; 1,000 GBP each if late three times in a row.
Tier 1 £52; tier 2 £78; tier 3 £3,763; £5 off by direct debit.
Changes
Routine changes are included in the Run plan.
0.5% of consideration rounded up to the nearest GBP 5 where it exceeds GBP 1,000; otherwise nil.
£20 online or software; £85 for same-day service; £30 on paper.
Closing it
Closing is a fixed-fee project, quoted before it starts.
The Gazette 2026 price list: £96.55 plus VAT per corporate insolvency notice placed by webform, XML or template. A CVL normally needs two notices, about £193.10 plus VAT.
Gazette notice extra: £96.55 plus VAT via webform.
Court fee 3.8 on a notice of intention or appointment; court route fee 3.2 is £352.
Entiva fees are in US dollars. Government fees are in the currency each authority charges, passed through at cost when the filing is made. Taxes are separate.
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