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Part 2U.K.Company formation

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Pts. 1-39 modified (31.12.2020) by Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001, Art. AAA1(3) (as inserted by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1298), regs. 1, 97 (with regs. 140-145) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 5(a)-(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))

Requirements for registrationU.K.

9Registration documentsU.K.

(1)The memorandum of association must be delivered to the registrar together with an application for registration of the company, the documents required by this section and a statement of compliance.

(2)The application for registration must state—

(a)the company's proposed name,

(b)whether the company's registered office is to be situated in England and Wales (or in Wales), in Scotland or in Northern Ireland,

(c)whether the liability of the members of the company is to be limited, and if so whether it is to be limited by shares or by guarantee, F1...

(d)whether the company is to be a private or a public company [F2, and

(e)that the subscribers wish to form the company for lawful purposes.]

(3)[F3If the application is delivered by a person as agent for the subscribers to the memorandum of association, it must state his name and address.]

[F4(3A)The application must contain—

(a)a statement of the required information about each of the subscribers to the memorandum of association (see section 9A),

(b)a statement that none of the subscribers to the memorandum of association is disqualified under the directors disqualification legislation (see section 159A(2)),

(c)if any of them would be so disqualified but for the permission of a court to act, a statement to that effect, in respect of each of them, specifying—

(i)the subscriber’s name,

(ii)the court by which permission was given, and

(iii)the date on which permission was given, and

(d)if any of them would be disqualified under the directors disqualification legislation by virtue of section 11A of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 or Article 15A of the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 (designated persons under sanctions legislation) but for the authority of a licence of the kind mentioned in that section or Article, a statement to that effect, in respect of each of them, specifying—

(i)the subscriber’s name, and

(ii)the date on which it was issued and by whom it was issued.]

(4)The application must contain—

(a)in the case of a company that is to have a share capital, a statement of capital and initial shareholdings (see section 10);

(b)in the case of a company that is to be limited by guarantee, a statement of guarantee (see section 11);

(c)a statement of the company's proposed officers (see section 12)[F5;

(d)a statement of initial significant control (see section 12A).]

(5)The application must also contain—

(a)a statement of the intended address of the company's registered office [F6, which must be an appropriate address within the meaning given by section 86(2)]; F7...

[F8(aa)a statement of the intended registered email address of the company, which must be an appropriate email address within the meaning given by section 88A(2);]

(b)a copy of any proposed articles of association (to the extent that these are not supplied by the default application of model articles: see section 20)[F9; and

(c)a statement of the type of company it is to be and its intended principal business activities.]

[F10(5A)The information as to the company's type must be given by reference to the classification scheme prescribed for the purposes of this section.

(5B)The information as to the company's intended principal business activities may be given by reference to one or more categories of any prescribed system of classifying business activities.]

(6)The application must be delivered—

(a)to the registrar of companies for England and Wales, if the registered office of the company is to be situated in England and Wales (or in Wales);

(b)to the registrar of companies for Scotland, if the registered office of the company is to be situated in Scotland;

(c)to the registrar of companies for Northern Ireland, if the registered office of the company is to be situated in Northern Ireland.

[F11(7)In subsection (3A)(c) “permission of a court to act” means permission of a court under a provision mentioned in column 2 of the table in section 159A(2).]

Textual Amendments

F1Word in s. 9(2)(c) omitted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 2(a), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(b)

F2S. 9(2)(e) and word inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 2(b), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(b)

F3S. 9(3) omitted (26.10.2023 but only so far as it confers a power to make regulations or relates to the exercise of the power, otherwise prosp.) by virtue of Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 72(2), 219(1)(2)(b)

F4S. 9(3A) inserted (26.10.2023 but only so far as it confers a power to make regulations or relates to the exercise of the power, otherwise prosp.) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 3(2)(a), 219(1)(2)(b)

F5S. 9(4)(d) inserted (26.5.2015 for specified purposes, 30.6.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), s. 164(1), Sch. 3 para. 4; S.I. 2015/1329, reg. 3(a); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 5(b)

F6Words in s. 9(5)(a) inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 28(2), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(v)

F8S. 9(5)(aa) inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 29(2), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(w)

F10S. 9(5A)(5B) inserted (1.1.2016 for specified purposes, 30.6.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (c. 26), ss. 93(3), 164(1); S.I. 2015/2029, reg. 3(b); S.I. 2016/321, reg. 6(b)

F11S. 9(7) inserted (26.10.2023 but only so far as it confers a power to make regulations or relates to the exercise of the power, otherwise prosp.) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 3(2)(b), 219(1)(2)(b)