Register Of Company Secretaries (Corporate) (internal use only)
A private company is not required to have a company secretary (section 270, Companies Act 2006). However, many companies continue to appoint a company secretary to assist with administrative tasks and to take on some of the directors’ responsibilities.
Who can act as a company secretary?
A company secretary can be a director but cannot be:
- the company’s auditor; or
- an undischarged bankrupt (unless they have permission from the court).
Even if a company has a company secretary, the directors are legally responsible for the company.
If a private company has a company secretary, it may be an individual or a corporate secretary (including a firm).
Using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider as company secretary
Some companies may choose to appoint an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) as their company secretary. ACSPs are intermediaries such as accountants, legal advisers and company formation agents.
ACSPs must be registered with a supervisory body for anti-money laundering purposes. They can also act as third-party agents registered with Companies House and may provide identity verification services and file documents with Companies House on behalf of other entities.
ECCTA changes affecting the register of secretaries
Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), the requirement for companies to maintain statutory registers (other than the register of members) is abolished with effect from 18 November 2025. This includes the register of secretaries.
The register at Companies House will become the sole, verified source of this information. The ECCTA also creates stringent requirements for keeping Companies House updated on changes. Appointments, resignations and changes in a secretary’s details must be notified within 14 days of the change occurring.
What this template is for
This template may be used by companies that wish to maintain an internal register of company secretaries. It has been updated to reflect that it is now purely an internal record.
Register Of Company Secretaries (Corporate) (internal use only) is part of Corporate. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Corporate for 1 year.