CH01 Form UK: Change Director Details at Companies House
We're not a law firm — we help you find the right legal support. For advice on your situation, speak to a legal adviser or find a solicitor.
Part ofCompanies House Forms UK
When a director's personal information changes, the company has a legal duty to tell Companies House. Form CH01 is the filing used to notify the registrar of updates to a director's name, service address, occupation, residential address, nationality, or country of residence.
It applies to individual directors rather than corporate ones (for corporate directors, Form CH02 is used instead). Getting this right matters: the public register needs to reflect accurate information, and late or missing filings can trigger questions from Companies House or create problems down the line if the company is ever scrutinised.
This page walks through what CH01 covers, when it needs to be filed, what information you should have to hand, and the practical steps for submitting it correctly. Written by Brad Askew, Legal Tech Founder, for company secretaries, directors, and small business owners handling their own filings.
What this document is
Form CH01 is the Companies House form used to record a change in an individual director's registered details. Under the Companies Act 2006, a company must notify Companies House within 14 days of any change to the information held about a director on the public register.
This covers things like a change of name (for example after marriage), an update to the service address that appears publicly, a new residential address, or a change in nationality or occupation. The form does not cover appointing a new director (that is AP01) or terminating a director's role (that is TM01).
It is also not the right form for a corporate director, which uses CH02. CH01 can be filed online through the Companies House WebFiling or Find and Update service, or submitted on paper by post. Online filing is usually faster and less prone to rejection because the system checks for missing fields before you submit.
There is no fee for filing CH01 in most cases. Once accepted, the change is reflected on the public register, although the director's full residential address remains protected from public view unless it is also being used as the service address.
How to use this document
- Check the current record before you file. Look up the company on the Companies House register and confirm exactly what is currently shown for the director. This helps you identify precisely which field is changing and avoids the common mistake of entering the new details without a clear picture of what was there before. It also lets you spot any other inaccuracies that should be corrected at the same time. 2. Gather the information you need. You will need the company name and registration number, the director's full current name as registered, their date of birth, and the specific detail that is changing along with the effective date of the change. If the update is to a residential or service address, have the full postcode and any relevant section 243 protection status ready. Accurate dates matter because the 14-day filing window runs from when the change actually took effect. 3. Decide between online and paper filing. Online filing through Companies House WebFiling is the recommended route for most changes. It is quicker, gives immediate confirmation, and uses the company authentication code for security. Paper filing using the PDF version of CH01 is still available if preferred or if online access is not possible, but processing takes longer and errors are more likely to cause rejection. 4. Complete and submit the form. Enter the company details, the director's existing information, and the new details in the relevant section. Only complete the parts that are actually changing, leaving the others blank. Double check spellings, postcodes, and dates before submitting. If filing by post, sign the form and send it to the Companies House address for the company's registered jurisdiction (Cardiff, Edinburgh, or Belfast). 5. Confirm the change has been recorded. After submission, check the public register to make sure the new details appear correctly. Online filings usually update within 24 hours, while postal submissions take longer. Keep a copy of the filing receipt or reference number with the company's statutory records. If the filing is rejected, Companies House will tell you why so you can correct and resubmit.
Common questions
Q How long do I have to file a CH01 after a director's details change?
Companies House must be notified within 14 days of the change taking effect. This is a statutory deadline under the Companies Act 2006, not a guideline. Missing it can put the company and its officers in breach of filing duties. If you only realise late, file as soon as possible rather than delaying further, as the register needs to be kept accurate and up to date.
Q Is there a fee to file Form CH01?
In most cases there is no fee for filing CH01 to update a director's details, whether submitted online or by post. Fees do apply to some other Companies House services though, so it is sensible to check the current position on gov.uk before assuming. If a filing is rejected and needs resubmitting, that does not usually attract an extra cost either.
Q Do I need to file CH01 if only the director's residential address changes?
Yes. A change of residential address must be notified even though the residential address itself is not shown on the public register (unless it is also the service address). Companies House keeps the residential address on a separate, protected part of the record. The service address, which is public, is a different field and may or may not be affected depending on whether the two match.
Q What is the difference between a service address and a residential address?
The service address is the address at which the director can officially be contacted, and it appears on the public register. The residential address is the director's actual home address, which is kept on a protected register and is not publicly visible. The two can be the same or different. Many directors use the company's registered office as their service address for privacy.
Q Can I use CH01 to change a corporate director's details?
No. CH01 is only for individual (natural person) directors. If the director is a company or other legal entity, you need Form CH02 instead. CH02 covers similar updates such as changes to the corporate director's registered name, address, and other registered details. Using the wrong form will result in the filing being rejected, so check the director type before starting.
Q What happens if the information on the register is wrong and I want it corrected?
CH01 is used to record changes going forward rather than to correct historical errors. If something was filed incorrectly in the past, Companies House has a separate process for correcting the register, often through a second filing or a formal request to amend. For small errors, filing an updated CH01 with the correct details may be enough. For more significant issues, contact Companies House directly.
Q Does a director also need to update HMRC or other bodies?
Filing CH01 updates the Companies House register only. Directors and companies may also need to notify HMRC, banks, insurers, regulators, and professional bodies separately, depending on what has changed. A change of name, for example, typically needs to be reflected across payroll and tax records too. CH01 on its own does not automatically push the update to other government systems.
Sources
This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.
- Guidance · UK GovForm CH01: Change of director's details (gov.uk)gov.uk
- Guidance · Companies HouseCompanies House: File changes to your company informationgov.uk
- LegislationCompanies Act 2006 (legislation.gov.uk)legislation.gov.uk
- Guidance · Companies HouseFind and update company informationfind-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.