Non-resident company services

UK company formation for non-residents

Form a UK limited company from overseas: no UK residence required. Formation from £100 plus VAT excluding the Companies House fee, application submitted the same day.

Short answer

A non-resident can own and direct a UK limited company. There is no requirement to live in the UK or to have a UK director. You need a UK registered office, verified director and PSC identities, and a clear record of who controls the company. Formation starts at £100 plus VAT, excluding the Companies House fee.

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What this means for your company

A non-resident can own and direct a UK limited company. There is no requirement to live in the UK or to have a UK director. You need a UK registered office, verified director and PSC identities, and a clear record of who controls the company. Formation starts at £100 plus VAT, excluding the Companies House fee.

01

What the law actually requires

02

The realistic sequence from overseas

03

Tax the day after incorporation

04

What we charge

Short answer

A non-resident can own and direct a UK limited company. There is no requirement to live in the UK or to have a UK director. You need a UK registered office, verified director and PSC identities, and a clear record of who controls the company. Formation starts at £100 plus VAT, excluding the Companies House fee.

What the law actually requires

At least one natural-person director, a UK registered office address, a statement of capital, and details of every person with significant control. Nationality and residence are not restrictions. What has changed is identity: directors and PSCs must now be verified before they can act.

The realistic sequence from overseas

First verify the identities of the directors and people with significant control, from £50 plus VAT each. Second, put a compliant UK registered office in place, from £10 a month. Third, incorporate: we submit the application the same working day, and Companies House usually completes online incorporations quickly.

Banking comes last and is the slowest part, because banks run their own checks and many want to see a UK connection. We cannot open an account for you, but the guide below sets out what actually works.

Tax the day after incorporation

A UK-incorporated company is UK tax resident and files a corporation tax return, whoever owns it and wherever it trades. Where the directors also manage the company from another country, that country may claim tax residence too, and a double tax treaty decides the outcome. Raise this before you incorporate rather than afterwards.

VAT is separate. A business with no UK establishment has no registration threshold at all, so registration can be required from the first UK sale.

What we charge

Formation from £100 plus VAT, excluding the Companies House filing fee, with the application submitted the same working day. Identity verification from £50 plus VAT per person. Registered office from £10 a month. Confirmation statements from £50 plus VAT, excluding the Companies House fee. Ongoing accounts, VAT and payroll are quoted from our published monthly packages.

Before you act

Rates, thresholds and deadlines quoted here reflect the current UK position and current HMRC and Companies House guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own business.

Primary references

Official sources and further reading

Related answers

More for non-resident company services

Every answer in this cluster is written for UK limited company directors and reviewed against current HMRC and Companies House guidance.

Frequently asked

UK company formation for non-residents: questions directors ask

Can a non-UK resident set up a UK limited company?

Yes. There is no residence or nationality requirement for directors or shareholders.

Do I need a UK director?

No. A company can be formed and run entirely by overseas directors, although all of them must verify their identity.

How long does formation take?

We submit the application the same working day. Companies House normally completes online incorporations within a working day or two.

What does it cost?

From £100 plus VAT, excluding the Companies House filing fee, plus identity verification from £50 plus VAT per person.

Do I need a UK address?

Yes, the registered office must be in the UK. Ours starts at £10 a month.

Will my company pay UK tax on overseas profits?

A UK-incorporated company is generally UK tax resident on its worldwide profits, subject to any double tax treaty. We will look at your specific position before you incorporate.

Can you open the bank account too?

No firm can open an account for you. We prepare the company documents banks ask for and tell you which routes non-residents are actually accepted through.

What records are needed for uk company formation for non-residents?

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.

How much does help with uk company formation for non-residents cost?

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.

Can you take over uk company formation for non-residents from another accountant?

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.

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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.

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