Check whether your proposed company name is available before registering with Companies House. We search across 5.9 million UK companies for exact matches, similar names, and dissolved companies that previously used the name.
Companies House will reject a name that is considered the “same as” an existing registered company. This comparison ignores punctuation, diacritics, and certain common words including “the”, “and”, “&”, “company”, and standard entity suffixes (Ltd, Limited,PLC, LLP). For example, ABC Consulting Limited and A.B.C. Consulting Ltd. are treated as the same name.
Even if a name is not identical, Companies House or a Secretary of State Direction can prevent the use of a name that is “too similar” to an existing company and likely to cause confusion. An existing company can object to a new name within 12 months of registration if they believe it is too similar to their own. If upheld, the new company must change its name within a set period.
Certain words require approval from a relevant body before they can be included in a company name. These include words implying a connection with government (Royal, British, Parliament, Council), regulated activities (Bank, Insurance, Charity), professional status (Chartered, Registered), and terms suggesting pre-eminence (National, International). A full list is published by Companies House.
Some names are outright prohibited. A company name must not contain anything that is offensive, constitutes a criminal offence, or suggests a connection with a government department or devolved authority that does not exist. Names that imply the company is a different legal form (e.g., using “PLC” when it is a private limited company) are also rejected. A company cannot be registered with a name that consists only of generic terms like “Limited”.
Companies House checks your proposed name against the index of existing company names. A name will be rejected if it is the “same as” an existing name on the register. The “same as” test ignores punctuation, special characters, and certain common words like “The”, “Company”, “and”, “&”, and standard endings (Ltd, Limited, PLC, LLP). For example, “Smith & Jones Ltd” and “Smith and Jones Limited” would be treated as the same name.
Certain words and expressions are considered “sensitive” and require prior approval from a relevant body or the Secretary of State. These include words that suggest a connection with government or public authority (such as “British”, “Royal”, “Parliament”, “Authority”, “Council”), regulated professions (“Bank”, “Insurance”, “Chartered”), and words implying national or international pre-eminence (“Group”, “Holdings”, “International”). The full list is published by Companies House in the “Sensitive Words and Expressions” guidance. Using a sensitive word without approval will result in your application being rejected.
Generally, yes. Once a company has been dissolved and removed from the register, its name becomes available for re-use. However, there are some exceptions. If the company was dissolved within the last 12 months and a connected party applies to restore it, the name may become unavailable again. Also, if the dissolved company’s name is subject to a Direction under Section 67 of the Companies Act 2006 (for example, due to passing-off concerns), it may still be restricted. It is always prudent to check the full dissolution history before adopting a dissolved company’s name.
If your proposed name passes the “same as” check and does not contain sensitive words, it is typically approved instantly as part of the online incorporation process (which takes 24 hours or less). If the name includes a sensitive word or expression, you must obtain approval from the relevant authority first, which can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the body involved. For standard names, the check itself is immediate — you will know at the point of application whether the name is accepted or rejected.
Yes. A company can change its name at any time by passing a special resolution (requiring at least 75% of shareholders to agree) and filing form NM01 with Companies House. There is a £8 filing fee for online submissions or £10 for paper. The new name is subject to the same availability and sensitive word rules as an initial registration. Companies House will issue a new certificate of incorporation with the updated name, and the change takes effect from the date it is registered. The previous name will appear on the company’s filing history and can be found by searching the register.
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