Tools/Document checklist
Free tool · no sign-up · 8 jurisdictions

Document checklist generator: registrations fail on paperwork, not on merit.

A document checklist generator for every document the registry will ask for, in the order you need it, with who issues it, whether it must be notarised or apostilled, and what falls due after incorporation.

17
Items on your list
For the current selection
8
Registries covered
Official requirements
2026
Rules reviewed
Including 2025 changes
Your situation
Your checklist
United Kingdom · Private Ltd
Filed with Companies House
0 / 17
Documents ready
Before you filePrepare first
Proposed company name
Checked against the Companies House index; some words are sensitive and need approval
Required
SIC code for your activity
At least one five-digit code describing what the company does
Required
UK registered office address
A physical address in the country of incorporation, a PO box alone is not accepted
Required
Appropriate email address
Companies House has required one for all companies since March 2024
Required
The filing packSubmitted to the registry
Form IN01 particulars
Name, address, directors, subscribers, share capital and statement of compliance
Required
Memorandum of association
Signed by each subscriber; generated automatically when you file online
Required
Articles of association
Model articles are accepted unless you need bespoke provisions
Required
Director details
Name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, service address and residential address
Required
Statement of capital
Share classes, number of shares, nominal value and rights attached
Required
PSC register details
Anyone holding over 25% of shares or votes, or otherwise exercising significant control
Required
Identity verification
Directors and PSCs verify via GOV.UK One Login or an authorised corporate service provider
Required
Because you are a foreign nationalAdditional
Passport and proof of address
Certified copies; no UK residency is required to be a director or shareholder
If foreign
Bank account planning
UK banks usually want a resident director or a UK trading address; EMIs are the common fallback
If foreign
After incorporationDeadlines run from registration
Corporation tax registration
With HMRC within three months of starting to trade
Within 3 months
VAT registration
Compulsory once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling twelve months
If over threshold
PAYE registration
Before the first payday if you employ anyone, including yourself as a director
If employing
Confirmation statement
Filed at least once every twelve months, even if nothing has changed
Annual
Since November 2025, directors and people with significant control must verify their identity with Companies House, directly or through an authorised agent. Filings can be rejected without it.

Where applications actually stall

Rejections seldom hinge on the company itself. They arise from a document that is the wrong age, in the wrong language or lacks a stamp nobody had brought up.

Documents that are too old
Proof of address and bank statements are usually rejected beyond three months. Certified copies often have their own validity window.
Apostille versus notarisation
They are not interchangeable. A notary certifies the signature; an apostille authenticates the notary for use abroad. Germany, Turkey and Portugal routinely need both.
Translation by the wrong person
Several registries accept only sworn or court-appointed translators. An accurate translation from anyone else will still be refused.
Name rejected late
Sensitive words, country names and near-matches to existing companies are the usual causes. Clear the name before paying for anything else.
Common questions
  • It follows the published requirements of each registry and is reviewed when rules change, including the UK identity-verification regime introduced in November 2025 and the March 2025 FinCEN rule exempting US-formed companies from beneficial ownership reporting. Requirements still move; confirm with the authority or a local professional before you submit.
Next step

Paperwork sorted. Now the numbers.

Know what the filing pack costs, what the tax bill looks like, and how this jurisdiction compares before you send anything.

Cost estimatorWhat the filing pack and first year cost.Tax calculatorYour revenue and margin across eight regimes.Country comparisonEleven criteria, side by side.Formation guidesThe full write-up per jurisdiction.

We email when a requirement changes

New identity checks, filing deadlines, beneficial-owner rules. One email, no pitches.