How to Change a Company Name in the UK (2026)

To change a company name, pass a special resolution of the shareholders, then file the change with Companies House online (£20, or £85 same day) within 15 days. The new name takes effect when Companies House issues a new certificate of incorporation. The company number and everything the company owns and owes stay the same. This guide explains the two ways to change the name, the naming rules, the filing itself and everything you need to update afterwards.

Two Ways to Change a Company Name

Section 77 of the Companies Act 2006 allows two main methods:

Companies House’s online service only handles a change of name by special resolution. A copy of the resolution must reach Companies House within 15 days of it being passed.

Check the New Name First

Before shareholders vote, make sure the name can be registered. The rules are the same as for a new company:

• Not the same as an existing name. “Same as” includes names that differ only by punctuation, certain characters, or words commonly used in company names. “Hands UK Ltd” is treated as the same as “Hands Ltd”.
• Not too like another name. If someone complains and Companies House agrees your name is too like theirs, you may have to change it again.
• No sensitive words without permission, such as words that suggest a connection with government or a regulated activity. “Accredited”, for example, needs permission.
• Not offensive.
• Ends in “Limited” or “Ltd” for a private company limited by shares (or the Welsh equivalent for a Welsh company).

Search the register with our free company name checker, and check for registered trade marks too. Our guide to choosing a company name covers the rules in more detail.

How to Change Your Company Name: Step by Step

1. Check the new name against the register, sensitive words and trade marks.
2. Prepare the special resolution. A private company can pass it as a written resolution signed by shareholders holding at least 75% of the voting rights, or at a general meeting.
3. Pass the resolution and keep a signed copy with the company’s records.
4. File the change with Companies House within 15 days, online with the company’s authentication code and the £20 fee (£85 for same day), or on form NM01 with a copy of the resolution and £30 by post.
5. Receive the new certificate of incorporation. The new name takes legal effect on the date of the new certificate, not the date of the resolution.
6. Update everything that shows the name (see the checklist below).

After the Change: Update Checklist

Every company must show its name on a sign at its registered office and wherever it does business (not at a home it runs the business from), and on all its documents, letters, order forms, invoices and website. After the change, update:

• Bank accounts and payment providers. Send them the new certificate.
• HMRC. For a company, Companies House passes the new name to HMRC, and your business tax account shows it within 15 days. Check it has updated, especially if you are VAT registered.
• Website, email signatures and social media profiles.
• Invoices, letterheads, order forms and contract templates.
• Signs at your registered office and other places of business, where these apply.
• Insurers, landlords, customers and suppliers.
• Licences, permits and regulators you are registered with.
• Domain names and trade marks, if you want to protect the new name.

Existing contracts, debts and legal proceedings are not affected by the change; they carry on under the new name.

How Long Does a Company Name Change Take?

The change takes legal effect on the date Companies House issues the new certificate of incorporation, so the timing depends on how you file:

• Online (£20): the quickest standard route, and the one most companies use.
• Same-day service (£85): for a change that must happen on a specific day, for example to match a launch or a contract. Companies House has paused same-day processing at busy times in the past, so do not leave a fixed date to the last minute.
• Paper form NM01 or NM04 (£30): slower, because it is posted and processed by hand. The articles method can only be filed on paper.

If You Are Told to Change Your Name

Sometimes the change is not your choice. If another company objects that your name is too like theirs, or a company names adjudicator upholds an objection, you can be directed to change it. Companies House can also direct a change if a name breaks the rules. Act quickly: the direction comes with a deadline, and the same filing steps above apply. Choosing carefully the first time avoids this; see why company formations are rejected.

Change Your Name, or Use a Trading Name?

If you only want to sell under a different brand, you may not need to change the registered name at all. A company can trade under a business name, as long as it does not include “Limited” or “Ltd” and does not use a sensitive word without permission. The registered name must still appear on your website, invoices and letters. Change the registered name when you want the new name on the public register and legal documents.

Do It Yourself or Use CorpAssist?

The filing itself is quick. The risk is in the steps around it: a name that turns out to be a “same as” name, a resolution worded or passed incorrectly, or a filing made after the 15-day window.

CorpAssist checks your new name against the register and the sensitive-words rules, prepares the shareholder resolution for you to approve, and files the change through our Companies House-registered ACSP partner. The price is £89.99 in total, including the £20 Companies House fee. Filed within 1 business day of the signed resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official guidance: Change a company name (NM01) on GOV.UK. Related: what to do after registering a company and VAT registration.

Fees and rules checked against GOV.UK and the Companies Act 2006 on 30 October 2026. CorpAssist is an independent commercial service and is not Companies House or GOV.UK.