Check your company name for free
We check at Companies House whether your preferred company name is still available — free of charge and usually within 24 hours.
Before you commission a logo, print your stationery or buy a domain, it is worth knowing that the name is actually yours to take. Give us up to three names and we will check all of them in one go, including the ones that are merely close to an existing company.
- Free and without obligation
- Answer usually within 24 hours
- Up to three names per enquiry
- UK and Ireland in one enquiry
Have your names checked now
The more you tell us, the more precise the answer. Tell us which company type you have in mind — the register follows the company type, not your place of residence.
What counts as the same name
Companies House does not compare names letter by letter. It strips a number of elements out first and then compares what is left. Two names that look different on paper can therefore be the same name in law.
- Ignored in the comparisonUpper and lower case, punctuation, spacing, and the difference between “and” and “&”. “S & T Ltd” and “SandT Limited” are the same name.
- Ignored wordsWords such as company, co, corporation, holdings, group, international, services, UK and GB are disregarded where they sit at the end of the name. Adding one of them to an existing name will not make it available.
- Interchangeable charactersA number and its written form, and characters that stand in for letters, are treated alike. “4 U Ltd” and “For You Limited” collide.
- Same as, but permittedA name that is the same as an existing one can still be registered if that company belongs to the same group and gives its written consent. We arrange this where it applies.
A company name may be up to 160 characters long, and it must end with Limited or Ltd — or, for a company registered in Wales, Cyfyngedig or Cyf. A public company ends with public limited company or PLC.
“Too like” — the objection that arrives after registration
This is the part most founders are unaware of. Even once your company is on the register, an existing company can object that your name is too like theirs. If the objection succeeds, the Secretary of State can direct you to change the name.
The window for such a direction runs for twelve months from registration. Changing a name at that point is not merely a form: it means new stationery, a new domain in practice, a conversation with your bank, and an explanation to every customer who has your invoice on file.
This is precisely why our check does not stop at identical matches. We tell you which registered companies come close to your name — and how close — so that you can decide with your eyes open.
Words that need permission
Several hundred words and expressions may only be used in a company name with prior approval. Some imply a connection with government, others a regulated activity, others again a status the company would have to earn.
| Group | Examples | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| Connection with government | British, National, Authority, Board, Council | Approval required. You must show why the connection is justified. |
| Regulated activities | Bank, Insurance, Assurance, Investment Fund | Written confirmation from the relevant regulator is required before the name can be registered. |
| Professional titles | Chartered, Institute, Association, Society | Approval from the relevant professional body. |
| Royal connection | Royal, King, Queen, Windsor, Duke | Approval, in practice granted only in narrow circumstances. |
| Offensive or criminal | — | Refused outright, with no route to approval. |
Companies House publishes the full list as Annex A and Annex C to its guidance on incorporation and names. It is worth a look before you settle on a name — “bank”, for instance, is caught even where it merely sits inside another word. View the official list
Where we look
Which register applies depends on the company type. Through this page you can incorporate in the United Kingdom and in Ireland.
| Company type | Register | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Private limited company, PLC, LLP | Companies House | Covers England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in one register. No reservation is possible. |
| Irish Ltd, Irish PLC | CRO | Companies Registration Office, Dublin. A name can be reserved here for a limited period — the only one of these registers where that is possible. |
How it works
Complete the form
Up to three preferred names, the company type you have in mind, and your line of business.
We check
At Companies House, or at the CRO for an Irish company — including the names that merely come close to yours.
Result by e-mail
Usually within 24 hours, with an assessment of each of the names you gave us.
On to incorporation
If the name works, you can order straight away. In the UK the name is yours only once the company is registered.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name check cost?
Nothing. The search at Companies House and at the CRO is free and without obligation, whether or not you go on to incorporate with us.
Can you reserve my name?
Not in the United Kingdom. Companies House does not operate a reservation system — the name belongs to whoever registers first.
Ireland is the exception: a company name can be reserved at the Companies Registration Office for a limited period. If you are incorporating an Irish company, we will do this for you.
Do you check trade marks and domains as well?
Domains, yes. You can see straight away whether the matching address is free at our own service Internet Providers, and secure it there. If you need a website to go with it, our studio Neon Studio takes care of that.
Trade marks, no. Registering a company name at Companies House gives you no rights in the name as a trade mark, and a name can be perfectly registrable while still infringing someone else's mark. We do not carry out that search — it belongs with a trade mark attorney. We are happy to put you in touch.
What is the difference between the registered name and a trading name?
The registered name is the one on the register. It must appear on your correspondence, your invoices and your website.
A trading name is the name you actually trade under. It need not be registered, but it is subject to the same restrictions on sensitive words — and it gives you no protection against anyone else using it.
Can I incorporate in the UK if I live abroad?
Yes. Neither a British director nor a British shareholder is required. What you do need is a registered office address in the United Kingdom, and since the reforms brought in by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act it must be an address where documents can actually be delivered and acknowledged. We provide one.
None of this affects the name: it is assessed by exactly the same rules.
How long does it take?
Usually within 24 hours, and on working days often a good deal sooner. Where an enquiry covers both registers it may take a day longer.
Have your name checked — or simply talk to us
If the search result alone is not enough: we are happy to go through your candidates with you on the phone and tell you which company type suits them.
Telephone UK +44 114 6972907 IRL +353 12337845 AT +43 5524 22308 DE +49 69 96759363 CH +41 58 5105770
A search of the register is information, not legal advice. We do not provide legal or tax advice. Whether a name is accepted is decided by the registrar; the legal and tax assessment of your plans — including trade mark rights — is a matter for a solicitor or accountant whom you instruct directly. We are happy to suggest partners.