Search UK Companies Free with Companies House
The official UK business entity search is the Companies House Find and update company information service. You can search the public register by company name, company number or officer name without paying for basic company information.
Use the register to identify a company, confirm its status and registered office, review officers and persons with significant control, inspect filing history, check accounts and confirmation-statement dates, view charges and insolvency information, or download available filed documents.
Fast answer: open the official Companies House register search, enter the company name, company number or officer name, and open the matching record.
No account is needed just to view public company information. Companies House says the public data it holds on companies is available through the service free of charge.
Important trust limit: treat the register as an official filing record, not as independent proof that every filed statement is correct. Companies House performs filing checks and can investigate concerns, but the register itself should not replace broader due diligence where money, credit, contracts or fraud risk are involved.
- Use the box labelled for a company name, company number or officer name.
- If you know the company number, use it first because it identifies the legal entity more precisely than a trading name.
- If searching by name, open the result whose company number, registered office and status match the business you are checking.
- Inside the company record, review Overview, Filing history, People, Charges, Insolvency or More when those tabs are available.
- Download filed documents only after confirming you are on the correct company record.
I Want To… Choose the Right Companies House Path
The main register is the correct starting point for most searches, but Companies House also provides dedicated tools for dissolved entities, name availability, certificates and disqualified directors.
Find a UK company
Search by registered company name or company number.
Search the registerUse a company number
Use the registration number when the company has changed name or several similarly named entities appear.
Search company numberSearch an officer
The main search also accepts an officer name and can help identify current or former appointments.
Search an officerDownload filings
Open Filing history to review accounts, confirmation statements, officer changes, strike-off notices and other registered documents.
Filing-history guidanceCheck charges or insolvency
Relevant company records can include registered mortgage charges and insolvency information.
Company information availableCheck a proposed name
Use the dedicated name checker before relying on a normal register search.
Check name availabilityOrder certified proof
Order an official certificate or certified document only when an institution requires formal certified evidence.
Certified document guidanceMonitor company filings
Companies House provides a free Follow service that emails you when a followed company files new information.
Set up filing alertsUK Company Search Helper Pick the Best Starting Point
Select what you already know. The helper does not query Companies House; it tells you which official search route is most useful.
How to Use Companies House Search Step by Step
The public search itself is straightforward. Most mistakes happen after the results load, when users select the wrong company or treat one field as proof of more than it actually shows.
User-help visual reference only. This is not an official Companies House screenshot; use the live government service for current fields and results.
Open the official register
Start with Companies House Find and update company information.
Open Companies HouseSearch by number when possible
A company number is more reliable than a brand or trading name. Use the name when the number is unavailable.
Match the legal record
Compare the company name, registration number, status, company type and registered office before selecting the entity.
Review the Overview first
Check status, incorporation date, registered office, SIC codes and the accounts and confirmation-statement dates shown for the company.
Open the specialist tabs you actually need
Use Filing history for documents, People for officers and PSCs, Charges for registered security and Insolvency where relevant.
Save evidence with context
Record the company number and date of your search. If you download a PDF, keep it with the company number so it cannot later be confused with a similarly named entity.
What a Companies House Record Can Tell You
Company number
The registration number is the most useful identifier for distinguishing companies with similar names or tracking a business after a name change.
Company status
The register can show status such as active or dissolved. Read that together with recent filings rather than using the status label alone.
Registered office
This is the company’s official registered-office address. It is not necessarily a shop, warehouse, trading site or place where customers can visit.
Incorporation date
This shows when the registered company came into existence, not necessarily when a brand, business activity or earlier unincorporated operation began.
SIC codes
Standard Industrial Classification codes describe activities filed by the company. They are useful clues, not an independent inspection of what the business currently does.
Filing dates
Accounts and confirmation-statement dates help you see what has been filed and what Companies House currently shows as due or overdue.
How to Read Companies House Filing History
Filing history is often more useful than the company summary because it shows what the company has submitted over time and provides downloadable document images where available.
Common filings worth opening
- Annual accounts.
- Confirmation statements.
- Director appointment or termination filings.
- Registered-office changes.
- Charge registrations and satisfactions.
- Strike-off and Gazette documents.
- Incorporation documents.
What to compare
- Are accounts or confirmation statements overdue?
- Has the registered office changed repeatedly?
- Have multiple directors resigned recently?
- Are charges outstanding or satisfied?
- Is there a recent proposal to strike off?
- Do the documents match the company number you intended to research?
- Select Filing history.
- Read the filing date, form/type and description.
- Use the available PDF link when you need the filed document itself.
- Check several related filings rather than interpreting one document in isolation.
Directors, Officers and Persons with Significant Control
The People area separates management appointments from significant ownership or control. They should not be treated as interchangeable.
Officers
Companies House can show current and resigned officers, including appointment and resignation information held on the public register.
An officer entry tells you about a formal role. It does not automatically show share ownership or beneficial control.
Persons with significant control
PSC information identifies persons or registrable entities reported as exercising qualifying ownership or control over the company.
For example, PSC records can include the recorded nature of control, but they should still be read as filed register information rather than a substitute for a complete ownership investigation.
Accounts and Confirmation Statement Dates What the Search Result Means
The company Overview can show the last accounts filed, the next accounts due and confirmation-statement information. These dates are useful for spotting whether the company’s filing position appears current.
Accounts
For established companies, private-company accounts are normally due nine months after the financial year end, while public-company accounts are normally due six months after the financial year end.
First-account deadlines can be different. For example, a private company’s first accounts covering more than 12 months are generally due within 21 months of incorporation.
Confirmation statement
Every company, including dormant and non-trading companies, must file a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months.
The statement can be filed up to 14 days after the review period ends. The current online annual fee is £50; the paper CS01 fee is £110.
Read confirmation statement rules
- Check the company’s current confirmation date and filing deadline on the public register.
- Review company details before filing.
- Update information that must be changed separately before submitting the confirmation statement.
- Use online filing where eligible, or form CS01 by post when necessary.
How to Find a Dissolved UK Company
Companies House has stopped routinely removing dissolved-company records from the main service and has added records for companies dissolved since January 2010.
The current Companies House search homepage also provides a dedicated Dissolved company search tool, which can be useful when a normal name search is crowded with current entities.
Open Companies House search tools
Follow a UK Company for Free Filing Alerts
Companies House provides a free Follow service. Once enabled, it emails you when the company files a new transaction that Companies House accepts.
The alert includes a link back to the company’s filing history, where the related public document can be reviewed or downloaded when available.
Register or sign in
You need a Companies House account for the Follow function even though ordinary public viewing does not require registration.
Search the company
Find the correct entity and confirm the company number.
Select “Follow this company”
Companies House will send email alerts when accepted filings are added to the record.
Checking a UK Company Name Before Registration
A normal company search is useful for spotting similar names, but Companies House also provides a dedicated company name availability checker.
- Enter the proposed company name.
- Review exact matches and the availability result.
- Search the wider register for similar company names before investing in branding.
- Remember that company-name approval and trade mark rights are different issues.
Certificates and Certified Companies House Documents
Most routine company research can be completed with the free public register. Pay for certification only when a bank, court, overseas authority, tender, professional adviser or other recipient requires formal certified evidence.
Company certificate
Companies House can issue a company certificate containing certified facts held on the register.
Certified copy
You can order a certified copy of a document held on the Companies House register.
Summary statement
What used to be called a good-standing statement is now called a summary statement. Companies House only issues it when qualifying companies are up to date with filings.
Open certified document guidance
- Search the company in Find and update company information.
- Confirm the company number.
- Use the More tab to place an order where available.
- Choose standard or express dispatch.
- If you need additional certified facts, check the allowed certificate options before paying.
Companies House Fees Most Relevant After a Search
The lookup itself is free. Fees apply when you file, incorporate, order certified evidence or use other chargeable Companies House services.
| Service | Current fee | When it matters | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company search | Free | Company details, officers, filings and other public register information. | No registration is needed just to view public company information. |
| Online incorporation | £100 | Registering an eligible company online. | Do not confuse incorporation cost with free company lookup. |
| Confirmation statement online | £50 | First confirmation statement in the 12-month payment period. | Additional statements within the same payment period do not trigger another annual fee. |
| Confirmation statement by post | £110 | Paper CS01 filing. | Online filing is materially cheaper. |
| Certified certificate/document — standard | £22 | Formal certified evidence sent by standard dispatch. | Incorporation-document orders cost £44 under standard dispatch. |
| Certified certificate/document — express | £65 | Faster dispatch of certified evidence. | Order before 11am for same-day dispatch eligibility; incorporation-document orders cost £130. |
| Voluntary strike off online | £13 | Applying to remove an eligible company from the register. | Paper filing currently costs more. |
| Register a charge online/software | £14 | Registering certain company security interests. | Paper registration currently costs £24. |
Check current Companies House fees
- Find the exact filing or service you need.
- Compare online, software and paper prices where more than one method exists.
- Check whether the fee is annual, per filing or per order.
- Confirm the current amount again immediately before paying.
Companies House Identity Verification in 2026
Identity verification became a legal requirement from 18 November 2025. That date began a 12-month transition period rather than acting as a single deadline for every existing director and PSC.
Directors
Existing directors generally provide their Companies House personal code through the company’s confirmation statement process when their requirement falls due.
New director appointments after the regime began are subject to the new verification requirements.
People with significant control
PSCs also need to provide their personal code within the applicable 14-day period determined by their circumstances.
The exact timing differs depending on whether the person became a PSC before or after 18 November 2025.
Official identity verification guidance
What You May Not Find in a UK Business Entity Search
Companies House is a company register, not a directory of every business trading in the United Kingdom.
Sole traders
Sole traders are generally not registered as companies at Companies House. A trading name may therefore produce no Companies House entity even when the business is genuine.
Ordinary partnerships
Ordinary business partnerships are not generally included in the Companies House companies register in the same way as incorporated entities or LLPs.
Trading brands
A website or shop may use a trading name that differs from the legal registered company name. Look for the company number on invoices, contracts, website legal notices or official correspondence.
UK Business Search Problems and the Best Fix
| Problem | Likely reason | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| No company appears | You searched a trading name, sole trader or different legal spelling. | Look for a company number on contracts, invoices, terms pages or official correspondence. |
| Many similar companies appear | The name is common or has multiple historical variants. | Compare company number, status, incorporation date and registered office. |
| The company changed name | You are searching the old or current branding rather than the legal record. | Use the company number or review previous company names in the record. |
| Accounts look out of date | Accounts cover an earlier accounting period and may legitimately lag current trading activity. | Check the accounting reference period, filing date and whether Companies House marks the next accounts overdue. |
| Need proof for a bank or overseas authority | A browser result is not certified evidence. | Order a Companies House certificate or certified copy and ask the recipient what form it requires. |
| Need current alerts | A one-time search becomes stale as new filings arrive. | Use the free Follow this company feature for email alerts. |
Companies House Contact, Postal Address & Opening Times
Most search and filing tasks are online. Companies House’s main Cardiff office is not open to the public, so a map would not help most visitors and could wrongly imply a walk-in service.
General enquiries
Telephone: 0303 1234 500
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., except bank holidays.
enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk
Companies House says email will usually get a faster response than postal contact.
Main postal office
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF14 3UZ
United Kingdom
The Cardiff office is not open for public counter service.
Check Companies House access and opening times
- Confirm current phone opening hours and bank-holiday closures.
- Use online filing where the required form or service supports it.
- If posting documents, include the full company name and company number where required.
- Use a delivery method appropriate to the filing deadline; postal delay is not automatically accepted as a reason for late filing.
Official Companies House Resources Use the Right Tool
Find and update company information
Main free public register for company names, numbers, officers, filing documents and related records.
Open company searchOfficial register-search guidance
Explains free access, company following, dissolved-company records and service limitations.
Read search guidanceName availability checker
Dedicated Companies House tool for checking a proposed registered company name.
Check company nameConfirmation statement
Official rules, deadlines, permitted updates and payment-period information.
Open confirmation guidanceCertified documents
Official instructions for company certificates, certified copies, summary statements and dispatch options.
Order guidanceCompanies House fees
Current official charges for incorporation, confirmation statements, strike off, charges and other services.
View current feesIdentity verification
Current requirements for directors, PSCs and other people who need a Companies House personal code.
Verify identity guidanceCompany information guide
Quick GOV.UK summary of the free public information available for a registered company.
See available informationCompanies House office access
Phone hours, postal information and Cardiff office access rules.
Contact & opening timesUK Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is Companies House company search free?
Yes. Companies House says its Find and update company information service makes public company data available free of charge, and you do not need to register simply to view company information.
2. What can I search for on Companies House?
The main search accepts a company name, company number or officer name. After opening a company record, you can review information such as status, registered office, officers, filing history, accounts dates, charges and insolvency information where available.
3. What is the safest way to identify the correct UK company?
Use the company number whenever possible. If you search by name, compare the company number, registered office, company type, incorporation date and status before relying on the result.
4. Can I find a sole trader on Companies House?
Usually not. Sole traders are generally unincorporated businesses and are not required to register as companies at Companies House. Ordinary partnerships are also generally outside the companies register.
5. Can Companies House show company directors and PSCs?
Yes. Company records can include current and resigned officers and a Persons with significant control section where PSC information has been registered. Officers and PSCs represent different legal roles and should be reviewed separately.
6. Can I download Companies House filing documents for free?
Many filed document images available through the company’s Filing history can be viewed or downloaded without charge. Certified copies are a separate paid service.
7. How do I find a dissolved UK company?
Search the main Companies House service and use the dissolved-company search tool when useful. Companies House has added records for companies dissolved since January 2010 to its online service.
8. How much does a Companies House confirmation statement cost in 2026?
The current fee is £50 for an online confirmation statement and £110 for a paper CS01. The annual fee is normally paid with the first confirmation statement in the relevant 12-month payment period.
9. How much does a certified Companies House document cost?
The current standard certified-document or certificate service starts at £22, while express dispatch is £65. Incorporation-document orders have higher prices, so check the official ordering page before paying.
10. Does a Companies House record prove that everything filed is accurate?
No. Companies House performs filing checks and has powers to investigate or annotate questionable information, but the public register is still a filing record rather than independent verification of every fact. Use additional checks when the decision involves significant financial, legal or fraud risk.
Best Way to Use a UK Business Entity Search
Start with the official Companies House register, not a paid directory. Search the company name or—preferably—the company number, confirm the exact entity, then move into Filing history, People, Charges or Insolvency only when those records answer your actual question.
For ongoing checks, follow the company for free alerts. For formal evidence, order a certified document only when the recipient requires it. If the business is a sole trader or ordinary partnership, do not assume a missing Companies House result means the business does not exist.
Editorial verification: Companies House public-search features, dissolved-company guidance, filing-history information, 2026 fees, confirmation-statement rules, identity-verification requirements, certified-document pricing and contact information were reviewed September 11, 2026. Fees and digital interfaces can change. This independent informational website is not Companies House, GOV.UK or the UK government and does not provide legal, accounting, credit or fraud-investigation advice.