Guidance

Registrar's rules

Rules outlining the form, manner of delivery and method of authentication for documents delivered to Companies House in electronic or paper format.

From:
Companies House
Published
23 December 2014
Last updated
115 JulyFebruary 20242025 — See all updates

About the registrar’s rules

The Registrar of Companies is given authority to make rules governing the filing of documents at Companies House. These rules are made under section 1117 of the Companies Act 2006 and must be complied with whenever a document is delivered to Companies House.

Latest versions of each volume of the rules:

The registrar is also given authority to make rules governing identity verification and applying to become an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

Latest versions of the rules:

Amendments to the registrar’s rules

The registrar’s rules have been amended since they came into force on 1 October 20092009. andThese have been amended several times since this date.

The following tables outline each of the amendments, with details of what they contained and when they came into force.

2024 amendments

Amendment Number Volume Amended Made Came into Force Changes
Amendment 3 Volume 2 29 April 2024 1 May 2024 Requirement for a signature replaced by authentication by printed name
Registrar’s (Nomination of Default Addresses) Rules 2024 Volume 6 27 February 2024 4 March 2024 Implementation of the Service Address (Rectification of the Register) Regulations 2024; the Registered Office Address (Rectification of Register) Regulations 2024 and the Principal Office Address (Rectification of Register) Regulations 2024. Revokes and replaces current Volume 6
Amendment 2 Volume 2 27 February 2024 4 March 2024 Forms changes resulting from the implementation of The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
Amendment 1 Volume 1 28 February 2024 4 March 2024 Service updates resulting from the implementation of The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
Amendment (2024) Volume 1b 28 February 2024 4 March 2024 Service updates resulting from the implementation of The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023

2023 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment (2023) Volume 2 31 October 2023 1 November 2023 Change of Companies House Edinburgh address

2022 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 3 Volume 1 29 June 2022 29 June 2022 Addition of the insolvency filing service and the documents delivered to the Registrar using the insolvency filing service (API)
Amendment 2 Volume 2 1 April 2022 1 April 2022 Various paper forms amendments
Amendment 1 Volume 1 10 February 2022 14 February 2022 New service to report PSC discrepancies by obliged entities under money laundering regulations
Amendment (2022) Volume 1 14 January 2022 21 January 2022 Full redraft of the electronic rules

2021

No amendments.

2020 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 2 (2020) Volume 2 26 June 2020 26 June 2020 New form of moratorium and new form of scheme of arrangement or reconstruction
Amendment 1 (2020) Volume 18 23 July 2020 23 July 2020 The Registrar’s coronavirus easements (upload service) rules 2020
Amendment (2020) Volume 2 31 December 2019 31 January 2020 Brexit amendments to various forms

2019 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 2 Volume 2 7 October 2019 7 October 2019 Companies House London office address change
Amendment 1 Volume 2 2 April 2019 6 April 2019 Inclusion of Scottish insolvency forms ahead of the Insolvency (Scotland) (company voluntary arrangement and administration) rules 2018 and the Insolvency (Scotland) (receivership and winding up) rules 2018, which came into force on 6 April 2019
Amendment (2019) Volume 2 26 February 2019 26 February 2019 Amendment following the website availability of form SR01 Application under section 1088 by an individual to make an address unavailable for public inspection

2018 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 1 Volume 1 9 July 2018 9 July 2019 Electronic rules amendment to include Community Interest Companies to be capable of being incorporated via the software filing service
Amendment (2018) Volume 2 26 April 2018 26 April 2018 Amendment following The Companies (Disclosure of Address) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

2017 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 7 Volume 2 8 December 2017 8 December 2017 Inclusion of form 600 - notice of appointment of liquidator in voluntary winding up
Amendment 6 Volume 1 6 November 2017 8 November 2017 Inclusion of the register entry date for PSC forms (PSC01-07)
Amendment 5 Volume 2 6 November 2017 8 November 2017 Inclusion of the register entry date for PSC forms (PSC01-07)
Amendment 4 (2017) Volume 1 26 June 2017 26 June 2017 Electronic rules amendment following the implementation of EU 4th Money Laundering Directive (4MLD); insertion or substitution of multiple forms related to the implementation
Amendment 3 (2017) Volume 2 26 June 2017 26 June 2017 Insertion of new insolvency forms IE01 - IE05
Amendment 2 (2017) Volume 2 26 June 2017 26 June 2017 Paper rules amendment following the implementation of EU 4th Money Laundering Directive (4MLD); insertion or substitution of multiple forms related to the implementation
Amendment 2017 Volume 2 5 April 2017 6 April 2017 Paper rules amendment following the implementation of the Insolvency Rules 2016; insertion of multiple new insolvency forms

2016 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 4 (2016) Volume 2 29 June 2016 30 June 2016 Paper rules amendment for the June 2016 SBEE implementation (confirmation statement, registers, capital & PSC)
Amendment 3 (2016) Volume 1 28 June 2016 30 June 2016 Electronic rules amendment for the June 2016 SBEE implementation (confirmation statement, registers, capital & PSC)
New volume 6 Volume 6 5 April 2016 6 April 2016 Addition of new volume to specify the default address for each jurisdiction for the purpose of a registered office dispute
Amendment 2 (2016) Volume 2 5 April 2016 6 April 2016 Paper rules amendment for the April 2016 SBEE implementation: RP06 (directors disputes), RP07 & LLP equivalent (RO disputes), multiple new and amended SR forms (PSC protection regime), amended AD03, AD04 & LLP equivalents (registers changes)
Amendment (2016) Volume 2 26 February 2016 26 February 2016 Paper rules amendment for the February 2016 SBEE implementation (capital changes): New form NAC01, new variant of form SH19

2015 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment by pro-forma Volume 1 Volume 2 18 December 2015 18 December 2015 Renumbering of previous amendments to correct a typographical error
Amendment 5 (2015) Volume 2 18 December 2015 1 January 2016 Implementation of the schema for extractive companies to file reports on payments to governments
Amendment 4 (2015) Volume 2 7 December 2015 7 December 2015 Amendment to form AR01 and equivalents
WebFiling data change Volume 1 23 November 2015 23 November 2015 Amendment to the WebFiling templates for audit exempt abbreviated accounts to include changes to CATO
Amendment 3 (2015) Volume 2 9 October 2015 9 October 2015 Paper rules amendment for October 2015 SBEE implementation (date of birth and consent to act)
Amendment 2 (2015) Volume 1 9 October 2015 9 October 2015 Electronic rules amendment for October 2015 SBEE implementation (date of birth and consent to act)
Amendment (2015) Volume 2 26 May 2015 26 May 2015 Amendment to form DS01 and equivalents

2014 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 4 (2014) Volume 2 2 October 2014 2 October 2014 Inclusion of SE and EEIG forms in the rules
Amendment 3 (2014) Volume 1 20 August 2014 20 August 2014 Addition of Part 5 – Companies House single web service (CHS)
WebFiling data change Volume 1 9 June 2014 9 June 2014 Amendment to the wording on several mortgage WebFiling templates to remove the reference to fixed charges
Amendment 2 (2014) Volume 2 6 April 2014 9 June 2014 Removal of the S.243 checkbox on forms CH01, LL CH01, OS CH03 & SE CH01 amendment to the wording on several mortgage forms to remove the reference to fixed charges amendment to form 4.72
WebFiling data change Volume 1 4 April 2014 7 April 2014 Removal of the S.243 checkbox on the WebFiling templates for CH01 and LL CH01
Amendment (2014) Volume 2 1 April 2014 1 April 2014 Introduced the facility to correct an erroneous date of birth, which was stated on incorporation, for company directors and LLP members

2013 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 5 (2013) Volume 4 30 November 2013 1 December 2013 Addition of a new WebFiling & software filing template for micro-entity accounts addition of new WebFiling templates for DS02 & LL DS02
Amendment 4 (2013) Volume 4 4 April 2013 6 April 2013 Change to informal correction due to the charges project
Amendment 3 (2013) Volume 2 4 April 2013 6 April 2013 New paper forms for charges
Amendment 2 (2013) Volume 1 4 April 2013 6 April 2013 New WebFiling forms for charges
Amendment (2013) Volume 1 8 February 2013 11 January 2013 New WebFiling template for audit exempt abbreviated accounts

2012 amendments

Amendment Number Volume amended Made Came into Force Changes
Registrar’s (Electronic Form) Rules 2012 Volume 1 30 November 2012 30 November 2012 Updated version of volume 1
Amendment 4 (2012) Volume 2 30 November 2012 30 November 2012 Amended form AA06 and LL AA06
Amendment 3 (2012) Volume 1 26 September 2012 01 October 2012 Audit exemption for subsidiary undertakings Exemption from filing and preparation of accounts for dormant subsidiaries
Amendment 2 (2012) Volume 2 14 May 2012 19 May 2012 London office address change
Amendment (2012) Volume 2 4 May 2012 8 May 2012 Forms amendments

2011 amendments

Amendment number Volume amended Made Came into force Changes
Amendment 11 (2011) Volume 1 21 September 2011 1 October 2011 Annual return (SIC code) software amendments
Amendment 10 (2011) Volume 1 21 September 2011 1 October 2011 Annual return (SIC code) WebFiling amendments
Amendment 9 (2011) Volume 2 21 September 2011 1 October 2011 Annual return (SIC code) paper amendments
Amendment 8 (2011) Volume 2 29 July 2011 1 August 2011 Cross border mergers
Amendment 7 (2011) Volume 1 11 July 2011 14 July 2011 e-reminders HMRC joint filing template
Amendment 6 (2011) Volume 2 28 June 2011 30 June 2011 Investment Bank Special Administration Regulations 2011
Amendment 5 (2011) Volume 1 8 June 2011 23 June 2011 Added Paypal as a payment method
Amendment 4 (2011) Volume 1 1 April 2011 6 April 2011 New Part 2A – WebIncs New Schedule 4B – WebIncs Screens
Amendment 3 (2011) Volume 2 9 March 2011 14 March 2011 Continuation sheet change forms amendments
Amendment 2 (2011) Volume 1 9 March 2011 14 March 2011 Added CH01 and LL CH01 alternative screens
Amendment 1 (2011) Volume 1 16 February 2011 19 February 2011 WebFiling dormant company accounts new schedule 3B - table of accounts templates specifying the eligibility criteria to be satisfied prior to the use of each template in accordance with rule 8

2010 amendments

Amendment Number Volume amended Made Came into Force Changes
Amendment 5 (2010) Volume 1 6 October 2010 11 October 2010 Part 4 - HMRC joint filing template HMRC joint filing template screens WebFiling change of name screens WebFiling Change of Name Resolution
Amendment 4 (2010) Volume 1 30 July 2010 12 August 2010 Software filing LLPs WebFiling LLPs software filing change of name software filing CoN resolution new rule 17A – Resolutions new schedule 1A - Transitional arrangements table specifying the date on or after which a document may be delivered to the registrar in electronic form New schedule 3A - Table specifying the templates to be used for documents that are required to be authenticated by means of personal authentication by a natural person in accordance with rule 11 New Schedule 6A – Resolutions new schedule 7, Part 3: eligible financial information
Amendment 3 (2010) Volume 2 1 July 2010 1 July 2010 Continuation sheet change forms amendments
Amendment 2 (2010) Volume 2 26 May 2010 1 June 2010 Belfast office address change
Amendment (2010) Volume 2 26 March 2010 6 April 2010 Addition of insolvency forms delivered under the Insolvency Act 1986 or S14 of the LLP Act 2000

Updates to this page

Published 23 December 2014
Last updated 115 JulyFebruary 2024 2025 + show all updates

  1. Links added to: The Registrar’s (Identity Verification by the Registrar) Rules 2025, The Registrar’s (Identity Verification by Authorised Corporate Service Providers) Rules 2025, The Registrar’s (Requirements Applicable to Applications to Become an Authorised Corporate Service Provider) Rules 2025.

  2. The Registrar's (Requirements For Informal Correction) Rules 2009 - Volume 4 has been repealed.

  4. Link added to Registrar's Rules under Regulation 6 of the IDV and ACSP SI 2024 (draft).

  6. Rules amended - requirement for a signature replaced by authentication by printed name.

  8. New documents published to replace previous rules - updates for new measures under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act.

  10. Amendment to Volume 2 - change of Edinburgh office address.

  12. Added details of amendments to Registrar's Rules from 2017 to 2022.

  14. New registrar's rules published - Requirements Applicable to Documents Delivered to the Registrar in Electronic Form 2022. These replace The Registrar’s (Electronic) Rules 2012 - Volume 1.

  16. Added link to The Registrar's Coronavirus Easements (Upload Service) Rules 2020.

  18. Updated with 2016 amendments

  20. Updated with 2015 amendments

  22. First published.

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