An eight character unique string is assigned to a company registration during the incorporation process. Its function is to identify the firm and confirm that it has been registered with Companies House as a legal entity. The company registration number can also be referred to as a “Companies House registration number” as well as the “company number” or a registered number or simply a ‘CRN’. It is generated automatically and assigned to you by Companies House, so you can’t choose it or alter it.
Who Needs a Company Registration Number?
Only companies and organizations that are incorporated or registered with Companies House are provided with the company registration number.
This covers:
- Companies limited by shares
- Publicly-limited companies
- Corporations limited by guarantee
- Limited Partnerships
- Limited liability partnerships
Do Sole Traders and Partnerships Need a Company Registration Number?
Sole traders and normal (general) partnerships don’t require a company registration number, since they do not have to register at Companies House. In contrast to companies they do not have legal status that have distinct identity from their owners, and their particulars are not public records. Instead sole traders and regular partnerships have to register in the hands of HMRC they are taxed via Self Assessment.
Where Can I Find My Company’s House Registration Number?
CRNs can be found at a variety of locations such as:
- Certificate of incorporation is issued from Companies House to companies upon incorporation.
- Emails, letters and other legal documents obtained from Companies House
- Online, in your company’s listing in the official database of company information by Companies House Service
To locate your company’s registration number, go to Companies House Service and type your company’s full name into their search bar and then click on the Search icon.
Your company’s listing will show in the results with your registration number visible beneath. If you’d like to see the complete company records simply click on the business name.
How Do You Get a Company Registration Number?
A registration number for a company is assigned to your company through Companies House when the company is created. It is not possible to select a particular number you want for your company and you can’t change it after it is assigned. Even if the business changes its name, its primary activities , shareholders or directors. Your registration number will remain the identical one it was assigned at the time the business was created.
What is the Format of a Company Registration Number?
Companies registered within England and Wales with the help of a tax accountant are issued an 8-character long registration number, which begins with a zero. The 0 could be removed in certain places. In Scotland your registration numbers of LC begins by using SC followed by six digits in the case of LLPs it starts with SO and then six numbers.
Northern Ireland has a similar design. The older Northern Irish companies may have an registration number that begins with R and followed by seven digitals. This can’t change since registration numbers don’t change or are updated. But Now in Northern Ireland Companies House registration numbers begin at NC followed by six numbers. There are other types of registration numbers for companies however, they are only for special firms, like those with the Royal Charter being RC, and not applicable to the common limited business.
Can I Obtain an Updated Registration Number If I change the Name of My Business?
There will be no changes in your CRN even if you change the name of your company. It will remain the same for all the life of the business. It is a simple “certificate for incorporation on name change at Companies House. The document will list the previous and the new company names, along with the registration number and time of the name change. The certificate doesn’t replace the first certificate of incorporation. Therefore, you need to keep the two documents in your company’s documents.
When is a Company Registration Number Needed?
There are many scenarios where you’ll require to provide the number of your company’s registration for example:
- When you contact Companies House.
- Sending your annual confirmation form.
- Changes to the company’s data.
- The annual filing of accounts.
- In the process of sending PAYE information to HMRC.
- Requesting a corporate bank account.
- Requesting the loan or lease under the name of your business.
- Registration with HMRC to pay Corporation Tax and VAT.
- Changes in the details of a company secretary or director.
- When the company is dissolving.
What Happens If I Lose My Company Registration Number?
If you’ve lost or forgotten the company registration number There’s no reason to be concerned. It can be found anywhere in the locations listed at the top of this article, such as:
- Certificate of incorporation
- The statutory mail that was sent to Companies House and HMRC
- Online via Companies House Service
How Do You Register for a Company Registration Number?
When you register your business at Companies House You will be given your company registration number. For this, you will need to submit a number of documents including your chosen company name as well as the UK address as the registered office. You’ll require Memorandum Association documents with all the names of the company’s directors, officers and the way in which share capital is split between shareholders. If you’d rather outsource the paperwork to experts,
