Choosing Your Company Name

When you are trying to decide what to call your company, the first thing to do is to make sure that your proposed name is not the same as one that has already been registered.

Companies House will not register anything that is too similar to an existing company name, or one that is likely to cause confusion.

For instance, given that a company called Business and Commerce Limited already exists, you would not be able to register a company called Business & Commerce or Business N' Commerce. The rules are enforced strictly, so think about your chosen company name very carefully and make use of our online name checker before beginning a formation.

Restrictions and objections to proposed company names

Companies House will check the Register for company names that sound too much like the one you have suggested. They may also refuse registration if a name:

Where do you have to display your name?

A limited company must display its company name at its registered office and also on all business correspondence, so that everyone dealing with that company is aware of its true nature.

For these purposes, business correspondence is defined widely and includes:

If you are in doubt about whether to include your business name on a piece of correspondence, it is always safer to print it on! Remember also that you must include details of your company number, which part of the United Kingdom the company is registered in (England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland) and where your registered office is.

Click here to check if your desired company name is available