How to find a company registration number
Find a company's registered number, check it against the Companies House record and distinguish it from HMRC tax references.
In one sentence
Find a UK company registration number by searching the company name on the Companies House register and reading the Company number below its name.
Quick answer
- Search the Companies House register by company name or number
- Check the certificate of incorporation, business letters, order forms or company website
- Copy every character, including any prefix and zeros at the start
- A company number is separate from an HMRC UTR or VAT number
The quickest way: search Companies House by name
Open the Companies House Find and update company information service. Search by company name, open the matching record and look below the company name. The registered number is labelled Company number. You can also search by number if you already have one to check.
For illustration, TESCO PLC shows company number 00445790 and status Active. BARCLAYS PLC shows 00048839. Copy every character, including zeros at the start.
GOV.UK explains the company information available. The register search is free. You can also view details such as the registered address, incorporation date and filed documents.
Other places the number appears
Certificate of incorporation
Companies House issues this certificate when a company is incorporated. It states the company name, registered number and incorporation date. Incorporation has no legal effect until the certificate is issued. See Companies House's incorporation guidance, section 1.13.
Business letters, websites and order forms
A limited company must show its registered number on these documents and its website. It must also show its registered office address, where it is registered and that it is a limited company. Check the company's own documents or website against the register. These requirements are set out in GOV.UK's stationery and promotional material guidance.
What a company number looks like
A number can contain only digits or start with a prefix.Companies House WebFiling help lists NI, RO and SC for limited companies, and OC, SO and NC for limited liability partnerships. Keep the prefix and any zeros. A company number is separate from a UTR or VAT number.
| Type of number | Who issues it | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration number | Companies House | Company register, certificate of incorporation, business letters, order forms or website |
| UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) | HMRC | HMRC's letter after Self Assessment registration or setting up a limited company |
| VAT number | HMRC | The business's invoices, receipts or website |
A UTR is a 10-digit tax reference. GOV.UK says it usually arrives by post around 15 days after registration. Use HMRC's UTR guidance if that is the number you need.
For VAT, use Check a UK VAT number. You need the VAT number first: this service cannot search by business name. Our VAT registration basics guide explains the separate registration.
Checking another company's number
For a company registration number check, search the number on Companies House. Compare the registered name and address with the details you have. Read the company status too, rather than relying on a name match alone.
Companies House warns that it does not check the accuracy of information filed. A matching record shows what has been filed; it does not confirm that every detail is accurate. You can set up free register email alerts for changes, such as a director or address change.
Sole traders and partnerships
A sole trader is not a limited company and has a UTR for Self Assessment, not a company number. An ordinary partnership is not an incorporated company either. Do not confuse it with a limited liability partnership (LLP), which has a Companies House record.
A business cannot operate as a limited company until it is incorporated at Companies House. See our guides to forming a company and registering for Self Assessment for the different routes.
If you cannot find it
- Check the spelling of the registered name against business letters or the website.
- If you have a number, search that instead and keep all prefixes and zeros.
- For your own company, check the certificate of incorporation.
- Confirm whether you need a company number, a UTR or a VAT number.
If the business's documents and the register do not match, ask the business to clarify its registered details. RR Accountants is not Companies House or HMRC and cannot change the register for you.
Why the correct number matters
When Companies House filings, HMRC forms or bank forms ask for a company registration number, copy the registered number exactly. Check the field label before entering a tax reference instead.
For the ongoing filing cycle, read our Companies House annual cycle guide and confirmation statement guide.
Discuss your company's compliance with RR Accountants
Book a 30-minute call. We'll confirm whether we're a fit, and if we are, we'll tell you exactly what the next step looks like.
Book a call →Frequently asked questions
How do I find a company registration number?
Search the company name on the Companies House Find and update company information service. Open the matching record and read the Company number below the name. It also appears on the certificate of incorporation and should be on a limited company's business letters, order forms and website.
Is a company registration number the same as a Companies House number?
Yes. In this context, company registration number, company number and Companies House number refer to the registered number shown as Company number on the Companies House record.
What does a company registration number look like?
It can contain only digits or include a prefix. Companies House WebFiling lists NI, RO and SC for limited companies, and OC, SO and NC for limited liability partnerships. TESCO PLC's number is 00445790. Keep every character, including zeros at the start.
Is a company registration number the same as a UTR or VAT number?
No. Companies House issues the company number. HMRC issues the UTR, a separate 10-digit tax reference, and the VAT number. A VAT number can be checked through GOV.UK's Check a UK VAT number service, which requires the number rather than a business name.
Do sole traders have a company registration number?
A sole trader has a UTR for Self Assessment, not a company number. A sole trader is not a limited company. A business must be incorporated at Companies House before it can operate as a limited company.
Key terms
- Company registration number
- The registered number issued by Companies House when a company is incorporated, shown as Company number on the register.
- UTR
- Unique Taxpayer Reference: a 10-digit number from HMRC issued when you register for Self Assessment or set up a limited company. It may be called a tax reference.