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Form EW04 UK: Withdraw PSC Info from Public Register

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Part ofCompanies House Forms UK

Written by Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)
Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice.
Updated June 2026 · England & Wales
If your company previously elected to keep its register of people with significant control at Companies House rather than maintaining it internally, Form EW04 is the mechanism for reversing that decision. Filing this form tells Companies House that you want to withdraw your PSC information from the central public register and return responsibility for maintaining the register to the company itself. It is a relatively short form, but the consequences of filing it matter, because once withdrawn, the company takes back the statutory duty to keep, update and make available its own PSC register. This page explains when Form EW04 is used, what happens after you file it, how it fits within the Companies Act 2006 framework, and the practical points directors and company secretaries should think about before sending it in.

What this document is

Form EW04 is a Companies House filing that withdraws a previous election under section 790X of the Companies Act 2006. That earlier election (made using Form EW01) allowed a private company to keep its PSC information on the central register held at Companies House, instead of maintaining its own separate register of people with significant control at its registered office or SAIL address.

Form EW04 reverses that choice. Once the withdrawal takes effect, the company must resume keeping its own PSC register under the ordinary rules in Part 21A of the Companies Act 2006. The information previously sent to Companies House remains part of the public record for the period it was held there, but any future changes to PSC details must be entered on the company's own register and notified through confirmation statements and the usual PSC event-driven filings. The form itself is simple, but it signals a shift in where statutory record-keeping sits.

How to use this document

  1. Check whether an election is actually in place. Before filing Form EW04, confirm that your company previously submitted Form EW01 and that the election to hold PSC information centrally is still active. If no election exists, there is nothing to withdraw. You can verify the position by looking at the company's filing history on the Companies House public record or checking your internal records for a copy of the original EW01.
  2. Prepare to restart your internal PSC register. Once the withdrawal takes effect, the company must keep its own PSC register again. That means setting up a register that records each person with significant control, their details, the nature of their control, and the date any relevant event occurred. Have a clean, compliant register ready to go live from the date the withdrawal is registered.
  3. Complete Form EW04. The form requires basic information including the company name, registered number, and the signature of an authorised person such as a director, secretary, or person authorised to file on the company's behalf. Double check the company number and name match the Companies House record exactly, as mismatches are a common reason for rejection.
  4. Submit the form to Companies House. Form EW04 can be filed by post to the relevant Companies House office for your jurisdiction (Cardiff, Edinburgh, or Belfast depending on where the company is registered). Keep a dated copy of what you send. Processing is usually straightforward but can take a number of working days, so plan around this if timing matters.
  5. Update your internal records and confirmation statement. After Companies House registers the withdrawal, make sure your next confirmation statement reflects the change and that your own PSC register is accurate from the effective date. Any subsequent PSC changes must be notified using the appropriate PSC event forms (PSC01 to PSC09) rather than being held only on the central register.

Common questions

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Common questions

Q Does filing Form EW04 remove past PSC information from the public record?
No. Withdrawing the election stops the central register from being the live record going forward, but historical PSC information filed while the election was in place remains part of the public filing history at Companies House. The public can still view that historical data. Withdrawal is about where future record-keeping sits, not about erasing the past.
Q Why would a company move its PSC register back in-house?
Reasons vary. Some companies prefer the privacy of keeping PSC changes on an internal register that is only inspected on request, rather than every change appearing immediately on the public Companies House record. Others find the central election administratively inconvenient, or they are restructuring and want consistent record-keeping across group companies. It is a governance choice.
Q Is there a fee for filing Form EW04?
Companies House filing fees change from time to time, and some PSC-related filings are free while others carry a charge. Check the current fee position on gov.uk before submitting, as published fee schedules are the authoritative source. Budget for any small administrative cost and allow time for processing.
Q What happens if we do not keep our own PSC register after withdrawing?
Failing to maintain a PSC register is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006 and can lead to penalties for the company and its officers. Once Form EW04 takes effect, the statutory duty to keep an accurate, up to date PSC register sits firmly back with the company. Make sure your register is ready before you file the withdrawal.
Q Can we change our mind and move PSC information back to the central register later?
Yes. A company can make a fresh election under section 790X by filing Form EW01 again in the future, provided the statutory conditions are met at that time (including consent of the relevant PSCs). There is no limit on switching, although frequent changes are unusual and can confuse record-keeping, so most companies settle on one approach.
Q Does Form EW04 apply to the register of members as well?
No. Form EW04 is specific to the PSC election. There is a separate form for withdrawing an election to hold the register of members centrally (Form EH04). The two elections are independent, so withdrawing one does not affect the other. Check which register you are dealing with before you file.
Q Who can sign and submit Form EW04?
The form is signed on behalf of the company by a director, the company secretary, or another person authorised to file on the company's behalf (for example, an accountant or company formation agent acting under instructions). The signatory is confirming that the company wishes to withdraw the central register election.
If you're dealing with this kind of situation, speak to an experienced legal adviser who can walk you through it — from £89.

Sources

This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.

Brad Askew, Solicitor (non-practising)

Written & reviewed by

Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)

Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice.

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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.