Page can be viewed in other languages:
English
Русский
汉语
Home Home Contact Us Contact Us Incorporation FAQ FAQ Incorporation News News
Home
RELATED SERVICES
BANKING SERVICES
WE ACCEPT
 
 
Acceptance Mark
Secured by SSL

Member of the Federation of Small Businesses
E-mail us info@ukincorp.co.uk Request a call-back Call Us (UK): 44 (0) 207.935.5171 / 0330.808.0089
Renginiai Naujienos Renginiai Naujienos
  • £145.00
    No annual charges
    This public company formation with Barclays or HSBC business bank account (optional) is for UK-residents only, who have a valid address in the UK, and want the simplest offer with documents produced electronically.
    The following documents will be sending via e-mail upon the registration of a PLC company:
    • The certificate of incorporation;
    • The memorandum & articles of association;
    • The fast-track corporate bank account with HSBC or Barclays (which is optional).
  • £162.99
    No annual charges
    This is the basic PLC company formation with guaranteed bank account (optional) for the UK customers, who have their own registered address in the United Kingdom, with additional documents produced electronically, plus the laminated certificate will be send by post.
    This public PLC company incorporation offer includes all services mentioned in the first option, plus:
    • The meeting of the board of directors;
    • Share certificates;
    • The company' register;
    • The laminated certificate of incorporation (free delivery).
  • £212.99
    No annual charges
    This is one of our very favourite public company registration with guaranteed business bank account (optional) for the UK based residents.
    The third option includes all PLC company registration benefits & items mentioned in the second option, plus free delivery of:
    • One set of the memorandum and articles of association with a company's registers printed & top-notch bound;
    • The first meeting of the board of directors, elegant printed shares' certificates & the rubber stamp;
    • The certificate of the beneficial owner.
  • £512.99
    Annual fees from £375.00
    This is the MOST POPULAR public company start-up packages for such British customers & expatriates who are looking to create PLC company with registered office address in London.
    This PLC company start-up offer includes all company registration benefits & items mentioned into the SECOND OPTION, plus the provision of:
    • The registered office address in London;
    • The government mail forwarding;
    • The secretarial compliance service & the certificate of the registered office address;
  • £542.99
    Annual fees from £405.00
    This UK PLC public company incorporation with registered office address in London and secretarial compliance service offer was specially created for non-UK residents.
    The following items are included into this offer:
    • The certificate of incorporation, the memorandum & articles;
    • The company's registers, shares' certificates & meeting of the board of directors;
    • The registered office address;
    • The government mail forwarding & the secretarial compliance service
  • £667.99
    Annual fees from £530.00
    This is one of the very favourite UK public company registration with a nominee secretary & the registered office address in London packages for the non-UK customers.
    This public PLC company incorporation offer for non-British clients includes all services mentioned in the first option, plus the following:
    • The provision of nominee legal secretary & maintaining of the statutory registers;
    • Ensuring that your company files the statutory information promptly;
    • Dealing with the government correspondence.
  • £1,017
    Annual fees from £880.00
    This is one of the most popular UK public company formation with nominee director as an additional option to the nominee secretary, & registered office address in London offer for non-UK based customers.
    This the public company setting-up offer includes all services mentioned in the second option, plus the following:
    • The provision of a nominee director;
    • The signed power of attorney;
    • The signed, undated resignation letter from a nominee director;
    • The agreement for the provision of the nominee director.
  • £1,177
    Annual fees from £880.00
    This is the MOST OPTIMAL of PLC company registration with all corporate documents legalised by a Notary Public and certified by the Apostille stamp package for non-UK citizens.
    This public limited company establishment offer includes all services mentioned in the third British PLC incorporation option, plus:
    • The certification of all corporate documents including power of attorney by the Notary Public & the final legal verification of PLC documents by an Apostille stamp;
    • Free corporate & the attorney-in-law' rubber stamps.
PLC Dormant Company
This PLC incorporation package includes all needed services for the registration of UK PLC company & keeping a public company dormant for the first year.
Pay £300.00 now
and £350.00 eleven months after.
  • The registration of the UK PLC dormant company or non-trading PLC company (the government fee is included).
  • The provision of the registered office address for UK public company at the Baker Street in London.
  • The provision of a nominee secretary to protect the director(s) responsibilities.
  • The initial registration of your public PLC company as a dormant with the HMRC.
  • We will act as the tax agent with the HMRC for your UK registered public limited PLC company behalf.
  • The government mail forwarding to your own address in the UK.
  • We will keep your PLC company registers at the registered office address.
  • The preparation of the annual return & year-end dormant account and its submission with the Companies Registrar & Inland Revenue.
  • The provision of a certificate of incumbency;
  • The certificate of non-trading (at the end of the year).
  • In the second year of the PLC dormant company setting-up, you'll need to pay £350.00 only.



UK Public Company Incorporation Service: Public Company Formation in the United Kingdom

UK Public Company Incorporation Service: Public Company Formation in the United KingdomHow would you like to join a very exclusive financial club where the members represent. The members of this club are companies that have gone public. Why is this group made up of such a small percentage of corporations? Because completing an initial public offering is tough, expensive and complex. It can also be mysterious and confusing because it involves the disciplines of accounting, financial reporting and security law, and the average entrepreneur usually does not have expertise in these areas.

When considering whether or not to go public, you should first ask yourself what your motivations and objectives are. If your reasons are to gain the glamour and prestige that comes along with a successful offering or to keep up with competitors within your industry that are going public, you should think twice. While going public is considered an acknowledgment of success, since typically only high-growth, hot companies can do it, this is not a decision to be entered into lightly - and you don't want to enter into it for the wrong reasons.

Although it is tempting to want to share in the type of fortune and fame that comes along with a lucrative initial public offering, especially after the past several years of phenomenal offerings by technology and Internet companies, you have to consider what is best for your particular company.

PLC Company Formation Service

We provide fast online service for UK public company registration, including limited by shares and limited by guarantee and other business entities incorporation in England, Wales, and Scotland.

The main distinction between public company limited by shares and a private company limited by shares is that only the public company's shares or debentures may be offered for sale to the general public. A private company commits an offence if it offers shares or debentures to the public. It is extremely important that an experienced agent help you set up a public Ccompany as there is a requirement that the authorized share capital not be less than £50,000 and there is a capitalization requirement that at least 1/4 of the nominal value be paid up.

Finally, a trading certificate, must be received before a public company engages in any type of business. We can receive these documents for you so that your company is set up properly.

When first setting-up a business there are many issues to consider. You need to decide whether or not to incorporate your business, and to choose a structure for your business. There are several types of legal business entities which you can choose to operate as. For more information on these choices, follow the links below. We advise that professional legal and financial advice is obtained before a final choice of business entity is made.


Coddan is one of the leading service providers in the field of English, Scottish, and Irish companies formation and registration. Our electronic filing software has been approved by Companies House. Companies House (Companies Registry, Secretary of State) is an executive agency of the United Kingdom Government Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). All limited companies in Great Britain are registered with Companies House and file specific details as required by the Companies Act 2006.

Related Articles






 
There are more than two million companies registered in England and Wales. Fewer than 15,000 are public companies. Of those companies, approximately 2,500 have floated on the London Stock Exchange. Around 1,400 listed on the London Stock Exchange’s principal market for larger, more established companies (the 'Main Market'), with approximately a further 1,150 quoted on the Stock Exchange’s international market for smaller, growing companies (the Alternative Investment Market or 'AIM').

Why to Register a Public Limited Company: What is a Public Company and Its Benefits?

A public company is defined by s. 4(2) of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). It is a company limited by shares or by guarantee and having a share capital, which has complied with the requirements of the CA 2006 (or former Companies Act) to enable it to be registered or re-registered as such.

Incorporate a Public Listed Company Limited by Shares: What is a Listed Company?

Incorporate a Public Listed Company Limited by Shares: What is a Listed Company?There are several specific definitions of a listed company in company law incorporation legislation, some of which are explored in more depth elsewhere in this article. However, broadly, a listed company is a public company any of the shares in which are officially listed and trade on a stock market.

The stock market which is the focus of this article is the London Stock Exchange’s main Market which is the largest market in the UK. In the UK there are two smaller competitor stock markets to the Main Market, Plus Markets, and NYSE Euronext London. Companies may also be listed on the stock markets based overseas, such as the Deutsche Borse in Germany, NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange in the USA, NYSE Euronext in Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon and Paris, or NASDAQ QMX Nordic Exchange covering Scandinavia and Baltic countries.

Obviously, when working with specific legislation, care must be taken to analyse the specific definition of 'listed'. For example, under some legislation a company which has its shares quoted on AIM rather than the Main Market will be a listed company, while under other legislation the same company will fall outside the definition of a listed company.

The words 'quoted' and 'listed' are usually used interchangeably, both by the layperson and by the practitioner. However, again, care should be taken to use the appropriate terminology in relation to specific markets; the London Stock Exchange, for example, defines shares listed on the Main Market as listed (but not quoted) and shares listed on AIM as quoted, but unlisted. Furthermore, the CA 2006 definition of 'quoted company' in s. 385 refers to companies listed on 'regulated markets' including the Main Market, but not AIM.

This can course lead to confusion. The key is not take for granted the meaning of the terms 'listed' and 'quoted', but to example (if interpreting such terms) or explain (if using such terms) the context in which they are used, taking account of the different definitions.

The Distinction Between 'Public' and 'Listed' Companies

Just because a company is a public company, it does not automatically follow that it is a listed company. There is some correlation between public companies and listed companies; in that a company must be a public company to become a listed company (private company cannot become listed companies). However, we already know that only about 10% of public companies are listed.

The distinction between the terms is important, because a company's status will determine how that company is regulated. Public companies are more heavily regulated than private companies; listed companies are significantly more heavily regulated than unlisted public companies.

Advantages of Public Company Formation Status: Ability to Offer Shares to the Public

Advantages of Public Company Formation Status: Ability to Offer Shares to the PublicIt is prohibited for the UK private company to offer its shares to the public under s.755 of the CA 2006. The main reason for registering or re-registering as a public company, therefore, is to enable a company to offer for registering as a public company, therefore, is to enable a company offer its shares to the public. The ability to offer shares to the public is an advantage, as it provides a company with a new source of finance (the consideration received for the shares) and opens up new opportunities for raising finance which otherwise may be unavailable to the company.

If a s.755 of the CA 2006 breached, the Court has the power to re-register the offending private company as a public company under s.758 of the CA 2006. If, though, the company does not meet the requirements to become a public company then the Court either may order that the company is wound up, or it may a remedial order under s.759 of the CA 2006. The remedial order seeks to put a person affected by a breach of s.755 back in the position he was in before the breach. The Court has wide-ranging powers to achieve this. The application to Court for a s.758 or s.759 order can be made by a shareholder or creditor of the offending company, or by the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Advantages of Public Company Incorporation Status: Prestige

A secondary reason for a company to be registered or re-registered as a public company is to benefit from the prestige conferred by the letters 'PLC' ('public limited company'). Some companies therefor opt for public company status even if they have no immediate plans to offer shares to the public. Subsidiaries of public companies are often public companies too, for the same reason.

Potential Disadvantages of Public Company Start-Up Status

Potential Disadvantages of Public Company Start-Up StatusPublic company status brings with it the financial advantage of being able to offer shares to the public, and a certain element of commercial respectability. However, these advantages mean (in theory at least) that any public company, even if unlisted can be owned by members of the public who have little day to day involvement in the company' business, and who therefore require greater statutory protection than the owners of a private company, who typically are more involved in the running their companies, often as directors. For this reason, public companies are much more strictly regulated tan private companies. This will add to the cost of running the company, and may restrict what it wishes to do and how it seeks to operate.

Public company accounts must file with Companies House within six months after end of accounting reference period (CA 2006, s.442(2)b. Public companies must file accounts with companies House (CA 2006, ss.446 and 447, and 467). Accounts must be laid before a General Meeting no later than six months after end of accounting reference period (CA 2006, s.437).

Public companies must hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) (CA 2006, s.336). The requisite percentage for holding a General Meeting on short notice is 95% (CA 2006, s.288).

Public companies requires to have minimum of two directors (CA 2006, s.154(2)). Restrictions apply on voting for the appointment of more than one director in just one resolution (CA 2006, s.160). A public can only make a quasi-loan and a credit transaction with one of its directors provided prior shareholder approval has been obtained (CA 2006, ss.198 and 201).

Financial assistance prohibited (CA 2006, s.678), subject to CA 2006, ss.681 and 682.

Public companies are requiring having a secretary (CA 2006, s.271) and sections 273 sets out qualifications required.

The public company must have allotted share capital at least up to the value of the authorised minimum (currently £50,000 – CA 2006, s.763 permits a euro equivalent to this amount set at 57,100 euros). The public company must maintain this as its minimum share capital (CA 2006, ss.650 and 662).

Each share allotted must be paid up to at least one-quarter of its nominal value together with the whole of any premium on it (CA 2006, s.586).

Section 561 pre-emption right on allotment can be disapplied under s.570 or 571 by special resolution or excluded and replaced by articles conferring a corresponding right under s.568.

Incorporate a Public Limited Company Online: Public Company Advantages of Listing

Definition of a Public Limited Company


The standard legal designation of a company which has offered shares to the general public and has limited liability. A public limited company's stock can be acquired by anyone and holders are only limited to potentially lose the amount paid for the shares. It is a legal form more commonly used in the U.K. Two or more people are required to form such a company, assuming it has a lawful purpose. Call us to discuss your needs and see how we can help.
If obtaining public company status enables a company to offer shares to the public, what further advantage is there in listing?

Public Company Creation and PLC Establishment: Providing a Market for the Company's Shares

A listing will provide access to a market on which members of the public and financial institutions can buy and sell shares in the company. As the shares can be bought at a pre-agreed price and sold relatively easily (the shares are said to be 'liquid'), they will be an attractive investment, particularly for members of the public who may not be familiar with the (usually more complicated) methods of buying and selling shares off the stock market. This markets are also enables the original owners of the company, or private equity or venture capitalist investors to sell their shares and exit from the company, thereby reaping the rewards of their investment (although they may be restricted from exiting for a period of time immediately following the listing, to promote confidence in the company).

Registering and Running Public Companies: Easier Access to Capital

A listing enables the company to rise finance through issuing new shares ('equity finance'), both at the same time as the initial listing and afterwards, from the huge supply of capital available through the stock market. A large number of listed companies are taking advantage of this equity finance to raise money in light of the much more restricted access to debt finance (ie lending) as a result of the on-going fallout from the global 'credit crunch'.

Public Company Definition: Access to Acquisition Opportunities

As s result of its access to the stock market and to its ready supply of capital, a listed company can often more easily raise cash or offer new shares in itself as consideration, thereby generally affording it the opportunity to expand through acquisition of other companies or businesses. Unlisted companies do not have the same access to this capital, not being part of a stock market, and, unlisted company shares are not as attractive a form of consideration from a seller's perspective.

Set Up a PLC: Achieving the Public Company Status

Requirements for a PLC Company


Two directors are essential: to set up a PLC you will need at least two directors. These can be chosen randomly; however the person must be between 16 and 70 years of age, and have no legal limitations as to their suitability to act as a director. The company secretary must be qualified: to set up a PLC, a company secretary is not only necessary, but they must meet certain suitability requirements. Call us to discuss your needs and see how we can help.

  • Registering as a public company on original incorporation;
  • Registering as a private company on original incorporation, then re-registering as a public company; or
  • Registering as a Societas Europea (SE), a European public limited company.

The procedures under the first two points ensure that the resulting public company complies with the CA 2006 requirements relating to a public company' articles, name and share capital.

The SE must comply with the EC Regulation 2157/2001 on the Statute for e European Company and related legislation.

Procedure to Register a PLC Company: Incorporation of a Public Company Limited by Shares

UK Public Company Incorporation Service: Public Company Formation in the United KingdomCoddan is the UK public companies' formation agent, certified accountants and business consultants' firm with many years of experience in assisting clients with business incorporation needs in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Republic of Cyprus, and USA, as well as with the set-up and formation of the offshore tax-free companies, offering in most circumstances the same-day online public companies registration services for the UK residents & as well as for non-UK based customers. Our expert knowledge and extensive experience of setting-up of businesses and public companies' structures has made us possible to provide the very professional, prompt, and the most efficient public companies' incorporation level of services.

Our team of tax-advisors and incorporation consultants will be pleased to assist with your enquiries related to establishing & maintaining the public companies or creating more complex corporate legal & the tax-savings structures. On our web-site, you will find the number of useful tips and legal information, downloadable documents, which may help you to learn what to take into consideration when deciding among the public companies registration, private limited liability companies formation, setting-up of LLPs, registering as sole traders' companies, establishing an ordinary limited partnerships and other business structures. Our great value the UK public company formation price starts from just £145.00, we consistently provide the quality business registration assistance & the best incorporation service to satisfy our valued customers - you will receive the personalised telephone & e-mail help that you really need!

Coddan' public companies formation phone lines provide the confidential incorporation advice, business creation support, and the access to the pastoral care for business consultants & London based certified accountants. Some of our help lines can also be contacted via the phone, or via the online help advisors, or even by an e-mail and by fax. Our team of friendly companies formation staff (who are all convincing specialists) is on hand to ensure that your move goes through as smoothly and swiftly as it possible.

Confidential public companies formation advice & support services have been provided from our premises at 124 Baker Street, in London. We are committed to providing the comprehensive range of incorporation services and ensure that we offer the legal registration services that blend professionalism with the friendly, and informal approach. By doing so, we remove the mystique that sometimes surrounds our profession, we believe that each client has an individual and specific legal requirements and therefore provide a prompt & professional incorporation service, which is individually tailored to the particular needs of each of our customer. By doing so, we are able to advise & assist in the clear, direct, and cost effective business registration manner.

Set-Up a PLC Company With The Bearer Shares


Bearer shares - are a legal instrument denoting company ownership, and are usually in the form of share warrants. A share warrant is a document which states that the bearer of the warrant is entitled to the shares stated in it. If authorised by its articles, a company may convert any fully paid shares to "share warrants". These warrants are easily transferable without any need for a transfer document; that is, they can simply be passed from hand to hand.
Our business is international - we offer a wide range of legal incorporation services to multinational, public & private clients and entrepreneurs in different business industries. Our firm deals with transactions of all sizes and complexity combining global and local expertise on behalf of clients in the UK, including the Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, and Isle of Man, & around the world. In addition, we also advise foreign customers on starting and doing business in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, and Isle of Man & in other offshore countries. We can provide you with a wide range of public company-related legal advice covering all aspects of the start-up, trading activities and business expansion in the UK and overseas as well as realising value.

If you prefer to order a public company registration by phone or via e-mail, or if you would like to place an order at our office, for an initial discussion, with no obligation please call us at +44 (0) 207 935 5171, or 0330 808 0089 and benefit from our personal guidance in registering the limited company. We are looking forward to serving you.

Whether you take a package for UK customers or you opt to go for our packages for non-UK customers, the time for the incorporation is the same. It usually takes between three and five working hours from the moment you submit your application until the time you receive your public company documents. In some instances if you submit your application later than 2:00 p.m., you may receive your documents in the next working day, depending on how many companies are on the Companies House queue.

If, for whatever reason, you need to register a public company on the same day and cannot afford to risk the possibility that it will register the following day, you can pay additional monies for the same day incorporation. This will guarantee that your company is registered within the same working day, which is beneficial to you - should you need to meet bank appointments or access to your unique company code for a contractual obligation.

The guaranteed same day incorporation feature is available in all the packages on offer at Coddan CPM.

Public companies registration documents submitted electronically, which allows us to offer you a timesaving service & eliminate the necessity to complete the paper forms, sign them by your company officers, and certify by a solicitor or notary public. Our services include assisting you on: -

  • Advising on setting-up of a new PLC company business;
  • Public company formation and registration;
  • PLC company' directors and secretaries duties;
  • PLC company administration;
  • Public and listed company formation and agreements;
  • PLC share issues and transfers;
  • PLC company share sales and purchases;
  • Public PLC company' shareholders agreements;
  • Your PLC business entity & dealing with Companies House or HMRC;
  • Keeping and maintenance of statutory books of your public listed company;
  • Advising on all secretarial duties and functions of a PLC company nominee secretary;
  • PLC public company accounting and bookkeeping records;
  • Preparation of PLC company annual accounts;
  • Advising on PLC company VAT registration;
  • Preparation of VAT returns for a public trading company;
  • Advising on accounting for VAT inspection for the UK PLC registered entities;
  • Taxation services (personal, corporate, inheritance, capital gains);
  • General tax planning for the British PLC company;
  • Self assessment for the registered PLC company' directors and shareholders;
  • Payroll for the incorporated PLC company' directors and shareholders;
  • Preparation and submission of PLC annual statutory accounts to Companies House;
  • Completion and submission of PLC corporation tax returns to HMRC;
  • Completion and submission of annual returns to Companies House;
  • Dealing with all correspondence to and from HM Revenue & Customs.

Provision of Qualified Secretary For a PLC Company


While nowadays the company secretary is less relevant in the context of private limited companies it still has a crucial role in public companies. The company secretary needs to be qualified to act for a PLC. There are also extensive ongoing duties like organising board and general meetings. The company secretaries we provide are lawyers who are specialised in dealing with the PLCs. Call us to discuss your needs and see how we can help.
We can register your new public company as a company limited by shares (we can also register your new public business entity with the berarer shares, please contact us for the further details) or as a company limited by guarantee.

Registering a Public Limited Company: Articles of Association of a Public Company

The articles of association must be in a form suitable for a public company. Under s.20 of the CA 2006, on registration of a public company a default set of model articles will apply, save to the extent that they are excluded or modified.

Forming a PLC Company with Companies House: Public Companies and Allotted Share Capital

The allotted share capital of the company must be not less than the authorised minimum (CA 2006, s.761(2)). Currently the authorised minimum is £50,000. In addition, each share allotted must be paid up to at least one-quarter of its nominal value together with the whole of any premium on it (CA 2006, s.586).

Public Company Registrar and the Certificate of Incorporation

If the company meets all the requirements, then it will be able to obtain a certificate of registration from the Companies Registrar that the company has been registered as a public company on original incorporation. However, although this certificate will now be recorded at Companies House, the public company needs to obtain one other certificate it can commence business – a trading certificate.

Register of a Public Company and the Trading Certificate

A company which has been registered as a public company on original incorporation must not begin business or exercise any borrowing powers until it has a trading certificate, issued under s.761 of the CA 2006, confirming that the company has met the allotted share capital requirements of the CA 2006. The certificate is the proof that the public company can trade and borrow.

You can apply for a trading certificate for your public company though us.

The allotted share capital requirements are that the company must have allotted shares at least up to the value of the authorised minimum (£50,000). Each allotted share must be paid to at least one-quarter of its nominal value together with the whole of any premium on it.

What does this mean in practice? Well, if £50,000 shares with a nominal value of £1.00 each are allotted at nominal value with no premium, the minimum consideration which must be paid to the company is one-quarter of the nominal value of each share, that is 0.25p per share, making a total minimum payment of £12,500 for 50,000 shares.

Establish a Public Company & Trading Disclosures

The Companies (Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/495) made under s.82 of the CA 2006 set out the requirements for a company to identify itself, at certain locations (including any place of business), on certain documents (including letters and order forms) and on its websites. The company must state its registered name and certain other registration details depending on the circumstances. Breach of these requirements can result in a fine for the company and any officer of the company who is in default. The company must update its websites and order new signs and company documentation, which will reflect its new identity, in advance of re-registration to ensure that it can meet these requirements with effect from the date of certificate of incorporation on re-registration is issued.

Setting-Up a Public Company & Corporate Governance

Setting-Up a Public Company & Corporate GovernanceCorporate governance refers to how a company is run. This includes not only how a company is directed and controlled, but also how a company is performing, how that performance can be enhanced, and how a company should account to interested parties such as shareholders and employees.

Corporate governance is relevant to all companies, but once a company is listed, those who control the company (directors and controlling shareholders) are not the same as, and therefore may have conflicting interests to, who own the company (shareholders). This means that corporate governance is a particularly important issue for listed companies. Corporate governance is also once again very much in the news. It has jumped to the top of politicians' and regulators' agendas worldwide as a result of the global financial crisis which has triggered the deepest recession in over 70 years.

Listed companies stood at the heart of the crisis. And post mortems are being conducted into the poor corporate governance of banks and other financial companies, some of the largest of which are now only functioning thanks to the governmental intervention. Although financial service companies are the main focus of many of the recent changes to corporate governance rules, is it worth nothing that in the UK the rules have been amended for listed companies beyond the financial service industry.

Public Company Formation & Your Responsibilities 

By becoming publicly quoted, you and your company have now taken on a whole range of new responsibilities that will have a profound affect on how you run your business: -


It's more than likely that you now have a much larger number of external shareholders, to whom you and your fellow directors are accountable. You don't just need to keep them informed of developments within your company; you also need to maintain their support, by cultivating their views and seeking their involvement in the crucial planning and decision-making within your business.

The financial markets now govern the value of your company. Your share price can be easily discovered from the financial papers, or more directly from the markets themselves. This value will be determined by the market's view of your company's performance over time, as well as by general market conditions.

You now have responsibilities to the market as a whole, in terms of informing them of all news likely to have an impact on your company's share price, and explaining the key decisions and actions taken by the company and its senior office-holders. At one level, you need to conform to the specific rules used by your market about informing market participants, for instance by posting results and price-sensitive news on the markets' electronic news systems.

At another level, you need to judge what extra information you wish to circulate, in terms of how this might affect your share price. This could have a significant impact on your ability to raise more finance from the market at a future date. Perhaps of greater significance than any of the above is the fact that all of these issues can be managed effectively.

To really prosper on the public markets, you need to attend to all of the above issues, making sure that all the key players influencing your company - your shareholders, your advisers, market intermediaries and the financial media - have the most positive view of your company and its future prospects. You do this effectively by ensuring a regular flow of timely and accurate information.

Running a Public Limited Company & Reporting Requirements 

On a public market, you will have important responsibilities to provide information to the market. This will include: -

  • Your financial reports, usually covering annual and mid-year results (on NASDAQ and EASDAQ you need to submit quarterly results); and
  • Notices of all news and information likely to affect your price - each market has specific rules governing this, which you will need to familiarise yourself with. There are also rules governing your own actions as a director of the company – including, in some cases, restrictions on whether (and how) you can sell your shares in the company, for instance within a specified period after your launch on the market.
  • Failure to comply with these regulations can have dire consequences for your company - and for you as a director. This could have a big effect on your company's reputation in the market and could have a major impact on your share price.

British Public Companies Registration Process: Can a PLC Issue Shares in Another Currency? 

Yes, if it has passed the necessary resolutions to adopt that currency as part of its authorised capital and given the directors the authority to allot that capital. However, it must always have at least the authorised minimum of £50,000 sterling in issued capital, irrespective of what other currency it uses. A company may use as many currencies as it wishes for its share capital provided that they are true currencies.

Are There any Other Incorporation Restrictions on a PLC Limited Company? 

Yes. There are four main restrictions: -

A PLC company must have at least two members and at least two company directors. The secretary (or each joint secretary) must also be a person who appears to the directors to have the necessary knowledge and ability to fulfil the functions and who: held the office of secretary or assistant or deputy secretary on 22 December 1980; or for at least three of the five years before their appointment, held the office of secretary of a non-private company; or is a barrister, advocate or solicitor called or admitted in any part of the United Kingdom.

Or is a person who, by virtue of his previous experience or membership of another body, appears to the directors to be capable of discharging the functions of PLC company secretary; or is a member of any of the following bodies: -

  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland;
  • The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators;
  • The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants;
  • The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (formally known as the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants);
  • The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

A PLC normally has only seven months after the end of its accounting reference period to deliver its accounts to the Registrar. A civil penalty will be incurred if it delivers accounts to Companies House after the statutory time allowed for filing. UK PLC cannot take advantage of many of the provisions and exceptions applying to private companies under the Act, such as audit exemptions for small private companies. A PLC limited company cannot apply for voluntary strike-off.

UK Public Company Registration: Live Help

Live HelpLive Help is a real time "chat" feature which enables you to interact with a customer service representative without a phone call. Get answers to your questions while using our website. Clicking the "Live Help" button will start an on-line session with one of our representatives. Live Help is currently available during normal business hours. Outside of the above opening hours our business center will be closed.

When you click on the button you will see an e-mail form that will allow you to send us a mail with your questions. Live Help is absolutely free! There are no hidden fees. We offer the service as a courtesy to our website visitors.

Dear visitors, while having a chat session with a customer, we are frequently requested to give a piece of advice on tax planning or business structuring. We would like to inform you that it is against our principles to provide online advice pertaining to these issues. The points that may be covered during a session include service description, package or service price, navigation at our website, ways of making an order, methods of payment etc.

Yet, if you wish us to provide you with advice on tax or business structuring, you should be aware that this service is chargeable. If you have any questions please E-Mail or call us: 0330.808.0089 or +44 (0) 207.935.5171, fax: +44 (0) 207.681.3318.

Copyright © 1993-2013. All rights reserved. The logo and the Coddan company brand are registered trademarks of Coddan CPM Ltd. Coddan CPM Ltd is a private limited company registered in England, whose registered number is 05370296, and whose registered office address is 124 Baker street, London W1U 6TY, VAT registered number is 864 142 527. Coddan CPM Ltd is committed to respecting the data which we hold on you. Your details are processed and kept securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, DTA registration number is PZ9265799. The content of this site is protected under applicable copyright and trademark laws. Personal use of material is permitted for research and/or information purposes only.

Limited company formation and small business start-up advice - we are offering companies registrations in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, USA and offshore jurisdictions. Our simple and cost-effective business starting-up service has various packages available to suit all needs. Expert advice and cost efficient business registration services to assist companies with their statutory obligations, including business administration, bookkeeping, accounting and annual accounting and annual return preparation. We can also help you to introduce and arrange a business bank account in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Gibraltar and in many other offshore countries.

All content within this site, including, but not limited to text, software, graphics, logos, icons and images are the property of the Coddan CPM Ltd. Except as provided herein, no portion of the materials on these pages may be reprinted or republished in any form without the express written permission of Coddan CPM Ltd. Permission is granted to print copies of informational articles for your own use and review, provided that source attributions and copyright notices are maintained. All of the information contained on this web site is not meant to be advice, nor should it be followed. The information on this site pertains to UK law only and is offered as a public service. It is not intended to give legal advice about a specific legal problem, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Due to the importance of the individual facts of every case, the generalizations we make may not necessarily be applicable to any particular case. Changes in the law could at any time make parts of this web site obsolete. Coddan does not represent nor warrant the accuracy of any of the information contained herein, nor should it be relied upon.

Due to the introduction of the Anti Money Laundering Regulations 2007 it is now a legal requirement that all trusts and company service providers are MLR registered. Coddan CPM Limited has been granted an MLR Registration Number 12298927. This means that we have passed the fit and proper test and successfully applied for and received confirmation from HM Customs and Excise. Please be aware that any formation agent operating without being MLR registered is not complying with the Law. We would strongly advise you to ask for an MLR number prior to processing a formation through any agent.

In the event of Companies House rejecting an application or submission you will have three days to re-submit the application with appropriate corrections at no extra charge. We reserve the right to cancel the contract between us if one or more of the goods or services that you ordered were listed at an incorrect price due to a typographical error or an error in the pricing information received by us from our supplier. If we do cancel your order for this reason, we will notify you by email and will credit your account with any sum deducted by us from your credit card as soon as possible but in any event within 30 days of your order. We will not be obliged to offer any additional compensation for disappointment suffered. Products are delivered using Royal Mail recorded delivery post, or e-mail (as appropriate), unless otherwise stated. Where you request an alternative method of delivery, you must meet those costs. Services are provided using reasonable skill and care. Products and services will be provided in accordance with the timescales set out in the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 unless otherwise agreed with you. Website Last Updated: 6/18/2013