How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Limited Company?

Good, the name works. You've checked it twice, said it out loud to a few people, and it's still the one.

Now, how much does it cost to set up a limited company?

If you register online yourself, £100. The official part costs about the same as a nice dinner for two. After that, there are one or two small fees every year, and the extras depend on how much help you want.

That price doubled on 1 February 2026. Before then, the cost of setting up a limited company UK founders paid was £50, so older guides may still show that number.

After registering online with Companies House, most companies are registered within 24 hours, and you get a certificate of incorporation with your company number and the date your company was formed.

The same application usually registers your company for Corporation Tax too, at no extra cost.

If you need the company set up the same day, it costs £156, and you can only do it through the filing software formation agents and accountants use. Registering by post costs £124, but takes 8 to 10 days.

Before you register, you need to verify your identity with Companies House.

You can do it yourself for free through GOV.UK One Login, using the app, the website or a participating Post Office. Once you're verified, you get a personal code. Keep it somewhere safe, because you’ll need it to register, and you may need it again for future Companies House filings.

You'll also need a registered office address. It goes on the public register, where anyone can look it up. Your home address works, as long as someone from the company will see the post that lands there, but many directors pay for a registered office service to keep their home address off the register.

Once your company exists, the money it makes belongs to the company.

Keeping that money in its own business account makes bookkeeping and tax returns much simpler, and your accountant will thank you at the end of the year.

If you're a UK-resident director, you can open an Ampere business account online and get paid in pounds and euros. Sending money by Faster Payments or SEPA is free.

Confirmation statement: £50 when you file online. You file one at least once every 12 months to confirm your company’s details are still correct.

Data protection fee: if your company handles personal information, like customer names and email addresses, you'll most likely pay the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) a yearly fee. Micro businesses pay £52.

Accounts and tax returns: Companies House and HMRC don’t charge to file them. Your Company Tax Return has to go through accounting software, and from 1 April 2028 your Companies House accounts will too. Accountant fees vary, and they usually grow as your company gets busier.

Insurance: once you take on staff, employers’ liability insurance is a legal must.

What it adds up to

Register online yourself, and the setup costs £100.

After that, the yearly costs from Companies House and the ICO come to £102 if the ICO fee applies to you. You’ll need filing software and insurance once you hire. The rest is your call.