Short answer
If you incorporate a company at Companies House, the name must be unique and must not be sensitive or misleading. Sole traders and partnerships trading under any name other than the owner's own name must comply with disclosure rules under the Business Names Act 1985. Registering a business name does not give you a trademark — that requires a separate application to the Intellectual Property Office.
A limited company name is registered at Companies House. A trademark gives you the exclusive right to use a name or logo commercially across the UK.
1 The rule
Company names are governed by the Companies Act 2006, Part 5, and associated regulations. The Secretary of State has powers to direct a company to change a misleading or sensitive name. Business names for unincorporated businesses are governed by the Business Names Act 1985 and the Companies Act 2006, Part 41.
"A company must not be registered by a name that is the same as a name appearing in the registrar's index of company names."Read the official text
A company name must end in "Limited" or "Ltd" (or the Welsh equivalents). A public limited company must end in "Public Limited Company" or "PLC".
2 What you can do now
- Check name availability at Companies House
Use the <a href="https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Companies House name availability checker</a> to ensure your chosen name is not already registered. The check is against exact matches and similar names. A name is considered "the same" even if it differs only in punctuation or common words like "and", "the", or "&".
- Check for restricted or sensitive words
Certain words and expressions require permission or approval before use. "Bank", "Insurance", "Royal", "British", "National", "International", "University", "Charity", "Foundation" and many others are restricted under the Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Names and Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2015. Some require approval from a specified authority (e.g. the Prudential Regulation Authority for "bank"). Check the full list on the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/company-and-business-names-guidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GOV.UK company names guidance</a>.
- Search the IPO trademark register
Registering a company name at Companies House does not give you a trademark. Another business may already have a registered trademark in the same or a similar name for overlapping goods or services. Search the <a href="https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmtext.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IPO trademark register</a> before finalising your name. Using a name that infringes an existing trademark exposes you to passing off and trademark infringement claims.
- Incorporate or register the business name
To incorporate a limited company, file Form IN01 with Companies House (online: £50; by post: £71 — 2026 fees). The company is incorporated within 24 hours of online registration. For sole traders or partnerships trading under a name other than the owner's name, you must display the owner's name and address prominently on business documents and at the place of business under the Business Names Act 1985. There is no formal registration for sole trader business names.
- Consider registering a trademark
To protect exclusive use of your business name or logo, apply to register a trademark at the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/topic/intellectual-property/trade-marks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Intellectual Property Office (IPO)</a>. The application fee starts at £170 for one class of goods or services. A registered UK trademark lasts 10 years and can be renewed. See the <a href="/guides/business/recovering-unpaid-commercial-invoice" class="body-link">commercial invoice recovery guide</a> for other business setup considerations.
3 When this does not apply
- A company limited by guarantee (typically a charity or community interest company) is not required to use "Limited" in its name if it meets the criteria in s.60 of the Companies Act 2006.
- An LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) must use "LLP" at the end of its name.
- A sole trader or partnership using only the owners' names need not comply with the Business Names Act 1985 disclosure rules — they apply only to trading names.
4 Common questions
Can I use a company name that is similar but not identical to an existing company?
Companies House may reject a name that is "the same as" an existing name, applying a set of rules that treat certain differences (punctuation, company type endings, common words) as immaterial. Even if Companies House accepts the name, a business with a similar name may bring a passing-off claim or object through Companies House's company names adjudicator. To object to a company name registered by someone else, use the Companies House Company Names Adjudicator service.
What is the difference between a business name, a company name, and a trademark?
A company name is registered at Companies House and identifies the legal entity. A business (trading) name is the name under which a business trades — it may be different from the company name. A trademark is a registered right to use a name, logo, or mark exclusively for specific goods or services in the UK. Each is governed by separate law and provides different protections.
Can the Secretary of State force me to change my company name?
Yes. Under ss.67–74 of the Companies Act 2006, the Secretary of State can direct a company to change its name if it is the same as or too like an existing name, if it is misleading, or if it gives a misleading indication of the company's activities. A direction must be complied with within a specified time period. The company may appeal the direction.
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