Limited company guide
What overseas founders need to know about UK limited companies, residency, identity verification, tax residence, banking, VAT and permanent establishment.
Written and reviewed by Waqas Sagar Member of ICAEW, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of AAT, a double graduate and entrepreneur at heart, helping startups grow and serving thousands of businesses nationwide with an excellent team. Published by LimitedCompany.Accountants, 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Reviewed 12 September 2026 against 2026/27 UK rates and current Companies House and HMRC guidance.
Regulated by
Regulated & AML supervisor
AAT fellow member
Xero Gold PartnerCertified advisor
QuickBooks PartnerCertified ProAdvisor100+ yearsCombined team experienceFully insuredUp to £2m indemnityThere is no UK residency requirement for directors or shareholders of a UK limited company. You need a UK registered office address, a company name, at least one director and a person with significant control recorded.
You can, and it is common
Where the company is taxed
Practical obstacles
Employing people in the UK
There is no UK residency requirement for directors or shareholders of a UK limited company. You need a UK registered office address, a company name, at least one director and a person with significant control recorded.
Companies House identity verification requirements now apply to directors and people with significant control, so build time for that into the plan.
A UK-incorporated company is UK tax resident. However, if it is centrally managed and controlled from another country, that country may also treat it as resident, with a tax treaty deciding the outcome. Where the directors actually meet and decide matters more than where the paperwork sits.
Selling into the UK from abroad through a UK company can also create obligations in your home country. Coordinate advice on both sides before trading.
Banking is the usual friction. UK banks apply strict due diligence to non-resident directors; digital business accounts are often quicker but have their own requirements. Expect to prove identity, address and business substance.
VAT registration for a non-established taxable person can be required from the first UK sale, with no £90,000 threshold, where you have no UK establishment. This catches many overseas e-commerce sellers.
Employing anyone in the UK means PAYE registration, RTI reporting and auto-enrolment pension duties, regardless of where the directors live.
It may also strengthen the argument that the company has a UK establishment, which affects the VAT threshold position and other obligations.
Local help
We work with company directors across London and Surrey from our office at 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Pick your area, or send the form below and we will call you back.
Frequently asked
No, but it can help with banking and with demonstrating UK management and control if that is what you intend.
No. The registered office is the official address for statutory correspondence and appears on the public register; you can trade from elsewhere.
If you have no UK establishment and make taxable supplies in the UK, registration is generally required from the first sale, with no threshold. The position needs checking against your actual supply chain.
Yes, the work is digital, and we act for overseas founders with UK companies as well as clients who visit our Morden office.
Keep bank statements, sales and platform reports, purchase invoices, payroll records, VAT workings, finance agreements and Companies House correspondence. We confirm the exact list at onboarding and identify gaps before a filing deadline becomes urgent.
The fee depends on transaction volume, record quality, VAT and payroll requirements, historic catch-up and the level of reporting needed. We agree a fixed scope and price before technical work starts, with published packages available on our fees page.
Yes. We request professional clearance, collect the prior records and authorities, check the next Companies House and HMRC deadlines, and give you one clear handover list. The process is normally completed remotely.
Yes. We work through secure cloud records, scheduled reviews and digital approvals, while keeping a named team available by phone, video call and email. Clients can also visit our Morden office by appointment.
We regularly work with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage and connected sales or expense apps. The right setup depends on transaction volume, integrations and the reports you need, not simply the software brand.
The relevant calendar may include annual accounts, Corporation Tax payment and return dates, confirmation statements, VAT returns, payroll submissions and Self Assessment. We map the dates from your company year end and registrations.
Included approach
Check the current rules
Deadlines, thresholds and filing rules change. GOV.UK and Companies House publish the current statutory position; advice should then be applied to your company’s circumstances.
Talk to an accountant
Share your next deadline, accounting problem or growth question. We will reply with a clear next step and quote any technical work before it begins.
Chat with ACCOTAX on WhatsAppPick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.
Appointments run Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.
Four London offices
Work with us entirely online, or sit down with your accountant at whichever office suits you. Open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Office visits are by appointment only, so please book before coming in.
Free, no obligation
Pick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.
Appointments run monday to friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.
