A company name holds significant importance. It should be memorable, align with your business, and evoke positive associations. Expanding the business profile or rebranding are just a few scenarios where changing the name of your Limited Company may be necessary. If you decide to do so, it’s essential to take care of several important aspects.
When is it worth changing the name of an LTD company?
There’s no denying that a name creates the first impression and should be consistent with your business. Changing the name can be a good solution if:
- you are expanding your business or changing its profile,
- the previous name has negative associations, and you want to distance yourself from past mistakes and erase a bad reputation,
- another company has registered a similar or identical name before you,
- your current name no longer fits your brand.
Of course, these aren’t the only situations in which you might consider changing your LTD company’s name. In fact, the decision is entirely up to you—you don’t need to provide a reason to Companies House. The key is ensuring that the new name meets a few specific requirements.
What you need to remember when changing the name of a Limited Company
Regardless of the new name you choose, it must comply with certain general rules. In the UK, an LTD company can only use a name that:
- ends with the word „Limited” or the abbreviation „Ltd.”,
- is not identical or confusingly similar to another already registered company,
- does not contain offensive words or phrases,
- does not contain terms that could mislead others about the company’s legal structure.
Before submitting the new name, ensure it meets these requirements. Be sure to check the existing company register to see if another business is already using the same or a very similar name.
Step-by-step process of changing the name of an LTD company
1. Choose a new name for your LTD company
Before you even start the whole procedure, you need to have an idea for the new name of your company. Here, both marketing issues (the associations that the name evokes, whether it is memorable, etc.) and strictly formal issues (related to the requirements when registering the name in the UK) will be relevant.
It is important to choose your name carefully as this avoids potential disputes with other companies and also reduces the risk of your application being rejected by Companies House.
2. Select the method for changing the name
The name of the Limited Company may be changed by:
- a special resolution by shareholders,
- another method, if provided for in the company’s articles of association.
The first and more commonly chosen option involves calling a board meeting, passing a special resolution, and obtaining the required majority’s consent.
3. Notify Companies House about the name change
A change to the name of a Limited Company does not happen automatically when the resolution is passed, but only after the changes have been approved by Companies House. This means that you will still need to prepare a special form to which you will attach the required resolution. You will also need to pay a fee.
4. Complete formalities after the name change
However, the whole process does not end there. Changing the name of your LTD company involves a few more obligations. The current company name should now appear on the website, letters sent out by the company, goods, powers of attorney, business cards, etc. in short: wherever the company name was previously used. – In short: wherever the previous name appeared. Ideally, you should also notify your business partners of this change.
Change your LTD company name quickly and easily
As you can see, there are many details to keep in mind. There are numerous rules and formalities to follow, and you can’t delay for too long—just because no company with your chosen name is in the register now doesn’t mean someone else won’t register it first. The „first come, first served” principle applies here. It’s in your best interest to change the name not only in accordance with procedures but also as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, you don’t have to handle everything on your own. You can take advantage of our assistance. We’ll ensure that all procedures are followed, the form is completed correctly, and there are no errors. This way, you can change your company name efficiently, without stress, and without investing too much of your own time in the process.
