Start with the company and the people involved

Describe the company you want to establish, who will direct it and who will own or control it. If the structure or next step is unclear, tell us your plans: Coddan helps identify the appropriate supported formation work without asking you to diagnose a filing route.

A proposed director may also be a shareholder and a PSC. These are different roles, even when one person holds them. Other structures, including LLPs, use different participants and formation procedures; use the appropriate destination below rather than assuming this limited-company offer covers every entity.

Established formation and company-secretarial capability

Within the selected formation service, Coddan prepares and reviews the incorporation information, identifies omissions or inconsistencies and submits the authorised application. You provide accurate company and participant details and confirm the formation instructions. Verification remains a separate task where it is still required.

Companies House lists Coddan CPM Limited E-Quick Package among providers with software capability to submit electronic incorporations. Companies House separately lists CODDAN CPM LIMITED ACSP on its published ACSP register. The official links below let you check both records.

Companies limited by shares

The ordinary company structure for many commercial ventures. Proposed directors and, where applicable, PSCs should be identified and their separate Companies House requirements considered.

Companies limited by guarantee and CICs

These are companies whose objects, membership and governance may need a different formation service. Choose the service appropriate to the structure you intend to establish.

PLCs and unlimited companies

These structures have their own formation and governance requirements. Ask about the appropriate specialist service if your intended company is not a straightforward private limited company.

LLPs

An LLP has members rather than directors. Use the LLP destination for the formation and verification requirements relevant to its proposed members.

Limited partnerships

A limited partnership has its own registration framework. If that is your intended structure, ask about the appropriate formation route and the requirements currently applicable to its participants.

Overseas-company UK establishments

A UK establishment of an overseas company is not the same legal proposition as incorporating a new UK company. Use the specialist route where the intended structure is an overseas-company establishment.

Information to have ready for each proposed director

• Full legal name and the proposed director role.
• Whether the person will also be a PSC of the new company.
• Whether Companies House verification is already complete, and through which route.
• Whether the Personal Code has arrived; do not send the code in a pre-order enquiry.
• Any known difference between the person’s correct details, identity evidence and proposed formation information.

Your information, instructions and personal participation

The customer supplies company information and confirms the formation instruction. Each individual supplies their own personal evidence and completes the required identity checks. Coddan retains the professional preparation and review it is instructed to perform. Paying for or coordinating another person’s work does not itself authorise access to their evidence, code or account.

Determine the entity

Tell Coddan the company you intend to establish; agree the suitable formation service.

Identify participants

Provide the proposed directors, shareholders and relevant PSC information.

Establish verification status

Identify accepted verification, Personal Codes already received and any checks still outstanding.

Select the route

Use a suitable free official route or separately select Coddan’s supported ACSP service.

Prepare and verify

For Coddan verification, we review the order, create the Credas case and send the invitation. Each person completes the requested checks; Coddan reviews results, clarifies information and submits ACSP confirmation when satisfied.

Receive the Personal Code

Companies House issues the individual’s Personal Code after successful verification; code delivery is separate from Coddan’s review.

Submit the incorporation

Confirm the prepared formation instructions. Coddan submits the authorised incorporation application; Companies House makes the incorporation decision.

Establish what follows

Receive the documents included in the selected formation package and address any remaining PSC or company task.

Free GOV.UK route

Companies House offers free verification through GOV.UK One Login. Depending on eligibility and your answers, available methods may include an app, security questions or a participating Post Office. Each method has its own requirements.

Read the official GOV.UK identity-verification guidance.

Optional Coddan ACSP route

Choose Coddan’s supported ACSP service when you want suitable paid verification with instructions, personal-manager assistance and professional review. Professional support is optional.

Coddan creates the Credas case and sends the invitation. You complete the supported checks; Coddan reviews the results, seeks clarification and confirms verification to Companies House when satisfied. See the working sequence for the stages.

The customer and each individual

The customer supplies company facts and confirms formation instructions. Each individual provides their own personal information and evidence and personally completes the required checks.

Credas

Performs the supported identity, document and liveness checks within Coddan’s configured service; it does not issue a Companies House Personal Code.

Coddan

Prepares and reviews selected formation work. For instructed verification, reviews results and clarification, decides whether the required standard is met and manually submits ACSP confirmation when satisfied.

Companies House

Maintains the register, issues the Personal Code following successful verification, considers incorporation and determines filing acceptance.

Personal Code — the individual

Companies House issues this 11-character code after successful identity verification. The same verified person normally uses it for applicable roles and companies.

Company authentication code — the company

A 6-character alphanumeric code associated with the company, sometimes called a WebFiling code. It authorises relevant electronic filings; it does not verify a director or PSC.

Different uses

Directors provide their Personal Code for incorporation or appointment; PSCs provide it through their separate procedure. An existing company filing may also require its authentication code, depending on the submission route.

Keep the codes separate

Neither code is the company registration number, a GOV.UK One Login password or an agent’s presenter credentials. Code possession alone does not authorise Coddan to undertake further work.

Identity-verification preparation

• Accurate full and former names, date of birth, current home address, previous 12 months’ address history and an accessible personal email address for the ACSP route.
• Suitable identification evidence confirmed for the selected checking route.
• Any known name or detail differences, described accurately rather than changed to force a match.
• Any further information requested through the appropriate secure process; each individual completes their own required checks.

Formation preparation

• Proposed entity and company name.
• Proposed directors and other relevant participants.
• Shareholder, member or guarantor information where applicable.
• Registered-office information and other incorporation particulars.
• Business or organisational information required by the chosen formation route.

First-time founder

Tell us the proposed company and people involved. Coddan helps confirm the suitable formation service and outstanding verification steps.

Existing business owner

An already verified individual may use the existing Personal Code where applicable rather than assuming that another identity verification is required.

Multiple directors

Count distinct people still requiring verification, not their appointments. Someone who is both director and PSC does not automatically need two purchases.

Overseas founder

Residence outside the UK does not itself create a separate Companies House standard. Genuine international document or cross-border complexity may justify specialist guidance.

Several people or professional clients

Discounted verification quotations are available for several individuals and professional intermediaries. Before ordering, email info@coddan.co.uk with the organisation’s name and legal structure, number of distinct people still requiring checks, relevant dates and coordination needs. Advisers should add their firm’s name and whether one or several client organisations are involved. Coddan confirms suitable work and discounted charges before you decide; an enquiry creates no obligation. Each person still completes their own checks, with communication permissions agreed separately. Do not attach identity evidence or confidential codes.

Existing company instead

If the company already exists and the task is appointing a director, changing a director or handling another corporate event, use the appropriate existing-company destination rather than this formation page.

The corporate road after formation

Coddan can help with supported appointments, resignations, PSC changes, Confirmation Statements, corrections, outstanding filings or restoration where that work is needed. Each is a separate instruction with its own scope and charges; formation does not automatically include later services.

Director or PSC change

A later appointment, resignation, change of director particulars or PSC change is a separate corporate event.

Personal Code use

The verified individual may need to use the Personal Code for another applicable role or Companies House procedure.

Filing or correction

An outstanding filing or inconsistent company information may require a separate correction or filing destination.

Nothing Further Required

Where the formation, applicable verification and connected role work are complete and no related task remains, no additional formation-connected action may be required.

A separate filing event that should not be confused with the original incorporation.

Appointments, resignations and changes to particulars follow their own corporate routes.

PSC status and related verification requirements remain distinct from director formation work.

Accurate statutory information and corporate records may require continuing administration.

An outstanding filing is a separate task with its own requirements and responsible party.

A dissolved company or LLP requiring restoration should move to the appropriate specialist route.

Describe your role, verification/code position, document type and issuing country, relevant date and what you want to achieve.

Your manager explains required information and how each individual follows the supported checks. Personal evidence follows the appropriate secure process.

Tell your manager whether the invitation arrived, the last step reached and the message or difficulty. You do not need to diagnose a technical solution or automatically buy another check.

Ask your manager about the instructed formation or verification stage. An order receipt or completed Credas check is not confirmation that all work is complete.

Check Coddan’s completed stage, Companies House code or incorporation outcome and any remaining director/PSC action. Your manager can explain whether further instructed work is needed.

I am forming a new UK company

For the published services on this page, compare formation packages and order. For another intended structure, use the appropriate company formation route.

I need director identity-verification guidance

Use the director identity-verification reception where the entity has already been established or the formation question is no longer the principal task.

I am forming from overseas

Overseas founders can use a suitable formation service here. For a particular document or verification question, consult the international director identity-verification destination or ask Coddan before ordering.

The company already exists

A new director appointment to an existing company is a different event. Use the existing-company director route rather than this formation page.

Straightforward formation

For a straightforward UK limited company, choose the published formation scope that matches your company and address needs. Coddan performs the included preparation and submission work.

Coordinated formation and verification

Where checks remain, select suitable optional verification alongside formation. Check each distinct person’'s position and the separately agreed scope and charges; accepted verification should be recognised.

Other structures or particular requirements

Tell Coddan about a different intended structure, particular evidence requirements or an existing-company task. We can explain the suitable supported service before you order.

Code not yet received

If Coddan verified you, check your spam/junk folder and ask your manager to check the email address supplied to Companies House. Missing code delivery does not automatically require another paid verification. For direct verification, use the official account and help guidance.

Code received

Companies House issues the code to the individual; for ACSP verification, it uses the email address supplied for that person. Keep it safe and follow the secure arrangements for any authorised use.

Directors: incorporation or appointment

For a new company, provide each proposed director’s Personal Code in the incorporation filing. A later appointment uses its own filing. An existing director with an outstanding transitional requirement uses the applicable confirmation statement for each company; check what is already due or completed.

PSCs: separate code provision

A new individual PSC added from 18 November 2025 can provide their code when first added to the register or within 14 days. Use the separate PSC verification-details service; providing the code as a director does not complete this action. Existing PSCs must check their own applicable period on the register.

New entity not yet formed

Compare the formation packages and order suitable published work, or ask Coddan before ordering about scope or document suitability. An enquiry creates no obligation.

Verification still outstanding

Use the free official verification route or choose suitable separately instructed ACSP verification. Accepted verification should be used instead of buying a repeat check.

Formation completed

Check whether a PSC submission, company change or later filing remains. Instruct additional support only where needed, with its scope and charges agreed separately.

Nothing Further Required

If the applicable formation, verification and role tasks are complete and no related job remains, you do not need to order another service for those completed tasks.