Changing the name of the UK company is not a difficult procedure, but nevertheless, it is necessary to do everything right so that the Comanies House accepts your documents, and also takes care that all the rules for choosing a name are observed. Therefore, it is better to entrust this procedure to us, our employees will make sure that everything is done correctly, and you change the name of the limited liability company correctly.

Choose your company name

You should choose a unique name for your business if you change the name of a private limited company.

If the name of your limited liability company is very similar to the name or trademark of another company,  you may be contacted by the lawyers of this company with a complaint and demand to change the name.

The name must end with “Limited” or “Ltd”. You can include the Welsh equivalents of “Cyfyngedig” and “Cyf” instead if you have registered a company in Wales.

Names that are consonant with “Same as”

Names that are consonant or “Same” that include those where the only difference from the existing name is as follows:

• certain punctuation marks
• some special characters, such as a plus sign
• A word or symbol that is similar in appearance or meaning to another existing name
• A word or symbol commonly used in UK company names

Example

Salads UK Ltd and Salad’s Ltd are the same as Salads Ltd.

However, you can register the name “same” if:

• Your company is in the same group as the company or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) with the existing name
• you have written confirmation that the company or LLP does not object to your new name

“Too similar” names

You may need to change your name if someone complains and Companies House agrees that it is “too similar” to a name registered before yours.

Example

«B2B Formations Ltd» — это то же самое, что и «B to B Formations LTD»

Companies House will contact you if they think your name is too similar to another – and tell you what to do.

Other rules

Your company name can’t be offensive.

Your name also may not contain a “sensitive” word or expression or suggest a connection to the government or local authorities unless you obtain permission.

Example

To use “Accredited” in your company name, you need permission from the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Trade names

You can conduct business using a name other than your registered name. This is known as a “business name.”

Trade names must not:

• include “limited”, “Ltd”, “limited liability partnership”, “LLP”, “public limited liability company” or “plc”
• contain a “confidential” word or expression if you have not received permission

If your company name is too similar to another company’s trademark, you may need to change it if someone files a complaint.

Display your name

There are rules you should follow when displaying your company name.

When you don’t need to use “limited” in your company name

You don’t need to use the word “limited” in your name if your company is a registered charity or is limited by a guarantee and your articles of association state that your company:

• encourages or regulates commerce, art, science, education, religion, charity, or any profession
• cannot pay its shareholders, for example, through dividends
• requires each shareholder to contribute to the assets of the company if it was closed at the time of their membership or within a year after they ceased to be a shareholder