Starting a Company in Northern Ireland
EASY TO FOLLOW STEPS
Starting a new company made simple!
SEARCH FOR YOUR COMPANY NAME
COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION AT COMPANIES HOUSE
FINISH THE ID CHECKS THEY REQUEST TO OBTAIN PERSONLA CODES
SUBMIT AND WAIT FOR THE EMAIL CONFIRMING REGISTRATION
Check if your company name is available.
Company Formation in Northern Ireland
You can form a Northern Ireland company with the registrar in Belfast using Companies House online incorporation system. The process typically takes less than a day. Registering a new company in Northern Ireland is no different to registering one in any other part of the United Kingdom. (Please note that the Republic of Ireland has its own incorporation process different to the UK and is governed by different laws to Northern Ireland).
What makes a Northern Ireland company different?
What if move from Northern Ireland after forming the company?
What makes a Northern Ireland company different?
Company formations in Northern Ireland are only possible for companies with a Northern Irish registered office address. Once the company is formed it will always be recorded by Companies House as a Northern Irish company. It is not possible to switch the company to any of the other home countries. The official company number will also carry a prefix of NI to clearly identify the company as being registered in Northern Ireland.
What if I move from Northern Ireland after forming the company?
This situation presents two solutions. The first option is arguably the simplest but will mean paying an annual fee to a service provider. There are several service providers that will provide you with a registered office service in Northern Ireland for your company. This will allow you to physically operate your company from anywhere in the world whilst your company maintains a virtual presence in Northern Ireland.
The second solution is more complicated depending on your company’s circumstances. If the move away from Northern Ireland is permanent you may decide to register a new company in the new country and transfer the assets of the company. This is likely to require specialist assistance from an accountant and will also mean that your company has a more recent incorporation date and will require new bank accounts etc.
How do I register my company in Northern Ireland?
You can register your limited company in Northern Ireland using Companies House registration service. When entering the registered office address simply enter an address in Northern Ireland and select Northern Ireland as the country. Companies House will then automatically process your company registration through Companies House in Belfast within a few hours.