Form CC04: Change of Company's Objects — UK Filing Guide

This guide is general information about English and Welsh company law, not legal advice. It does not create a solicitor–client relationship and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific situation. If you are unsure how the rules apply to you, speak to an experienced legal adviser before acting.

At a glance

• When CC04 is needed: your company has added, removed, or altered a statement of objects in its articles of association.
• Statutory basis: section 31(2) Companies Act 2006 — the company must notify the registrar; section 31(2)(c) — the amendment has no legal effect until the registrar enters the notice on the register.
• Resolution required: special resolution (at least 75% of votes cast) under section 21 CA 2006.
• Parallel filing obligations: copy of the special resolution to registrar within 15 days (s.30 CA 2006); copy of amended articles to registrar within 15 days of the amendment taking effect (s.26 CA 2006).
• Charitable companies: if the change alters the substance of your charitable purposes, prior written Charity Commission consent is required (s.198 Charities Act 2011 as amended from 7 March 2024) — the change is void without it.
• Fee: check the current Companies House fees schedule on GOV.UK before filing; do not rely on any figure quoted online.
• Filing route: online via the Companies House service (faster) or by post.

What form CC04 is for

Every limited company registered in England, Wales, or Scotland has a constitution contained in its articles of association. Before the Companies Act 2006, most companies included in their memorandum a formal objects clause that listed the purposes for which the company was formed — anything outside that list was technically ultra vires and unenforceable.

The 2006 Act changed this. Under section 31(1), unless the articles specifically restrict the company's objects, those objects are unrestricted. Most companies incorporated since October 2009 have no objects clause at all, giving directors broad authority to act in the company's interests.

Some companies do, however, retain an objects clause — often because:

• the company was incorporated before 2009 and converted its memorandum objects into an article;
• members or investors specifically wanted to restrict what the business can do; or
• the company is a charitable company and must define its charitable purposes.

When a company decides to add an objects clause where none existed, remove an existing clause, or change what an existing clause says, it must amend its articles by special resolution and then file form CC04 to notify Companies House. Until CC04 is filed and the registrar enters the notice on the register, the amendment to the objects has no legal effect — section 31(2)(c) is unambiguous on this point.

Before you start

Before preparing CC04, confirm that each of these steps is complete or in progress:

1. Pass a special resolution. Under section 21 CA 2006, altering the articles requires a special resolution — at least 75% of votes cast by members entitled to vote. The resolution must precisely state the change to the objects (the exact wording to be added, removed, or substituted).

2. File the special resolution with Companies House within 15 days. Section 30 CA 2006 requires a copy of the special resolution to be forwarded to the registrar within 15 days of it being passed. CC04 and the s.30 resolution can be filed at the same time — they are complementary, not alternatives.

3. Send the amended articles within 15 days of the amendment taking effect. Section 26 CA 2006 requires a copy of the articles as amended (the full, up-to-date articles) to be sent to the registrar within 15 days of the amendment taking effect. Because the amendment does not take effect until the registrar registers the CC04 notice, the 15-day period under s.26 runs from the date the registrar enters the notice, not from the date of the resolution.

4. Charitable companies — obtain Charity Commission consent first. If your company is a charity and the proposed change would alter the substance of your charitable purposes, you need the Charity Commission's written consent before the resolution is passed. See the charitable companies section below.

Completing CC04 field by field

Section 1 — Company details

Enter the company's registered name exactly as it appears on the Companies House register, and the company registration number (CRN). Even a minor discrepancy — an extra "Ltd" or "Limited", a spelling difference — will cause rejection.

Section 2 — Details of the change

This section requires you to state the nature of the change: whether you are adding, removing, or altering a statement of objects. You must include the exact wording of the new objects clause (if adding or altering) or confirm what has been removed. The registrar needs enough detail to make an accurate entry on the register.

Do not use vague language such as "the objects have been updated" — state the precise new wording or, where a clause is removed entirely, confirm that the articles now contain no statement of objects.

Section 3 — Authentication

The form must be authenticated (signed) by a director or secretary of the company, or a person authorised to do so. Online submission via the Companies House filing service authenticates electronically. Postal submissions require a wet signature.

What to include with CC04

When filing CC04 you will normally also be submitting:

• A copy of the special resolution (satisfying s.30 CA 2006).
• A copy of the amended articles of association (satisfying s.26 CA 2006, though technically the 15-day window for the articles runs from when the amendment takes effect, not from the resolution date).

Online filing via the Companies House web-filing service allows you to upload these documents alongside the CC04 notification.

Filing online vs by post

Online: Companies House offers electronic filing through its web-filing service at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Online filing is faster to process and you receive an immediate acknowledgement. Payment is by credit or debit card.

By post: Send CC04 (plus the resolution and amended articles) to the Companies House address appropriate for the company's place of registration (England/Wales or Scotland). Include a cheque or postal order for the current fee. Processing times for postal submissions are longer — check the current estimates on GOV.UK.

In either case, check the current fee on the Companies House fees schedule on GOV.UK before submitting. Fees change and any figure quoted in a guide may be out of date.

After you file

Once Companies House receives and processes CC04, the registrar will enter the notice on the register. At that point — and not before — the amendment to the company's objects takes legal effect (s.31(2)(c) CA 2006).

You can confirm registration by searching for your company on the Companies House register at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. The updated articles and the special resolution should appear as filed documents within the company's filing history.

Keep copies of:

• the signed special resolution;
• the CC04 form as filed;
• the Companies House acknowledgement or registered filing confirmation;
• the amended articles as filed.

These documents form part of the company's statutory records and should be held at the registered office or wherever the company maintains its books and records.

Worked example: Meridian Consulting Ltd (fictional)

The following is a fictional example for illustration only. Meridian Consulting Ltd does not exist; any resemblance to a real company is coincidental.

Background: Meridian Consulting Ltd was incorporated in 2007. Its articles, converted from the old-style memorandum at incorporation, contain an objects clause limiting the company to "management consultancy and related services". The directors want to expand into software development and remove the restriction.

Step 1 — Draft the new clause. The directors and their adviser agree the new article should read: "The company's objects are unrestricted." This mirrors the default position under s.31(1) CA 2006 and is the simplest solution.

Step 2 — Call a general meeting and pass a special resolution. The company gives notice of a general meeting. At the meeting, members vote in favour — well above the 75% threshold. The resolution records the precise change: "Article [X] (objects) is deleted in its entirety."

Step 3 — File the special resolution within 15 days. Within 15 days of the resolution being passed, Meridian files a copy with Companies House (satisfying s.30 CA 2006).

Step 4 — Complete and file CC04. Meridian completes CC04, stating the CRN and company name, describing the change (objects clause deleted; objects now unrestricted), and paying the current fee. CC04 is filed online alongside the resolution.

Step 5 — Registrar processes and registers the notice. Companies House processes the submission and enters the notice on the register. At this moment, the amendment takes legal effect.

Step 6 — File the amended articles. Within 15 days of the amendment taking effect (i.e. the date of registration), Meridian files a copy of the updated articles (satisfying s.26 CA 2006). The articles no longer contain an objects clause.

Common mistakes that get CC04 rejected

1. Wrong or inconsistent company name. The name on CC04 must match the registered name exactly, including "Limited" or "Ltd". Abbreviations, punctuation differences, and spacing errors all cause rejection.

2. No special resolution passed. CC04 is a notification of a change already made by resolution. Filing CC04 before the resolution has been passed (or where a resolution with lower than 75% approval was mistakenly used) means the underlying amendment is invalid.

3. Missing resolution on filing. The s.30 copy of the special resolution must accompany (or precede) the CC04 filing. Submitting the form without the resolution will lead to requisition.

4. Vague description of the change. Section 2 of CC04 requires a precise description of what has been added, removed, or altered. "Objects have been updated" is not sufficient. Include the exact wording of the new or amended clause, or confirm clearly that the clause has been removed entirely.

5. No Charity Commission consent (charitable companies). Charitable companies that file CC04 to alter the substance of their charitable purposes without first obtaining Charity Commission written consent will find the amendment void — registration by Companies House does not cure the absence of prior consent.

6. Using an outdated fee. Companies House fees are updated periodically. A submission accompanied by the wrong fee (whether by cheque or online) will be returned or rejected. Always check the current schedule on GOV.UK on the day of filing.

When you might not need CC04

Not every change to the articles requires CC04. The form is only relevant where a statement of objects is being added, removed, or altered. You do not need CC04 if:

• Your company has no objects clause and you are not adding one. Other amendments to the articles (changing share rights, altering decision-making rules, updating director provisions) require a special resolution and a copy of the amended articles (s.26), but not CC04.
• You are simply re-ordering or reformatting the articles without altering the wording of any objects statement.
• The change relates to restrictions on the articles rather than to objects — restrictions are notified using different Companies House forms (CC01 and CC02).

If you are uncertain whether a proposed change constitutes an alteration to a statement of objects for the purpose of s.31(2) CA 2006, take advice before filing. Getting this wrong in either direction — filing CC04 unnecessarily, or failing to file it when required — can cause uncertainty about whether a corporate act was within the company's powers.

Charitable companies: the additional layer

For companies that are registered charities, the law adds a further requirement before any "regulated alteration" to the objects can take effect.

Under section 198 Charities Act 2011 (as amended by section 1 of the Charities Act 2022, in force from 7 March 2024), a regulated alteration to a charitable company's objects — meaning one that would alter the substance of the company's charitable purposes — requires the prior written consent of the Charity Commission before the resolution is passed or any steps are taken to implement the change.

The amendment to s.198 brought in by the Charities Act 2022 refined the definition: a change that merely rewrites the objects clause in different words, without altering the substance of the charitable purposes being pursued, is no longer a regulated alteration. However, any change that would cause the charity to pursue materially different purposes, or extend its purposes to matters that are not substantially similar to the current ones, remains a regulated alteration requiring Commission consent.

An amendment made without the required prior consent is ineffective — it has no legal force even if registered at Companies House. The sequence for charitable companies is therefore:

1. Identify whether the change is a regulated alteration (does it alter the substance of the charitable purposes?).
2. If yes, apply to the Charity Commission for written consent and wait for it to be granted.
3. Only once consent is in hand, pass the special resolution.
4. File CC04, the resolution, and the amended articles with Companies House.

Consult the Charity Commission's guidance (CC36) and, where the position is unclear, take advice before proceeding.

Getting help

If the position is straightforward — for example, you are removing a legacy objects clause to bring the articles in line with the s.31(1) default — many companies handle CC04 without professional assistance. The Companies House web-filing service guides you through each field.

If your situation is more complex — the wording of the new objects matters for regulatory, banking, or investor reasons; your company is a charity; or you are not certain whether the change triggers CC04 at all — it is worth taking advice from an experienced legal adviser before the resolution is passed. Amending the articles and filing CC04 are straightforward once the right decision has been made; unpicking an incorrectly worded amendment or a void resolution is considerably harder.

This guide provides general information about English and Welsh company law. It is not legal advice and does not take account of your specific circumstances. For guidance tailored to your situation, speak to an experienced legal adviser.

Guide covers England and Wales. Checked against primary legislation and GOV.UK guidance June 2026. Next review due June 2027.