How to Register a Company in United Kingdom (Private Ltd (Private Company Limited by Shares)) as a Foreign Founder
Setting up a United Kingdom Private Ltd (Private Company Limited by Shares) is more straightforward than it first looks — if you know which route you actually qualify for. Most guides quote a single headline figure and stop there, leaving founders to discover the real conditions the hard way.
BIZ TRP confirms your real route before you spend anything on documents: the right capital structure, the signature or representation path that fits you, and the compliance steps that come after registration — so the company you register is the company you can actually run.
Decision quick facts
- Entity
- Private Ltd (Private Company Limited by Shares)
- Capital
- No minimum — 1 GBP typical
- Remote formation
- Yes — via fully online filing via Companies House — no notary
- Corporate tax
- 25% main rate — 19% small-profits rate
- VAT
- 20%
- Registration time
- Route-dependent
Find your exact path
Select one option in each group. The checklist will update without collecting identity data.
What you need before you start
- A registered address in United Kingdom Required
- Standard capital requirement confirmed for your structure Required
- Access to fully online filing via Companies House — no notary for every signer, or a local representative if not If applicable
- UBO / beneficial-owner information Required
- Foreign legal-entity documents (translated/apostilled where applicable) If applicable
- No general UK-residency requirement for directors, confirmed. Companies House identity-verification (ECCTA) and registered-address rules are separate compliance issues, not a residency requirement. Required
From confirmed route to registered company
Confirm the route
Founder type, governance, address, and the actual signing method for your case.
Prepare documents
Only the translations, certifications, and UBO material your profile actually requires.
Apply the capital rule
The correct amount, payment timing, and any reduced-capital conditions.
Execute and file
Sign through the accepted channel and file with the Companies House.
Go operational
Banking, tax/VAT activation, and any licences are separate steps — plan for them, don't assume them.
What you actually pay
Government fees
- Capital requirement (if applicable, fully paid in)
- No minimum
- Registry filing fee
- Ask us for the current figure
BIZ TRP fees
- Route confirmation & document preparation
- Ask us for a quote — from €120/hour
- Registration coordination
- Ask us for a quote — from €120/hour
Where this usually goes wrong
New identity-verification rules apply from late 2025. Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House began requiring identity verification for new directors and PSCs from 18 November 2025 — a major recent change for foreign founders, and a current structural compliance issue rather than a normal incorporation-field value. Filing fee confirmed via GOV.UK’s 2026 schedule: 100 GBP for standard online incorporation (raised from 50 GBP, effective 1 Feb 2026), 124 GBP for paper filings, or 156 GBP for same-day software incorporation.
"Remote" gets assumed rather than confirmed. Not every signer automatically has what's needed for a remote route. We check the signing route before it becomes a filing delay, not after.
Registration gets treated as the finish line. The company exists, but banking, tax activation, and licensing are separate work — founders who assume otherwise lose weeks they didn't budget for.
Your action checklist
Ready to confirm your route?
BIZ TRP reviews your route, prepares and coordinates your formation documents, and handles POA/notary or local-partner steps where needed.
Request your United Kingdom route review Email usCommon questions
Is No minimum always the capital requirement?
That's the standard figure as researched — 1 GBP typical Confirm which route applies to your specific case before relying on it.
Can I register fully remotely?
For most founders, yes — through fully online filing via Companies House — no notary, depending on which signers are involved.
Does registration mean I can start operating immediately?
No. Registration creates the legal entity. Banking, tax/VAT activation, and any licences are separate steps.