If you are looking for a way to start a business in the UK, but you are not a resident or citizen of the country, you might be wondering how to form a UK company from overseas quickly and easily. The good news is that the UK has a simple and fast process for registering a private limited company, which is the most common type of business entity in the country. A private limited company is a separate legal entity that can conduct business in the UK and abroad, and has limited liability for its owners (called shareholders or members).
Below, we will explain the steps and requirements for forming a UK company from overseas, as well as some tips and resources to help you along the way.
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Choose a company name
The first step is to choose a unique and suitable name for your company. You can check the availability of your desired name using our Company Name Check Tool, which searches the official registrar of companies in the UK. Your company name must not be the same as or too similar to an existing company name, and it must not contain any sensitive or offensive words.
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Acquire a registered office address
The next step is to provide a registered office address for your company. This is the official address where your company's statutory mail and legal notices will be sent. Your registered office address must be in the UK, and it must be a physical location, not a PO box. You can use your own address if you have one in the UK, or you can use our UK registered office service that can forward your mail to your overseas address.
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Appoint directors and shareholders
appoint at least one director and one shareholder for your company. A director is a person who is responsible for managing the company and making strategic decisions. A shareholder is a person who owns a share of the company and has a right to vote on certain matters. You can be both a director and a shareholder of your own company, and you do not need to be a UK resident or citizen to do so. However, you must be at least 16 years old and not disqualified from being a director.
You also have the choice of appointing a nominee director or nominee shareholders using our nominee services.
You can also appoint more than one director and shareholder, and you can choose to have different classes of shares with different rights and privileges. You will need to provide some personal information about each director and shareholder, such as their name, date of birth, nationality, and address.
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Prepare the memorandum and articles of association
The fourth step is to prepare the memorandum and articles of association for your company. These are the legal documents that define the purpose, structure, and rules of your company. The memorandum of association is a brief document that states the name of your company, the registered office address, and the names of the shareholders. The articles of association is a longer document that sets out the rights and duties of the directors and shareholders, as well as the procedures for running the company.
You can use our provided “standard model articles” provided by Companies House, or you can create your own custom articles to suit your specific needs. We can also help you draft and file custom documents if you want.
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Register your company
Use our Non-Uk resident company formation service to register your company for you, which may offer additional benefits and services.
Once your company is registered, you will receive a certificate of incorporation, which confirms the existence and details of your company. You will also need to register for corporation tax with HMRC within three months of starting to do business. You can do this online or by post, and you will need to provide your company number, the date you started to do business, and the nature of your business.
Congratulations, you have successfully formed a UK company from overseas quickly and easily! Now you can start trading and growing your business in the UK and beyond.
Published: 3/11/2024 8:22:20 PM
