There are many reasons why it might be necessary to find out if a business is registered. It may be that you want to know how much tax they should pay, how their accounts need to be structured, or how long they have been operating.
Or maybe you want to find if a business is registered before you begin trading under that name. Whatever your reason, you will be pleased to know this blog post will introduce you to all of these things and more!
How to Find if a Business is Registered Via Companies House
Companies House is the place to go if you want to search for information about a business registered in the UK. It can be used by anyone, not just businesses looking to register with them, and it is entirely free of charge! All you need is internet access.
First, you need to visit the Companies House company name availability checker.
This is great both if you want to check if the business name you want to register is taken or if you want to check a business’s legal status. The checker will tell you if there is an exact match for the name entered, the date that the business was incorporated, the registration number, and whether it is a Private Limited, Public, or Partnership.
Once you have this information, you can also see the business’s filing history, employee count, and other useful things online.
Find Business Registration Details Via The FCA Register
The FCA is a database of companies that are regulated and have registered with the Financial Conduct Authority. You can always check out the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register to determine if a company is reputable.
All you have to do is enter their name and/or postcode into this database of financial firms that are registered with FCA, which will show any information about them, including whether they’re a legitimate business or not.
Checking If The Business Is A Registered Trademark
Similarly, you can check if a business name is trademarked by visiting the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) name availability checker. This will tell you how many businesses use that particular name, how they are registered, and how long their registration lasts.
You can check for an existing trademark here, using any of the following;
- phrase or slogan
- keyword
- image
- owner name
- trademark number
When A Business Is Trading Under A Different Name
A business can have a legal entity but still trade under another name. If you are still unable to find if the business is registered using the Companies House method, try using their full address or trading name in Google.
You can also use Google’s “advanced operators” to refine your search by adding additional words such as “registered,” “incorporated,” “trading as,” or “limited” to your search.
Google is great because it allows seeing if the business has an online or social presence.
How to Find if a Business is Registered Using The Business VAT number
If you have it, you can check if they are listed with HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) – this is done by entering their VAT number into the online registration checker tool.
Please note, this does not check if the business is registered in another country. It only checks with HMRC how much tax it pays and where its VAT number is held.
Contact Companies House For Assistance
If you need to, you can always contact Companies House for assistance and speak to a human by emailing enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk or 0303 123 4500
Other useful links from our knowledge centre:
What is a Sole Trader Business?
How Many Fire Extinguishers Do You Need On Your Premises?
What is an SME Business?
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