Can I Change My Company’s SIC Code After Registration?

Yes. A UK limited company can change, add or remove its SIC codes after registration by filing a confirmation statement with Companies House.

You should update the codes whenever they no longer accurately describe the company’s business activities.

When Should I Change My Company’s SIC Code?

A SIC-code change may be necessary when:

• The company begins trading
• A dormant company becomes active
• The main business activity changes
• The company enters a new industry
• It introduces a significant new service
• It stops carrying out a listed activity
• The original code was incorrect
• The company is described as non-trading but has started trading

Directors are responsible for ensuring that information on the Companies House register remains accurate.

How Do I Change a SIC Code?

SIC codes are updated through the company’s confirmation statement.

The basic process is:

1. Review the company’s current SIC codes.
2. Search the Companies House condensed SIC-code list.
3. Select the code or codes that accurately describe the business.
4. File a confirmation statement with the updated information.
5. Check the public register after Companies House accepts the filing.

You can replace the existing code, add further codes or remove codes that no longer apply.

Do I Have to Wait Until the Next Confirmation Statement?

No. If the SIC code needs to be corrected immediately, you can file an early confirmation statement.

Filing early may be helpful when the company is applying for:

• A business account
• Finance or investment
• Insurance
• A licence
• A supplier agreement
• A payment-processing service

The company must continue to follow its normal confirmation-statement filing requirements.

Can I Change My SIC Code Online?

Yes. A confirmation statement can normally be filed online through the Companies House service.

Make sure you use a code from the official condensed SIC-code list. A code that is not accepted by Companies House could cause the filing to be rejected.

How Many SIC Codes Can I Add?

A company must have at least one SIC code and can normally register up to four.

The main code should describe the principal business activity. Additional codes may cover other significant activities the company currently conducts.

Avoid adding codes for minor, unrelated or purely planned activities.

Can I Remove a SIC Code?

Yes. You can remove a code when filing the confirmation statement if the company has stopped carrying out that activity.

At least one valid SIC code must remain.

How Do I Change From a Dormant SIC Code?

A dormant company commonly uses:

99999 – Dormant company

When it begins trading, it should replace the dormant code with the appropriate trading code or codes.

The company may also need to inform HMRC that it has started trading and complete the relevant tax registrations. Changing the SIC code alone does not update every government record or register the company for tax.

Does Changing a SIC Code Change the Company’s Legal Structure?

No. Changing a SIC code does not alter the company’s:

• Registered name
• Company number
• Ownership
• Share structure
• Directors
• Legal identity
• Articles of association

It only updates the public description of the company’s business activities.

Does a New SIC Code Affect Tax or VAT?

A SIC code does not automatically determine the company’s Corporation Tax or VAT treatment.

It also does not:

• Register the company for VAT
• Authorise regulated activities
• Replace a business licence
• Change the company’s accounting period
• Provide permission to operate in a regulated sector

Separate notifications or applications may be necessary.

What Happens if I Do Not Update the SIC Code?

An inaccurate code could cause:

• Questions or delays during Companies House filings
• Confusion among customers and suppliers
• Problems with business-account applications
• Additional checks from lenders or payment providers
• Incorrect industry and risk assessments
• A misleading public company record

Companies House can question or reject information that appears inaccurate, inconsistent or misleading.

SIC Code Change Checklist

Before submitting the update:

• Review the company’s current activities
• Find the closest codes on the condensed list
• Choose no more than four codes
• Remove codes that no longer apply
• Replace dormant or non-trading codes where necessary
• File a confirmation statement
• Check that the update appears correctly on the register
• Notify other organisations separately where required

Final Thoughts

You can change your company’s SIC code after registration by filing a confirmation statement with Companies House. You can wait until the next statement is due or file one early if the information needs to be corrected immediately.

Keeping SIC codes accurate helps prevent confusion during banking, funding and compliance checks.

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