Non-Resident Guide to Register a Limited Company In the UK

Can a non-resident set up a UK company?

Yes. The UK’s Companies Act 2006 places no restrictions on the nationality or residency of company directors or shareholders. This means you can register a UK limited company and manage it entirely from your home country.

You can be the sole director and the sole shareholder of your company without ever visiting the UK. The company is a separate legal entity, and its registration is a matter of corporate law, not immigration law. As long as you meet the administrative requirements, you have the same standing as a UK resident in the eyes of Companies House, the UK’s company registrar.

Core Requirements to Register a UK Company as a Non-Resident

To set up a UK company, you must provide specific information to Companies House. The process is straightforward and can be managed efficiently with the help of a company formation agent.

Step 1: Choose a Unique Company Name

Your company name must be unique and cannot be identical or too similar to an existing name on the Companies House register. You must also ensure it does not contain sensitive words or suggest a connection with government bodies without permission. Use the free Companies House name checker to see if your desired company name is available.

Step 2: Appoint Directors and Shareholders

Every UK company must have at least one director and one shareholder. As a non-resident, you can fulfil both roles yourself.

• Director: Responsible for the day-to-day management of the company. Must be at least 16 years old.
• Shareholder: Owns a company through shares.

There is no requirement for any of the company owners or directors to live in the UK.

Step 3: Provide an Registered Office Address

• It must be a physical address in the UK (England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland).
• It cannot be a simple PO Box.

If you do not have a physical presence in the UK, you cannot use your home address from outside the UK. The solution is to use a Registered Office Address service. Your Company Formations provides a London-based address that satisfies this legal requirement, keeps your residential address private, and can forward your official mail.

Your Company Formations provides a London registered office address at 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX as part of the International Package. The package costs £98.48 plus the £100 Companies House fee and is designed specifically for non-resident founders. It includes the registered office address, director service address, identity verification as a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider, international courier delivery of company documents, and introductions to business banking partners who accept non-UK resident applications. Banking partners in the International Package include Wise Business, Revolut Business, Airwallex, and WorldFirst.

Step 4: Select Your SIC Codes

You must provide at least one Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code that describes your company’s business activities. This tells the UK government what your business does. You can choose up to four codes.

Step 5: Issue Shares and Identify Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)

You must detail the company’s share structure in a document called the Statement of Capital. For most private companies, issuing a single share at £1 is sufficient.

Any individual who owns more than 25% of the shares or voting rights must be listed on the public psc register. For most non-resident founders, this will be themselves.

The New 2025 Identity Verification Companies House for All Directors

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces mandatory identity verification for all new and existing company directors and persons with significant control. This is the biggest change to UK company law in a generation and is designed to increase transparency and combat fraud.

All directors must verify their identity directly with Companies House.

• New Directors (from 18 November 2025): Must verify their identity before their appointment can be registered.
• Existing Directors: Must verify their identity by 18 November 2026.

Failure to verify will be a criminal offence and will prevent the company from filing its annual confirmation statement, which may result in the company being struck off the register.

How Non-Residents Can Verify Their Identity

Companies House has created two primary routes for non-residents to complete verification from abroad:

1. GOV.UK One Login App: Use a smartphone to scan the chip in your biometric passport and complete a “liveness” check. This is the fastest and easiest method if you have a compatible ID.
2. Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP): A UK-based formation agent, like Your Company Formations, can perform identity checks on your behalf using non-biometric passports or national ID cards.

Alternatively, an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, like Your Company Formations, can perform identity checks on your behalf using non-biometric passports or national ID cards. All our formation packages that include ACSP services can streamline this process.

Once verified, you will be issued a unique 11-character personal code to use for all future director roles.

Opening a UK Business Bank Account as a Non-Resident

While company registration is simple, opening a UK bank account is the most common challenge for non-residents. Traditional high-street banks often require directors to be UK residents and attend an in-person meeting, making them inaccessible.

Digital financial institutions are the best solution. Providers like Wise, Revolut Business, or Airwallex specialise in offering UK business accounts with sort codes and account numbers to international founders through a fully remote online application.

To increase your chances of approval, prepare the following:

• High-quality scans of your passport and proof of residential address (e.g., a utility bill dated within three months).
• Your company formation documents from Companies House.
• A clear business plan or website explaining your business model, target customers, and expected transaction volumes.

Do I need a right to work share code for limited company formation?

No, not if you are managing your private limited company from outside the UK. This is a common point of confusion. The ‘Right to Work’ share code is an immigration tool, not a corporate one.

• A ‘Right to Work’ share code is a 9-character code used by UK employers to verify that an individual has the legal right to perform labour while physically present in the UK.
• Being a company director is an act of ownership and governance, which you can legally do from anywhere in the world without a UK visa or a share code.

You would only need to consider a ‘Right to Work’ share code if you obtained a UK work visa (like the Innovator Founder visa) and planned to move to the UK to work for your company. For remote management, it is completely irrelevant.

Post UK Company Registration Compliance Requirements for Non-Residents

Once your company is registered, you have ongoing legal duties to keep your information up to date with the UK authorities.

• Annual Confirmation Statement: Filed once a year with Companies House to confirm the company’s details (directors, address, PSCs) are still correct. From late 2025, this filing will require the personal verification codes of all directors.
• Annual Accounts: Filed with Companies House each year to report the company’s financial activity. Even dormant (non-trading) companies must file dormant accounts.
• Corporation Tax Return (CT600): Filed with HMRC annually. If your company makes a profit, it must pay UK Corporation Tax. You must register for Corporation Tax within three months of starting business activities.
• PSC Register: You have a legal duty to keep the register of People with Significant Control up to date.

Register a Company Today

You can quickly and compliantly form a limited company in the UK as a non-resident. Your Company Formations helps thousands of non-resident entrepreneurs establish their business in the UK. Our online process is fast, simple, and ensures your new company meets all UK legal requirements from day one.