Last Updated on October 2, 2026 by Joy Kyalo
Registering a company looks simple on paper. Companies House charges £100 for an online application, and the company is usually registered within 24 hours. A formation agent files the same application for you, then charges a fee of its own. So what are you paying for when you don’t go directly, and when is it worth it?
This guide compares both routes for anyone planning to set up a limited company in the UK. It covers what each route involves, what it costs, what changes after incorporation and how to choose.
Quick Answer:
You can register a new company yourself through GOV.UK for £100 online, usually within 24 hours. A formation agent submits the same application to Companies House for you and may add guidance, a registered office address, company secretarial support and help with banking. The company that results is the same either way. What differs is who does the work, what is bundled in, and what you pay on top of the statutory fee. Directors stay legally responsible for the company on both routes.
Business Registration Costs at a Glance:
Online registration fee (Companies House): £100
Postal registration (form IN01): £124, taking 8 to 10 days
Same-day incorporation: £156, available through the software filing route rather than the online service
Typical online timing: Usually within 24 hours
Minimum to set up a limited company: One director and one shareholder (they can be the same person)
Identity verification: Required for directors and people with significant control, free through GOV.UK One Login
Registered office address: Physical UK address, shown on the public register
Confirmation statement: £50 per year online
Registering a new company yourself: what the process involves
The direct route is the one GOV.UK describes step by step. You make a series of decisions first, then complete one online application.
Before you start, you need to settle:
- A company name that passes the rules and the availability check
- At least one director. A company secretary is optional
- At least one shareholder, who can also be a director
- People with significant control (PSCs), meaning anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights
- A registered office address and a registered email address. The address must be in place before you register
- A SIC code that describes what the company does
- Your articles of association. You can use the standard model articles or write your own
If you register online, the memorandum of association is created automatically. You also create a Government Gateway user ID for the company during the application, and it cannot be your personal one. The application costs £100, and you receive a certificate of incorporation showing the company number and date of formation.
If you set up a limited company online, you are usually registered for Corporation Tax at the same time, unless the company is dormant. You can register for PAYE in the same application if you will be paying yourself or anyone else through payroll.
| Registration Route | Fee | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Online (GOV.UK) | £100 | Usually within 24 hours |
| Software filing | £100 | Same-day option at £156 |
| Post (form IN01) | £124 | 8 to 10 days |
What a formation agent actually does
A formation agent prepares and submits the application for you. Companies House lists agents whose software has passed its testing for electronic incorporations. The list is not an endorsement, and Companies House says it accepts no liability for the services these businesses provide.
According to Companies House, most agents can help with:
- Guidance on which type of company suits you
- Help choosing a company name, including names that need permission
- Ongoing company secretarial support
- Registered office address services
- Help setting up a business bank account
What the agent charges, and what is bundled into that charge, is set by the agent. That is where the real comparison starts.
Register yourself vs use an agent: side by side
| Factor | Register Yourself | Formation Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory fee | £100 online | £100 still applies. Check whether it is included in the quote |
| Who files | You, through GOV.UK | The agent, through filing software |
| Speed | Usually within 24 hours | Same-day option available at £156 |
| Registered office address | You supply one before you start | Agent can supply one |
| Advice on structure and name | GOV.UK guidance | Personal guidance available |
| Corporation Tax set-up | Usually done at registration | Added separately afterwards |
| Ongoing support | None included | Often available, depending on package |
| Legal responsibility | Directors | Still the directors |
Five differences that matter in practice
1. Corporation Tax set-up
This is the difference most people miss. When you register online and activate your business tax account, you are usually set up for Corporation Tax at the same time. If the company was registered by post, through software or through an agent, you add Corporation Tax services to your business tax account yourself once you start doing business.
HMRC then posts an activation code to the registered office address. It should arrive within 10 days, or 21 days if you live abroad. If you have not received your company’s 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference 15 working days after registering, you can request it online.
2. The registered office address
Every limited company needs a registered office that is a physical UK address, in the same country the company is registered in. It must also be “appropriate”, which means someone acting for the company will be made aware of the post delivered there, and the sender can get confirmation of delivery. Royal Mail PO Boxes and similar services are not allowed.
The address appears on the public register. If you do not want your home address there, GOV.UK points to two options: an accountant’s or solicitor’s address, with their permission, or an agent who gives you an address to use. An agent’s address has to meet every one of those requirements too. A company that does not provide a compliant address could be struck off the register.
If this is your main reason for considering an agent, see our guide on the Companies House appropriate address test.
3. Speed
Online registration is already fast, usually within 24 hours. If you need the company registered the same day, the same-day incorporation fee is £156 and is offered through the software route, not the online service. If you want same-day filing, ask whether the provider uses that route.
4. Support after incorporation
Registering yourself gives you a certificate and nothing else. Agents may offer secretarial help, address services and banking support, but only the ones in the package you buy. Read what is included before comparing prices.
5. Who is responsible
Using an agent does not move responsibility away from the directors. GOV.UK states that directors can hire others, an accountant for example, but remain legally responsible for the company’s records, accounts and performance. A late filing is the directors’ problem, whoever was meant to submit it.
What does it really cost to register a new company?
If you are searching for cheap company formation, the lowest fixed cost is the £100 online fee. Everything above that is optional or comes from the route you choose.
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online incorporation | £100 | Companies House fee |
| Postal incorporation | £124 | Slower, 8 to 10 days |
| Same-day incorporation | £156 | Through software filing |
| Confirmation statement | £50 online, £110 by post | Due at least every 12 months |
| Identity verification | Free via GOV.UK One Login | An ACSP may charge a fee |
| Agent or address services | Set by the provider | Compare what is included |
The cheapest quote is not always the lowest total cost. A low formation price with the registered office address, mail handling or renewal sold separately can end up costing more than a package priced higher but fully inclusive. When you compare quotes, ask whether the £100 Companies House fee is included, whether a registered office address comes with it, and what renewals cost in year two.
Identity verification applies on both routes
Whichever route you take, directors and PSCs must verify their identity with Companies House. You can do that free through the GOV.UK One Login service, or ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to do it for you. ACSPs must be supervised for anti-money laundering purposes and may charge a fee.
Verification gives you a Companies House personal code. You may need it to register the company, and if the company has more than one director you must have each director’s code. Share the code only with people you trust. For more on this route, see our guide to authorised corporate service providers or the page on verifying your identity for Companies House.
How to choose a formation agent safely
If you decide an agent is worth paying for, a few checks protect you.
- Check the supervision. An ACSP must be registered with a UK anti-money laundering supervisory body. Companies House’s public list of ACSPs is published at the agents’ request, so it may not include every registered one.
- Check their reputation and experience. Companies House recommends this when choosing an agent.
- Get the scope in writing. Know exactly what is included: filing, address, mail, secretarial work, renewals.
- Confirm the address meets the rules. A provider’s registered office must be a physical UK address, be appropriate and not be a PO Box.
- Keep your own details secure. Do not hand over your personal code to anyone you do not trust.
See also: Best Company Formation Agents in the UK
After incorporation: the same obligations on both routes
The route you choose changes who submits the application. It does not change what the company must do next.
| Obligation | Deadline or Cost |
|---|---|
| First confirmation statement | Review period ends 12 months after incorporation, with up to 14 days after that to file. £50 online |
| First accounts to Companies House | 21 months after the date of registration |
| Later annual accounts | 9 months after the financial year ends |
| Corporation Tax payment | 9 months and 1 day after the accounting period ends |
| Company Tax Return | 12 months after the accounting period ends |
You can be fined up to £5,000 for not filing a confirmation statement, and the company may be struck off. A Company Tax Return is required even if the company makes a loss or owes no tax. For help with the annual filing, see our confirmation statement filing service.
Which route suits you?
| Your Situation | Likely Better Fit |
|---|---|
| One director, a suitable UK address, comfortable with online forms | Register yourself |
| Home address should stay off the public register | Agent or registered office provider |
| You need the company registered the same day | Agent using the same-day software route |
| You want secretarial help and banking support from the start | Agent package that includes it |
| Several directors and shareholders with custom articles | Either route, with professional advice on the articles |
Expert Tip:
- Settle the registered office address, every director’s personal code, the SIC code and the share structure before you start on either route. An application held up by a missing detail costs more time than any agent saves.
Common Mistakes:
- Choosing on the headline price without checking what is included.
- Using a home address as the registered office and overlooking that it becomes public.
- Assuming the agent will also set up Corporation Tax after incorporation.
- Forgetting that every director must verify their identity.
- Treating an agent as responsible for deadlines the directors still own.
- Using a PO Box as a registered office address.
Choosing the route that fits
Registering a new company yourself is straightforward when you have a compliant address and a simple structure. It is the lowest-cost route for UK limited company formation, and the £100 online fee covers the filing itself. An agent earns its fee when you need an address, same-day filing or ongoing support. Either way, the company is the same and the directors carry the same obligations.
If you would rather have the formation and registered office handled together, providers such as BusinAssist offer both. Whoever you pick, compare what is included before you compare the price.
FAQs:
Q: Is it cheaper to register a company myself?
Ans: TThe fixed cost is lowest when you register online yourself, at £100 through Companies House. An agent adds its own charge for the service, so whether that is worthwhile depends on what the package includes.
Q: Do I need a formation agent to set up a limited company?
Ans: No. You can register directly with Companies House online or by post, or you can use third-party software or an agent.
Q: How long does it take to register a new company?
Ans: An online application is usually completed within 24 hours. A postal application takes 8 to 10 days. A same-day incorporation costs £156 and is offered through the software route.
Q: Can an agent provide my registered office address?
Ans: Yes. GOV.UK says you can appoint an agent who gives you an address to use. It must still be a physical UK address, be appropriate and not be a Royal Mail PO Box.
Q: Do I still need to verify my identity if I use an agent?
Ans: Yes. Directors and people with significant control must verify their identity whichever route is used. You can do it free through GOV.UK One Login, or ask an ACSP, which may charge a fee.
Q: Who is responsible for filings after an agent registers my company?
Ans: The directors. They can hire help, but they remain legally responsible for the company’s records, accounts and performance.
Q: Do I have to register for Corporation Tax separately?
Ans: If you register online, you are usually set up for Corporation Tax at the same time, unless the company is dormant. If you register by post, through software or through an agent, you add Corporation Tax services to your business tax account yourself when you start doing business.
Read Also:
- How Much Does It Cost to Register a Business in the UK?
- How to Register a Business in England: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
- Do I Need to Register My Business in the UK? A Complete Guide
- Best Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSP) in UK 2026
- Companies House ‘Appropriate Address’ Test Explained
The BusinAssist Editorial Team has 15+ years of experience writing about small business and company formation in the UK, Canada, and the USA. We simplify complex processes and provide practical insights to help entrepreneurs succeed. Business Assist with BusinAssist – your partner for business success.