By
August 30, 2026
What Should I Do First After Registering a UK Limited Company?
After registering a UK limited company, the first step is to check that its Companies House information is correct and securely store its incorporation documents and access codes.
You should then establish the company’s financial records, open a dedicated business account, record its ownership correctly and register for the relevant taxes before trading.
Acting in the right order helps protect the company’s legal identity and prevents missed tax or filing deadlines.
Search for the company on the public Companies House register and check:
Errors should be corrected promptly using the appropriate Companies House procedure.
Do not wait for the first confirmation statement to correct a director, PSC or registered office detail that must be reported separately.
Keep secure copies of the company’s:
The certificate of incorporation confirms the company’s legal existence. The articles explain how it must be governed, while the statement of capital records the shares issued at formation.
These documents may be requested by banks, payment providers, accountants, investors, suppliers and regulatory authorities.
Companies House normally sends an authentication code to the company’s registered office.
This code allows authorised users to submit filings for the company. It should be treated like an important password.
Directors should:
The company authentication code is different from a director’s identity verification personal code.
Companies House has introduced identity verification requirements for directors and people with significant control.
After verification, an individual receives a personal code. This code may be needed for company appointments, confirmation statements and other filings.
Directors should not publish or casually share their personal codes. They should provide them only when legitimately required for a Companies House filing.
The registered office must be an appropriate physical address in the same UK jurisdiction in which the company was incorporated.
For example:
The company should ensure that:
Missing a letter sent to the registered office does not normally remove the company’s obligation to act.
HMRC normally sends the company’s Unique Taxpayer Reference to its registered office after incorporation.
The UTR is a ten-digit number used for the company’s Corporation Tax affairs.
It may be needed to:
The UTR belongs to the company and should not be confused with a director’s personal tax reference.
If the letter does not arrive, the company can request another copy from HMRC.
Every limited company must maintain its own register of members.
For a company limited by shares, it should record:
The register of members is generally the primary legal record of the company’s ownership.
It should be kept at the registered office or a registered single alternative inspection location.
A company limited by shares should issue share certificates to its shareholders within the applicable legal period.
Each certificate should normally show:
The certificate should agree with the register of members, statement of capital and incorporation documents.
If shares were issued as paid or partly paid, the company should record how the shareholder satisfied the amount due.
Payment might be made:
Even where only a small nominal amount is due, it should be reflected accurately in the accounting records.
A separate business account is not expressly compulsory for every limited company, but it is strongly recommended.
A limited company is legally separate from its directors and shareholders. Its money should therefore be kept separate from personal funds.
A dedicated account makes it easier to:
The account application may require incorporation documents, identity evidence, business activity details, expected transactions and information about directors, shareholders and PSCs.
A company trading internationally should consider which currencies it expects to receive, hold, convert and send.
Relevant questions include:
Using suitable business currency accounts can make transaction reconciliation clearer and reduce unnecessary conversions.
The company should ensure every account is opened in its registered name and included in its accounting records.
Do not wait until the end of the financial year to organise the accounts.
The company should establish a system for recording:
The system should preserve invoices, receipts, bank statements and supporting documents.
Directors can appoint an accountant or bookkeeper, but they remain responsible for ensuring that adequate records are maintained.
A director may pay incorporation or start-up costs personally before the business account is available.
These payments should be recorded as:
Supporting receipts and invoices should be retained.
The director should not simply withdraw an approximate amount from the company later without documenting the reimbursement.
A new company can remain dormant after incorporation, but the directors should identify the date on which business activity begins.
Business activity can include:
This date is important because it can determine when the first Corporation Tax accounting period begins.
A company must normally tell HMRC within three months of becoming active and within the charge to Corporation Tax.
It can do this by adding Corporation Tax services to its business tax account.
The company will generally need:
HMRC confirms that the company should add Corporation Tax services when it begins doing business, which can include buying, selling, advertising, renting property or employing someone. See the official Corporation Tax registration guidance.
A company that remains dormant does not normally register as actively trading until its business activity begins.
A company does not automatically become VAT-registered when it is incorporated.
Registration is normally compulsory if:
A company below the threshold may register voluntarily.
The directors should consider:
If the company registers, it will need suitable digital VAT records and compatible filing software.
If the company will pay employees or directors through payroll, it may need to register with HMRC as an employer.
Registration should normally be completed before the first payday.
The company may then need to:
A director does not have to take a salary simply because the company has been incorporated. Payments should be planned and recorded according to their actual nature.
The company should assess insurance before taking on employees, customers, vehicles, premises or stock.
Employers’ liability insurance will normally be compulsory when the company becomes an employer.
Other relevant cover may include:
A regulator, landlord, customer or marketplace may require cover even when it is not generally compulsory by law.
Incorporation does not automatically authorise the company to conduct every type of business.
Depending on its activities, it may need:
These requirements should be checked before regulated activities begin.
A company handling personal information should determine its responsibilities under UK data protection law.
This can apply if it stores information about:
The company may need:
Using an online platform does not transfer all data protection responsibility to the platform provider.
Once incorporated, new business contracts should identify the limited company rather than the director personally.
Documents should normally show:
This applies to:
A person signing before incorporation may become personally liable if the contract is not properly transferred or replaced.
The company should record its deadlines immediately after incorporation.
Important dates commonly include:
The exact dates should be checked through Companies House and the company’s HMRC account.
Company revenue is not automatically available for the director to spend personally.
The company may need funds for:
Directors should consider holding expected tax funds separately from everyday operating money.
Dividends can only be paid from distributable profits and should be supported by appropriate accounts, minutes and dividend vouchers.
A director should not treat the company’s account as a personal account.
Money taken from the company should be classified correctly as:
Personal spending paid by the company can create tax and director’s loan consequences.
Clear separation protects the company’s records and makes financial checks easier.
A director must:
Professional advisers can help perform these tasks, but they do not replace the director’s legal responsibility. The government summarises these duties in its guidance on running a limited company.
During the first month, the company should:
Yes, provided it has any licences, insurance, registrations and regulatory permissions required for its activities.
Not necessarily, but early advice can help establish suitable bookkeeping, tax and payment procedures. The company should not wait until its accounts are due before organising its records.
A dedicated account is not expressly compulsory in every case, but it is strongly recommended because the company is legally separate from its owners.
It should normally register within three months of becoming active. A company that remains dormant does not usually register as actively trading until its business activities begin.
Not automatically. Registration depends on taxable turnover and any special rules that apply to its transactions.
Yes, but the payments and supporting documents should be recorded through the company’s accounts, usually using a director’s loan account.
The company should track every deadline. The first confirmation statement and first annual accounts are separate filings, while tax deadlines depend on when the company becomes active.
The first action after registering a UK limited company is to verify its Companies House information and securely store its incorporation documents, authentication code and identity verification details.
The company should then create its register of members, open a dedicated business account, establish bookkeeping and determine when trading begins. Once active, it must normally notify HMRC for Corporation Tax within three months.
Before accepting customers or staff, the directors should also review VAT, payroll, insurance, licensing and data protection requirements. Finally, every filing and tax deadline should be entered into a compliance calendar so the company remains in good standing.
