Company Formation Documents
The Companies Act 2006 sets out how companies are formed and the role of Companies House as registrar. This section focuses on incorporating a private company limited by shares, from planning and choosing articles through to the first board meeting and initial share certificates.
For companies limited by guarantee, these templates can be used alongside the Charities & Not-Profit templates where a guarantee company is being formed for charitable or not-for-profit purposes.
When Should You Use These Company Formation Templates?
✅ You are forming a new private company limited by shares
✅ You are a sole trader incorporating your existing business into a company
✅ You are putting in place a company limited by guarantee for a club, charity or not-for-profit activity
✅ You need a complete set of core incorporation documents, including memorandum, articles, Companies House forms and first board minutes
How Are These Templates Organised?
1. Planning and structure
- Company Formation Checklist
Helps you plan the formation process, gather the information needed for Companies House and identify which supporting templates to use. - Memorandum of Understanding (Formation of a Company)
Records key terms agreed between founders (for example shareholdings, roles and contributions) before the company is incorporated.
2. Incorporation documents – companies limited by shares
- CHF - IN01 - Application To Register A Company
The standard Companies House application to incorporate a company, to be completed and filed with Companies House. - Memorandum Of Association For Private Company Limited By Shares
Confirms the subscribers’ intention to form the company and take at least one share each. - Model Articles of Association for Private Company Limited by Shares
Standard form articles suitable for many straightforward private companies, based on the Companies Act model form. - Amended Model Articles of Association (Company Limited By Shares)
An adapted version of the model articles for companies that need common modifications (for example, different share rights or director arrangements). - Guidance Notes for Amended Model Articles of Association (Company Limited By Shares)
Explains the main changes to the model articles and how they affect the company’s constitution.
3. Incorporation documents – companies limited by guarantee
- Memorandum (Company Limited By Guarantee)
Memorandum wording for a company where members guarantee a sum instead of holding shares. - Articles of Association (Company Limited By Guarantee)
Constitution for companies limited by guarantee, commonly used for charities, clubs and associations.
4. First board meeting and initial company records
- Board Minutes – First Meeting Of The Board Of Directors
Captures the first board meeting decisions, such as confirming appointments, approving the registered office, bank mandate and share issues. - Share Certificate
Template share certificate to evidence each shareholder’s legal title to their shares once the company is incorporated. If the company will issue further shares after incorporation (beyond the initial subscribers), see Allotment & Issue of Shares. - For the first ongoing Companies House filing after incorporation, see Confirmation Statement Guidance.
5. Transferring a sole trader business into a company
- Business Transfer Agreement – Sole Trader to Limited Company
Transfers the assets, contracts and goodwill of a traditional sole trader business into the new company. - Business Transfer Agreement – Sole Trader to Ltd Company (web-based business)
As above but tailored to online or web-based businesses, addressing digital assets, domain names and online content.
- Company Formation Checklist
- Board Minutes – First Meeting Of The Board Of Directors
- CHF - IN01 - Application To Register A Company
- Memorandum Of Association For Private Company Limited By Shares
- Model Articles of Association for Private Company Limited by Shares
- Memorandum (Company Limited By Guarantee)
- Articles of Association (Company Limited By Guarantee)
- Amended Model Articles of Association (Company Limited By Shares)
- Guidance Notes for Amended Model Articles of Association (Company Limited By Shares)
- Share Certificate
- Business Transfer Agreement – Sole Trader to Limited Company
- Business Transfer Agreement – Sole Trader to Ltd Company (web-based business)
- Memorandum of Understanding (Formation of a Company)
Company Formation Documents is part of Corporate. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Corporate for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to set up my own limited company. What documents do I actually need?
To incorporate a private company limited by shares you need the application to register (Companies House form IN01), a memorandum of association signed by the first shareholders, and articles of association. After incorporation you also prepare first board minutes and share certificates. Simply-Docs provides this full set, including a formation checklist, model and amended articles, the IN01, first board minutes and a share certificate.
What is the difference between the model articles and amended articles, and which should I use?
Model articles are the standard, off-the-shelf constitution set out under the Companies Act 2006, and they suit many straightforward companies that adopt them unchanged. Amended (or bespoke) articles are the model articles adapted for common needs, for example different share rights, director arrangements or a sole director. Use the model articles for a simple company, or amended articles where the standard rules do not fit. Simply-Docs offers both, plus guidance notes explaining the changes.
I am a sole trader. How do I move my existing business into a limited company?
You incorporate a new company, then transfer the trade and assets into it using a business transfer agreement, which moves the assets, contracts and goodwill from you to the company. There can be tax consequences (for example on goodwill and capital gains), so take accountancy advice before transferring. Simply-Docs has a Business Transfer Agreement (Sole Trader to Limited Company), with a separate version tailored to web-based businesses covering domain names and digital assets.
Do the founders need anything in writing before we incorporate the company?
It is wise. Before the company exists you can record the agreed terms, such as shareholdings, roles and who contributes what, in a memorandum of understanding (formation of a company). It is not the same as the statutory memorandum of association filed at Companies House: it captures the founders' commercial deal up front to prevent later disputes. Simply-Docs offers this MoU, and a company formation checklist to gather what Companies House needs.
What does it cost and how long does it take to register a company at Companies House?
Registering online costs £100, software filing £100 and paper £124, with same-day software incorporation at £156 (fees current from 1 February 2026). Online applications are usually processed quickly, often within a day or so, and you receive a certificate of incorporation once registered. Simply-Docs provides the incorporation documents (IN01, memorandum, articles and first board minutes) you complete before filing.