Fast UK company formation

Company formation is the process of legally incorporating a business as a limited company. It is also known as company incorporation and company registration. Rapid Formations is a leading company formation agent specialising in registering companies online at Companies House - the UK registrar of companies.

It could not be easier to set up a limited company or LLP with Rapid Formations. To start the company formation process, simply enter your company name into our name check tool, select a company formation package, add any address services you may require, proceed to checkout and pay, and take 5 minutes to complete your company details.

If you are looking to set up a profit-making company, a private company limited by shares is normally the best type for you. It provides a wide range of benefits, including limited liability protection for its shareholders and the potential for tax savings. It is the most popular type of company, making up over 95% of all companies registered.

It normally takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete your company application on our website, and up to 24 hours for your company registration to be approved, although this can take longer, depending on Companies House's workload on the day.

If it’s essential your company is formed today, choose our Same-Day Incorporation Service during checkout with any of our packages. This service is available Monday–Friday for orders received prior to 12:00 GMT.

Our incorporation packages begin at just £2.99 +VAT. Our prices do not include the £100.00 Companies House Fee (not subject to VAT).

To set up a limited company, you simply need a company name, the company's business activity, a registered office address in the UK, and the details of the company directors, shareholders, and People with Significant Control (PSC). PSCs, normally those owning more than 25% of the issued shares, will also be required to provide proof of ID and address. For more information, please have a look at our Required Information Checklist.

It is not a legal requirement for a UK registered company to have a business bank account; however, in practice you will find it extremely hard to operate a business without its own bank account. Rapid Formations offers up to 8 business bank accounts with all company registration packages, including Barclays, Lloyds, Starling, Monzo, Zempler, and ANNA. We also offer a business banking solution for overseas customers who wish to set up a UK company - see our Non-Residents Packages for details.

Yes. As an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), we are permitted to complete identity verification for company officers and persons with significant control (PSCs) on behalf of Companies House.

After we send your company formation application to Companies House, you will be shown as ‘verified’ for identification purposes on the public register once the company has been incorporated.

We must also perform our own due diligence checks to meet anti-money laundering requirements, as HMRC supervises us for anti-money laundering compliance.

The identity verification process is quick, user-friendly, and provided at no cost. In most cases, it only takes a few minutes to complete. You can learn more about our ID Requirements here.

A limited company is a business structure that is legally separate from its owners - usually the shareholders and subscribers. The main benefit of registering this entity is to enjoy the status of 'limited liability' which means the owners are not personally liable for the financial losses of the business. Other benefits are enhanced corporate image, tax efficiency, investment and lending opportunities, and ease of selling the business.

Yes. The law allows people from outside the UK to set up a company in the UK. There is no need for you, or anyone else in the company, to live or work in the UK.

Yes, you will need a UK address to act as your company’s registered office address. A registered office address is the company’s ‘official’ legal address. It has a range of purposes, including receiving government and legal mail. Rapid Formations offers a Registered Office Service that’s perfect for protecting your privacy, bolstering your company’s credibility and ensuring you always have a legally compliant UK-based address.

SIC codes (short for ‘Standard Industrial Classification’ codes) are a set of pre-defined codes representing activities a company can undertake. Each company must select between 1 and 4 of these codes to best describe what its activities will be. These codes are then reported to Companies House and made publicly available.

The directors run the company on a day-to-day basis and have several legal duties and responsibilities to fulfil. These include paying the company’s Corporation Tax bill, arranging its annual accounts, keeping the company’s information up to date at Companies House, and ensuring the company complies with all relevant laws and regulations.

Once your company is formed, it will be automatically registered for Corporation Tax. HMRC will usually send your Corporation Tax Number (referred to as the ‘Unique Taxpayer Reference’) within 2 weeks of your company’s incorporation. VAT registration, on the other hand, is not automatic. You must register for VAT if you expect your taxable turnover to go over £90,000 within the next 30 days. You can also register earlier, if you want to.

Approximately half a million companies registered in the UK are dissolved (shut down) every year at Companies House, so if you decide you no longer need your company and want to shut it down, there is no need to worry – it happens fairly often! Rapid Formations can dissolve your company hassle free, at a cost of only £89.99 +VAT. Find out more and order our Company Dissolution Service.

For added peace of mind during the first year, you can opt for 12-month cancellation protection for just £14.99 at checkout.

We are one of the UK’s leading company formation agents, authorised by Companies House and a member of ACRA, the Association of Company Registration Agents. We provide our clients with online incorporation and the following address services: registered office, service address and business mail forwarding address. We are able to deliver documents to Companies House electronically, allowing you to register a limited company online, without the need for paper forms to sign and post.

Yes, Rapid Formations is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), authorised to perform ID checks and submit company documentation for clients in line with Companies House rules.

Our accreditation means we follow rigorous anti-money-laundering and due diligence standards, providing a reliable and secure formation service. It also ensures that when you set up a company through us, your identification is verified with Companies House as part of the process.