UK Company Name Rules 2026: What You Can & Can't Register

Choosing a company name sounds straightforward — but Companies House rejects thousands of applications every year because the name breaks one of its rules. Before you apply, you need to know what is allowed, what is banned, what needs special approval, and how to check that your preferred name is actually available.

The Uniqueness Rule

Your company name must be unique on the Companies House register. This means no other active company can have the same name — or a name so similar that it could be confused with yours.

Uniqueness is checked automatically when you apply. If an identical name exists, the application will be rejected immediately. If a very similar name exists, Companies House may still reject it under the "same as" rules (see below).

Note: uniqueness only applies to the Companies House register. There may be other businesses trading under similar names that are not incorporated as limited companies — trademark searches are a separate matter.

Required Endings: Limited or Ltd

All private limited companies registered in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland must end their name with either:

• Limited (full word)
• Ltd (abbreviation)

Companies registered in Scotland may also use:

• Cyfyngedig or Cyf (Welsh equivalents, for companies in Wales)
• Teoranta or Teo (Irish equivalents, for Northern Ireland)

Public limited companies must end in Public Limited Company or PLC.

Exemptions from using "Limited" are possible for qualifying charities and community benefit societies, but require a formal application.

Banned Words & Phrases

The following types of words cannot appear in a UK company name under any circumstances:

• Offensive language — any word that Companies House deems offensive under current standards
• Misleading company type indicators — e.g., using "PLC" in a private company name, or "LLP" in a limited company name
• Implied government connection without approval — e.g., "His Majesty's", "Government of", "Cabinet Office"

Sensitive Words That Require Approval

Some words can be used in a company name — but only with prior written approval from Companies House or a relevant government department or professional body. Using them without approval will result in rejection.

Words Requiring Companies House Approval

Word	Notes
British	Implies national significance
National	Implies national significance
European	Implies pan-European scope
International	Must demonstrate international activities
Royal	Requires proof of royal connection or patronage
King / Queen / Prince / Princess	Without royal approval
England / Scotland / Wales	Implies national significance
Foundation	May imply charitable status
Institute / Institution	Implies academic or professional standing
Society	May imply non-profit or member organisation

Words Requiring Approval from a Specific Body

Word	Approval Required From
Bank / Banking / Banker	Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Insurance / Assurance / Reinsurance	Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
University / Polytechnic	Privy Council / relevant education authority
NHS	NHS England
Charity / Charitable	Charity Commission
Dental / Dentist	General Dental Council
Architect	Architects Registration Board
Solicitor / Barrister	Law Society / Bar Council
Chamber of Commerce	British Chambers of Commerce
Police	Home Office

Approval from the relevant body must be obtained before Companies House will register the name. The approval process varies by body and may take days or weeks.

Punctuation & Special Characters

Company names can include certain punctuation marks, but with restrictions:

• Allowed: full stop (.), comma (,), hyphen (-), apostrophe ('), ampersand (&), pound sign (£), dollar sign ($), euro sign (€), at sign (@), hash (#), forward slash (/), plus (+), equals (=), exclamation mark (!), question mark (?)
• Not allowed: most other special characters or symbols
• Punctuation at the start of the name is generally not permitted
• Accented characters (é, ü, ñ, etc.) are treated as their unaccented equivalents for uniqueness checking purposes

The "Same As" Rule

Even if your exact name isn't taken, Companies House may still reject it if it is considered "the same as" an existing name. When checking for similarity, Companies House ignores:

• The words "Limited", "Ltd", "PLC", "LLP" at the end
• Common words: "The", "And", "&", "Company", "Co"
• Punctuation differences (a hyphen, apostrophe, or space)
• Pluralisation (e.g., "Services" vs "Service")
• Accented vs unaccented letters

So "Acme Trading Ltd" and "Acme Tradings Limited" would be considered the same as "The Acme Trading Company Ltd" and all would be rejected if any one already exists.

How to Check Name Availability

Always check before applying. Two free tools:

1. UKCompanyHub Name Check — instant search powered by the Companies House API
2. Companies House Search — at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

Both tools search the live Companies House register. Neither checks trademarks — if you plan to build a brand around your company name, you should also search the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) trademark register.

Tips for Choosing a Strong Company Name

• Keep it short and memorable. Long names are harder to spell, search, and remember.
• Avoid geographic or generic descriptors. "UK Trading Ltd" or "London Services Ltd" are weak brand names and may have uniqueness issues.
• Check domain availability. Before committing to a name, search for matching .co.uk and .com domains. Tools like Namecheap or GoDaddy let you check in seconds.
• Consider future activities. Avoid names that lock you into one product or market if you plan to expand.
• Avoid names that are too similar to known brands. Even if Companies House approves the name, you could face trademark infringement issues later.
• Check social media handles. Consistent brand presence across LinkedIn, Instagram, and X matters for most businesses.

Changing Your Company Name After Registration

Company names can be changed after registration by passing a special resolution (75% shareholder majority) and filing a NM01 form with Companies House. The fee is £8 for online filing, £10 for paper. The change takes effect once Companies House issues a new certificate of incorporation.

Note: changing the company name does not affect the company's legal identity, company number, existing contracts, or bank accounts — but you will need to update all public-facing materials, your registered office documentation, and notify your bank.