Company formation requirements and documents

Before diving into the WeFile formation wizard, gathering the required information will ensure a smooth, error-free process.

Choosing a Company Name

Your name must be entirely unique and end in 'Limited' or 'Ltd'. It cannot be offensive, imply a connection with the government, or use 'sensitive words' (like 'Bank' or 'University') unless you have explicit permission. WeFile's lookup tool will help verify availability.

Registered Office Address

You need a physical UK address to serve as your Registered Office. This address will be publicly available on the Companies House register. Many directors choose to use a commercial registered office service rather than their residential home address for privacy reasons.

Directors and Shareholders

A limited company requires at least one director (who must be 16 or over and not an undischarged bankrupt or disqualified director) and at least one shareholder. You will need their full names, nationalities, dates of birth, occupations, and residential addresses.

Persons with Significant Control (PSC)

You must declare anyone who owns more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, or otherwise exerts significant control over the company. The wizard will typically map your majority shareholders directly to the PSC register.

Authentication Data

Because you are filing digitally without physical signatures, Companies House requires three pieces of personal security data for each director and shareholder (e.g., first three letters of mother's maiden name, town of birth, telephone number).