What happens once a business is formed?

As soon as you receive notification from Companies House that your application has been approved, you can begin trading through your new business. The registration process for a limited company through CompanyFormation365 normally takes 3 to 6 working hours (subject to Companies House workload).

If you opt to begin trading right away, your company is considered "active," and you must register for corporation tax with HMRC within three months. You must notify HMRC that your company is dormant if you do not intend to trade until a later date. When you're ready to start trading, you'll have to register for Corporation Tax.

What is the procedure for determining whether or not my registration has been approved?

If you register a limited company with CompanyFormation365, we'll send you an email after Companies House has approved your registration. You can also use our Online Company Manager to track the progress of your company formation application.

You will be notified via email or post if you set up your company directly through Companies House, depending on whether you submitted your application online or by paper. This can take anything from 2 to 10 days.

Receiving your business formation documents The Certificate of Incorporation, a memorandum and articles of organisation, and share certificates are all examples of company formation documents (if your company is limited by guarantee, these will be membership certificates).

We will transmit digital copies of these documents to you as soon as Companies House approves your application if you employ our service. We will mail you your printed and bound business paperwork within 24 hours of registration if your formation package includes them.

You will receive your Certificate of Incorporation by email or post if you use Companies House incorporation services, depending on whether you submitted your application online or by mail.

Your personal share certificates, as well as a copy of your memorandum and articles of organisation, must be produced separately.

At all times, keep your firm formation paperwork safe. At your registered office address, they should be available for inspection (or SAIL address, where applicable). It is also strongly advised that you create digital backups.

Directors are legally obligated to keep all registration documents in a secure location and make them available for examination upon request.

What is the location of my company's registration number?

Your Certificate of Incorporation includes your unique 8-digit Company Registration Number (CRN). You can also locate it on any official Companies House papers you receive, as well as on the public register online by using the Companies House tool to search your company name.

On all types of corporate stationery, websites, and other online content, you must publish your company registration number.

After incorporation, changing the company's details

All essential changes to your firm must be reported to Companies House. This covers, but is not limited to, the following items:

• Relocation of the registered office
• Changes to the service address and the name of the company
• Changes in a shareholder's holdings or a member's information
• Officers' personal information has changed.
• A director or secretary is appointed or removed.
• Share capital changes (if limited by shares)
• Changes to the association's articles of incorporation
• Changes to your People in Positions of Power (PSCs)

Most changes to your company can be reported to Companies House via CompanyFormation365' Online Company Manager.

With the exception of changing your company name, all changes made using 1st Formation's Online Company Manager are free. The majority of adjustments will also be free of charge at Companies House.

Changing the name of your company after incorporation

You can modify your company's registered name at any time, but you must follow the same rules and criteria as when you choose your initial name.

It cannot be the "same as" or "too similar" to an existing company name on the register, and if it contains any sensitive words or expressions, you must produce supporting documentation.

Your business's name can be changed by a special resolution of the shareholders; but, depending on your company's articles of association, the director(s) of the company may have the authority to alter the name without the approval of the members.

You should inform Companies House and file a copy of the members' decision as soon as you decide on a new name; the change will not be official until Companies House approves it and you receive a name change certificate (called the Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name). After that, you'll be able to make appropriate changes to your company's signs, stationery, and web resources.

Changing the address of your registered office

Your registered office address can be changed at any time, but it must remain in the same nation. Any such changes should be reported to Companies House, and the public register will be amended accordingly. Using CompanyFormation365’s Online Company Manager, you can alter your registration office and notify Companies House for free.

Remember to change your company's registered office address on your stationery and internet materials.

Changing your service address

Directors and LLP members have the ability to alter their service address at any time. Any physical postal address in the globe can be used as the new address. Any such changes must be reported to Companies House, and the public register will be updated accordingly.

Using CompanyFormation365's Online Company Manager, you can modify your service address and notify Companies House for free.

You have the ability to appoint a new director at any moment. Companies House must be notified, and your company record must be updated with the new director's information. Companies House can be notified for free using CompanyFormation365’s Online Company Manager.

Getting your business tax-registered

If your business is open for business, you must register for corporation tax with HMRC within three months of starting operations. If your firm generates more than £85,000 in VAT taxable turnover in a year or is anticipated to approach this threshold in the next 30 days, you may be required to register for VAT.

If your business is subject to corporation tax, you must file an annual Company Tax Return with HMRC and pay any outstanding Corporation Tax. Your tax filings must also include a complete set of annual accounts.

Creating a bank account for your business

You should have a separate business bank account for all of your company's finances, but it is not required by law. However, if you utilise your personal account, it will be impossible to tell the difference between company and personal funds.

Where should your company's information be displayed?

You must display your company name in the following areas at all times, with the exception of inactive companies:

• he address of your registered office
• Your 'SAIL' (Single Alternative Inspection Location) address (if applicable)
• Any location where a business is conducted (unless this is a residential address)
• Electronic and hard copy company papers and correspondence
• Websites & other Social Media Platform
• Any form of publicity if required.

On all types of firm stationery, websites, and online material, you must also include your registered office address. Along with your registered office address, you should specify the nation of registration, such as England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

Companies House has annual reporting requirements.

Companies House requires you to send annual statutory accounts (financial reports) and a confirmation statement (a snapshot of the company's present condition) by the deadlines you are set each year.

After the firm is formed, you can sell your shares.

A person who has stock in a corporation can sell it to another individual at any moment. The sale of shares is frequently done in exchange for money (referred to as 'consideration'). Transfers must be approved by the company's directors, though they may also require shareholder approval in some situations.

Companies can also 'issue' new shares, which entails the creation of new shares and their distribution to the people who applied for them.

In both circumstances, it's critical to consult the corporation's articles of incorporation to ensure that the proper procedures are followed.

Dormant (non trading) company requirements

You should contact HMRC's Corporation Tax Office to confirm that your company is dormant if it is not trading or doing any business activity that generates money or must be recorded in your accounting records.

You'll still have to file annual accounts with Companies House, but you might be able to file 'dormant business accounts' instead.

After alerting HMRC of your business's dormancy, you will get a 'Notice to deliver a Company Tax Return' at your registered office if your company was trading previous to becoming dormant. For the period of activity, you must file a tax return and pay any Corporation Tax due.