Change a Company Name UK: Process & Rules (2025)

Overview

A company name change is the formal process of replacing the registered name held at Companies House with a new one, while keeping the same company number, history, contracts and legal identity intact. The underlying legal entity does not change.

It is the same company, the same directors, the same shareholders, the same bank account and the same tax registrations. Only the name on the public register moves. The process is governed by sections 77 to 81 of the Companies Act 2006. In most cases the change happens by special resolution of the shareholders, though a company's articles of association can set out an alternative route, such as a board resolution.

Once Companies House processes the filing and issues a certificate of incorporation on change of name, the new name takes legal effect. Crucially, section 81 confirms that rights and obligations already held by the company carry over unaffected. Contracts signed under the old name remain valid and enforceable.

Key steps

1. Check the proposed name is available and lawful. Before anything else, search the Companies House register and the trade mark register to confirm your chosen name is not already taken or too similar to an existing business. You also need to check the restricted and sensitive words list on gov.uk, as certain terms (like 'Royal', 'Bank' or 'Chartered') need permission before they can be used.
2. Decide the route: special resolution or articles-based. The default route under section 77 is a special resolution passed by shareholders, which needs at least 75% approval of those voting. Check your articles first, as they may allow the directors to change the name by board resolution, which is quicker and avoids a shareholder vote. The route you use changes which form you file.
3. Hold the meeting or circulate a written resolution. If you need shareholder approval, either convene a general meeting with proper notice or circulate a written resolution for signature. Keep clear records of the resolution passed, including the date and the exact wording of the new name. This document forms part of the company's statutory records and must be retained.
4. File form NM01 (or NM04) with Companies House. Submit the appropriate change of name form along with a copy of the resolution and the filing fee. NM01 is used for a change by special resolution, while other forms cover changes made under articles or by court or adjudicator direction. Filings can usually be made online for faster processing.
5. Update everything else once the certificate issues. The name change is only legally effective from the date shown on the new certificate of incorporation on change of name. After that, update your website, invoices, email signatures, signage, bank, HMRC records, insurance, contracts register, domain names, social media handles and anywhere else the old name appears. Under the Companies Act you must display the new name at your registered office and on business correspondence.

Common questions