Company Formation Checklist

This is a checklist of the key points that need to be considered when setting up a private company. It is partly based on the requirements of Companies House form IN01 (required in order to set up a company), but it goes further and considers other issues that are not covered by Companies House registration forms.

What This Template Covers

• key incorporation points (aligned to form IN01)
• company assets
• shareholder arrangements
• taking on financing
• premises the company will operate from
• the company’s tax position
• use of share option schemes

ECCTA 2023 Update

This checklist has been updated to consider the increased administrative and compliance requirements of the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). Some of these changes are already in force and need to be considered by customers as part of the incorporation process. Other changes will be phased in over the course of 2025/26 once secondary legislation has been passed and Companies House systems are appropriately set up.

• new companies are required to have a registered email address on incorporation (existing entities will need to give one when they file their next confirmation statement)
• applications for company incorporation will require an additional confirmation that the company is being formed for a lawful purpose
• from 18th November 2025, new companies must ensure that their proposed directors and PSCs are identity verified (IDV) - for directors, this must happen prior to incorporation
• from 18th November 2025, all statutory registers (other than the register of members) are abolished and all information which would otherwise be recorded in these registers must be provided directly to Companies House
• the register of members must be maintained internally by companies as a local register from 18th November 2025

The ECCTA is a landmark legislation designed to give Companies House new and enhanced powers to help disrupt economic crime. The IDV regime is a key component of this.

How This Checklist Is Set Out

This checklist is in the form of a table which sets out the action that needs to be taken or considered, with commentary to assist you. It also includes empty boxes for you to complete (for example, status and responsibility), depending on your individual circumstances.

When This Template Will Help

This template is a useful guide when setting up a company to help ensure that the main points have been considered. It is not exhaustive, but it does include the main headline points. How you use it will depend on the size of your proposed company (for example, a small family-run company or a larger organisation) and the type of business the company is intending to run.

Company Formation Checklist is part of Corporate. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Corporate for 1 year.