Why Change a Company Name After Incorporation?

You incorporated your company six months ago. The name made sense then. Now you have pivoted the business, expanded into new services, or discovered another company is trading under a very similar name. Changing it is straightforward, provided you follow the correct legal process.

Companies House processes roughly 500,000 company name changes every year. The vast majority go through without issue. But if you skip a step or use the wrong form, you will get rejected and lose the filing fee. This article walks you through the exact process to change company name Companies House requires, from the initial resolution to updating your statutory registers.

As ICAEW qualified accountants, we deal with company name changes regularly. The process is administrative, not strategic. But getting it right matters because your company name is how clients, suppliers, and HMRC identify you.

Step 1: Check Your New Name Is Available

Before you do anything else, check that your proposed name is not already taken. Companies House will reject any name that is the same as an existing company on the register. "Same" includes names that are phonetically identical or differ only by punctuation, special characters, or minor variations like "and" versus "&".

Use the Companies House name availability checker on their website. It is free and takes 30 seconds. Also check the trade mark register on the IPO (Intellectual Property Office) website if your new name could conflict with an existing trade mark. That is not a Companies House requirement, but it avoids legal letters later.

Certain words and phrases need approval. If your new name includes "bank", "insurance", "royal", "charity", or similar sensitive terms, you will need a letter of non-objection from the relevant body. Most standard company names do not trigger this, but check the Companies House guidance on sensitive words before you file.

Step 2: Pass a Special Resolution

You cannot simply log in to Companies House and type a new name. The law requires a formal decision by the company's shareholders. That means passing a special resolution.

A special resolution requires at least 75% of voting shareholders to approve the name change. For a single director shareholder company, that is straightforward. You sign the resolution yourself. For companies with multiple shareholders, you need to hold a vote or get written consent from those holding 75% or more of the voting rights.

The resolution must state the exact new name. No variations. If the resolution says "ABC Consulting Ltd" but you file "ABC Consulting Limited", Companies House will reject it. Both are legally identical, but the system checks character by character. Use the exact name you want on the register.

You can pass the resolution at a board meeting or by written resolution. Most small companies use a written resolution signed by all shareholders. Keep the original resolution in your company's statutory records. You do not send it to Companies House unless they ask, but you must retain it.

Step 3: File Form NM01 with Companies House

Once the special resolution is passed, you file form NM01 with Companies House. This is the official application to change the company name. You can file it online through the Companies House WebFiling service or by post using the paper form.

Online filing is faster and cheaper. The fee is £8 for online applications. Paper applications cost £10 and take longer to process. You will need your company authentication code to file online. If you do not have it, request a new one from Companies House before you start.

The form requires:

  • The company number
  • The current registered name
  • The proposed new name
  • The date the special resolution was passed
  • Your authentication code or signature

Double-check the spelling of the new name. A typo here means you have to start again, pay another fee, and pass another resolution. Read it three times before submitting.

Step 4: Wait for Companies House to Process the Change

Online applications typically process within 24 hours. Paper applications can take 8 to 14 days. Companies House will issue a new certificate of incorporation showing the new name. This is your proof that the change is official.

The effective date of the name change is the date Companies House issues the certificate, not the date you filed the form. Your company legally operates under the new name from that date onwards.

If Companies House rejects the application, they will tell you why. Common reasons include the name being too similar to an existing company, using a sensitive word without approval, or the resolution not meeting the 75% threshold. You get a refund of the filing fee only if the rejection is due to a Companies House error. If your resolution is invalid, you lose the fee.

Step 5: Update Everything Else After the Name Change

Changing the name with Companies House is step one. You then need to update every other place your old company name appears. This is where most directors slip up.

Here is what you must update:

  • HMRC: Tell HMRC the company name has changed. You can do this through your HMRC online account or by writing to the Corporation Tax office. If you use PAYE, update your payroll scheme too.
  • Bank accounts: Your bank will need to see the new certificate of incorporation and a copy of the special resolution. Some banks also want a board resolution authorising the change. Allow up to two weeks for this.
  • Invoices and contracts: Your company name must appear on all invoices, purchase orders, and contracts. Update your templates immediately. Any contract signed under the old name remains valid, but new contracts should use the new name.
  • Website and email: Update your website footer, terms and conditions, and email signatures. If your email addresses include the old name, set up forwarding from the old addresses.
  • Statutory registers: Update your company's register of members, register of directors, and any other statutory records that reference the company name.
  • Insurance policies: Tell your insurers. If you make a claim under the old name after the change, it could complicate the process.
  • Suppliers and clients: Write to your key suppliers and clients informing them of the name change. This is professional courtesy and avoids confusion when invoices arrive under a different name.

How Long Does the Whole Process Take?

From passing the resolution to receiving the new certificate, you are looking at 2 to 5 days for online filing. Paper filing adds 1 to 2 weeks. Updating everything else can take another 2 to 4 weeks depending on how many third parties you deal with.

Plan the change for a quiet period in your business. You do not want to be mid-way through a name change when a major client sends a payment to the old name and the bank rejects it because the account name has not updated yet.

What About Trading Names and Brand Names?

Changing your registered company name is different from using a trading name. If you simply want to trade under a different name without changing the registered name, you do not need to go through this process. You can trade as "ABC Consulting" while your registered name remains "ABC Consulting Ltd". Just make sure your invoices and contracts show the registered name somewhere, typically in the footer.

But if you want the legal entity name to change, you must follow the full Companies House process. There is no shortcut.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Three mistakes cause most rejections. First, filing the NM01 before the special resolution is passed. The resolution date on the form must be before the filing date. Second, using a name that is too similar to an existing company. Third, forgetting to update HMRC and the bank, which causes payment delays and compliance issues.

Also, remember that changing the company name does not change the company number. Your company number stays the same forever. That is how Companies House tracks your company through name changes. If you have a UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) for corporation tax, that stays the same too.

Do You Need an Accountant to Change a Company Name?

Legally, no. You can do it yourself through the Companies House WebFiling service. The process is designed to be accessible to directors without professional help.

Practically, we recommend speaking to your accountant before you change the name. Why? Because the name change can affect your contracts, your VAT registration, and your banking arrangements. An accountant can also check that your new name does not create issues with HMRC records or trigger any unintended compliance requirements.

If you are changing your company name as part of a wider restructuring, such as changing your accounting reference date or altering your share structure, an accountant's involvement becomes more important. The name change itself is simple. The consequences of getting it wrong are not.

For more on the fundamentals of running a limited company, including name changes and other administrative procedures, visit our company fundamentals page. If you need help with the process or want us to handle it for you, get in touch with our team.

Changing your company name is one of the simpler administrative tasks in the life of a limited company. Follow the steps in order, check your new name is available, pass the resolution, file the NM01, and update everything afterwards. Do that, and you will have a new company name on the register within a few days.