A Complete Guide to UK Company Registration Number

Ryan Patrick

Feb 4, 2024 • 6 min read

Starting a company in the UK is a big step that comes with certain formalities. One thing you must do is get a Company Registration Number (CRN). This business identifier is vital for various purposes in your company, from opening a business account to legal compliance. The CRN also helps establish credibility with potential business investors, clients, and suppliers.

The CRN is also called the company number or Companies House registration number. In this guide, we will have an insight into how to get a Company Registration Number, where it's displayed, and how it differs from other numbers.

What's the Company Registration Number?

CRN is a unique identifier given to each registered business in the UK. It's proof your company exists and distinguishes it from other companies. This number is generated when you register a company successfully with Companies House, the UK registry of companies.

The CRN comprises an alphanumeric code of eight characters, including letters and numbers. Each part of this number contains information about your business, like formation date, legal status, and jurisdiction. This means your company identification number separates your business from others in the corporate world.

Different CRN Formats

A CRN has two letters followed by six numbers. The number combination mainly depends on your business structure and where you register it. For instance, limited companies registered in Wales and England have eight figures; in Scotland, the CRN has six figures with SC at the beginning. In Northern Ireland, the CRN starts with two letters, NI, followed by six numbers. Although older northern Irish businesses registered, preparation begins with RO, followed by additional numbers.

Let's check how CRN formats look in different parts of the UK

Place of Registration	Company Type	An example of a CRN format
England and Wales	Limited liability partnership Limited company Limited partnership	OC345678 02345678 LP234567
N. Ireland	Post-partition limited company Older companies Limited partnership Limited liability partnership	NI654321 R0654321 NL654321 NC654321
Scotland	Limited company Limited partnership Limited liability partnership	SC654321 SL654321 SO654321

Other company registration formats exist for specialized company types and organizations like investment, assurance, foreign companies, and Royal Charter.

Who Needs a CRN?

Note that not every company structure needs a company registration number. Only the businesses and organisations incorporated with Companies House have the Company registration number.

This includes:

Limited partnerships
Company limited by shares
Publicly limited companies
Corporations limited by guarantee
Limited liability partnerships

How to Obtain a Company Registration Number

You will obtain a CRN once you register your business in the UK through Incorpuk. First, decide the type of company you want to incorporate, such as partnership or limited liability. After settling, start your registration process by filling out the required forms and giving out the necessary information. You need to provide documents like:

Your company name
Registered office, which must be in the UK
Memorandum of association
Registration fee
Provide company directors details and information on how share capital is divided between members.

Remember, when registering some businesses, you may provide additional licences, for example, for companies in regulated industries such as healthcare or finance. Ensure you research any requirements related to your business industry before registration.

Getting a CRN is crucial in establishing your company legally in the UK. So comply with the legal obligations and keep your records during business.

Where do I Find the Company Registration Number?

Knowing where to find a CRN for your UK business is essential. This is because this identifier proves your company's existence in the UK. So, where can I find the CRN?

The simplest way to find the company number is by looking into your company's official documents, like a certificate of formation or Companies House correspondence. You will find all your company's essential details in these two documents.

If you can't find these documents or want a quicker way to access the company number online, visit the Companies House site. Companies House register permits anyone to look for information on businesses registered in the UK. Fortunately, it provides the most straightforward access to companies and their registration numbers. Visit the Companies House Service, enter your company's full name in the search bar, and select the Search icon. The search results will display your company's listing, revealing the registration number below. If you wish to view the comprehensive company records, click on the business name.

If you used the formation company to register your company, they may have a record of your company's vital documentation. So reach out to your formation service provider; they will be able to give you your company number. Here are additional places you can get your CRN:

Name change certificate: the new certificate will have your company number after changing your business name.
Companies House Records: if you search your business on the Companies House records, you will find your CRN
From companies House follow service: you can sign up for email alerts for your company filings; this will have links to documents having your CRN
HMRC correspondence: check the official documents from HMRC; they have your CRN.
Company's website: most businesses display their CRN on their official website
Company statutory: check business letterheads, faxes, invoices, order forms, etc. They display the company's CRN.
API access via Companies House: you can access the public data of a company through the Companies House application program interface
Government website: you can also find your company number on the government website, www.gov.uk
Company's official documents: the CRN is displayed in the company's official documents, such as credit notes, invoices, official correspondence, and receipts.

Where is the Company Registration Number Used?

There are many incidents where you will use your company number. This includes:

When dealing with Companies House

Preparing annual accounts
Filing or updating confirmation statements
When changing the business account reference date
When updating company information such as:
changing business name
changing the address of the registered office
when registering the SAIL address or changing the current one
whenever moving statutory records from the SAIL address to the registered office or vice versa
Maintaining statutory registers at Companies House instead of keeping them at the SAIL address registered office.
Reporting new resignations and appointments of business officers, that's the secretaries, directors, or the LLP members.
Changing the registered information of existing officers
When changing people with significant control information
Editing the article of association
Documenting copies of business resolutions
During the issuance of new shares or transferring of shares
Updating company mortgage information
Closing the company

When dealing with HMRC

Registering for company taxes like VAT, Corporation Tax, and Pay As You Earn
Registering for the Construction Industry Scheme
Paying business taxes such as VAT, Corporation Tax, Income Tax, and Pay As You Earn
Reporting dormant trading business status

During general business administration

Opening the company's bank account
Applying to a company credit account, loan, or lease in business name
Creating dividend vouchers
Creating shares certificates
Creating business stationery and other promotional material

You may also need this company number when making business-related inquiries to:

Companies House
The court
HMRC
Institutions with official dealings with your business, such as service providers and suppliers.

Where to Get Updated Company Number After Changing Business Name

Your CRN remains the same after changing your business name; it doesn't change throughout your company's lifetime. You will receive a certificate for formation of the company change name at Companies House.

This certificate will provide the previous and current business names with the company number and the time of change. However, this certificate doesn't replace the prior certificate of registration. So you need to keep the two certificates in your business documents.

Where is the Company Number Displayed?

The Names and Trading Disclosure Regulation 2015 mandates corporate transparency and disclosure requirements to companies such as limited liability partnerships. They must display their company numbers on the company's letters and websites. This means you're required to display your company number in these official business stationery promotional and correspondence material:

Catalogues
Emails
Faxes
Letterheads
Order forms
Compliment slips
Advertisements
Leaflets and fliers
Online material such as websites.

This obligation to disclose is applicable regardless of whether the communications above are available in electronic, physical, or digital formats, etc.

Remember, the company number and other information under the company disclosure requirements don't have to be on every page of the website or document. However, you need to display it where it's easy to spot. The intent of disclosure requirements is to ensure any person dealing with that company can verify its legal identity.

Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in company officers facing heavy penalties.

Is the CRN the Same as the Company Tax number?

Although most people think, a company number is not the same as the company tax number. CRN is a unique identifier issued by Companies House, while the company tax number is a ten-digit code given by the HMRC to track companies' tax records.

The company tax number is the Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number. If you don't apply for UTR, the Companies House notifies the HMRC when a new business is registered. So, the HMRC generates your business UTR and sends it to your registered office a few days after your company formation.

Additionally, don't confuse your CRN with other numbers like employer PAYE reference number, VAT number, company authentication code, Government Gateway User ID, or any number your business may be given.

Conclusion

Getting a company number is vital because it gives your business legal recognition and distinguishes it from other companies. To obtain this number, you must register your company with Companies House. You can do it online through a company formation agency or by posting the necessary documents through mail, and after that, you will receive a CRN. If you misplace your company number, you can look for it in your company's official documents like annual returns and certificate of formation. Ensure you display your CRN to enhance company credibility and transparency.