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What is a company registration number?
A company registration number is defined as a unique combination of numbers and letters. In some cases, it is also known as the company number, registration number, or simply abbreviated to CRN. The company number is used as the identification of a company. It also verifies the fact that it is an entity registered with Companies House.
The company House automatically gives the company number on the formation of a company. The limited partnerships can register at Companies House and therefore have a unique reference.
You cannot reserve a particular number. Also, you can’t change it. Even if the company changes its name, it’s business activities, its directors, and shareholders. The company number will remain the name.
The format of Company registration Number
The company registration number consists of 8 characters. If a company registered in England and Wales, which makes the majority on the company register. They have an 8 digit registration number starting with 0. The starting zero omits in some places. A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) in England and Wales will begin with ‘OC’ followed by 6 numbers.
The registration number for limited companies in Scotland starts with ‘SC’ followed by 6 digits. whereas, the format for Scottish LLPs begins with ‘SO’ followed by 6 digits.
Similarly, limited companies in Northern Ireland start with ‘NI’ followed by 6 digits. There are also some older Northern Irish companies with company registration numbers beginning ‘R’ followed by 7 digits, but no new numbers are issued on this basis. Limited Liability Partnership firms registered in Northern Ireland have references beginning ‘NC’ followed by 6 numbers. The following is the sample of registration numbers.
Where to find my company registration number?
You can find your company registration number in several places:
- On the company incorporation certificate. The company name and number, both are shown on the incorporation certificate of the Companies House.
- Emails or other correspondence from your company agent or accountant. If an accountant or formation agent formed the company for you, they may well have quoted the company number when sending you the initial documents relating to the company.
- On a change of company name certificate. If you’ve changed your company name, you’ll have received a change of company name certificate from Companies House. Just like with the certificate of incorporation, both the company name and company registration number are shown prominently on the certificate.
- Any official letters or any other document received from Companies House.
- Using Inform Direct’s company search tool. If you type in your company name, the company number will be shown in brackets.
- You can search Companies House’s records by company name on the public register.
When do I need to use the company registration number?
You need to provide your company number on a lot of occasions, as works as the identity of that company.
You’ll need to quote the company registration number when doing any of the following work at Companies House:
- Changing the company name
- Changing the company’s registered office address
- Setting up or changing a SAIL address
- change in the location of statutory records among the registered office and SAIL address
- Plotting or removing a company director, company secretary, or LLP member
- Change in the details of a company director, company secretary, or LLP member
- File a confirmation statement
- File the company’s annual accounts
- Filing copies of resolutions
- Allotment of shares or making other changes to the company’s share capital
- Changing the company’s accounting reference date
- Dissolving the company
Companies House also asks for the registration number if you have any inquiries.
Apply for Private Limited Company Registration today.
In the same way, you’ll need to quote the company registration number to HMRC when:
- Registration for corporation tax, filing company tax returns, and paying corporation tax
- Registering the company for VAT, submitting VAT returns, and paying VAT
- Registering for PAYE and submitting PAYE reports
- Filing company accounts
- Informing HMRC that a new company is dormant or changing the status of an existing company from active to dormant
When communicating about other inquiries to HMRC, always mention the company number.
Some other places where you need to mention company number:
- Communicating with government bodies except for HMRC and Companies House
- Opening a business bank account
- Application for other forms of credit
- An issue of share certificates
- The issue of dividend vouchers
- Another contact with shareholders
- Communication with other parties related to business
Where must the company registration number be displayed?
Other occasions on which you’d quote the company’s registration number included
The law requires the LLP to show the registration number on all the stationery and documents, including:
- Letterheads
- Compliment Slips
- Faxes
- Emails
- Receipts
- Invoices
- Order forms
- Brochures
- Leaflets
- Other forms of printed marketing material
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