{"id":1004,"date":"2021-12-29T03:15:20","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T03:15:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uk.legalvision.com.au\/?p=1004"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:42:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T23:42:29","slug":"register-business-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/corporations\/register-business-name\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Register a Business Name in England and Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you have an idea for a business, it can be tempting to start trading as soon as possible. However, you might find yourself with questions about how to register your business name or if there are any advantages to doing so. This article will explain the distinction between registering your business\u2019 name as intellectual property and registering your name as part of the incorporation process. In some cases, it is not necessary to register your business at all. In other cases, it is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Intellectual Property vs Registration as Part of Incorporation<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are two different reasons for registering your business name:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to protect your business\u2019 brand; and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">as part of the registration process for incorporation with Companies House.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The two are distinct, though, in practice, you may find both are relevant to your objectives.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first is a matter of intellectual property law, which is beyond the scope of this article. But in general, you may wish to register your name with the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/intellectual-property-office\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UK Intellectual Property Office<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (UK IPO) to prevent others from using it. This is known as \u201csecuring a monopoly\u201d over your business name and other aspects of your brand. In most cases, if you are the one that has come up with your company\u2019s name and its branding (such as its logo), you will have certain intellectual property rights that arise automatically. So registering your business\u2019 name through the UK IPO gives you added protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The second is a requirement for all businesses that wish to incorporate.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If your business is not incorporated and you have no intention to incorporate it \u2014 i.e. you are a sole trader \u2014 this article may not apply to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Registration of Business Name as Part of Incorporation<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The two most common types of incorporated businesses are private limited companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs). As part of the broader process of registering your business to incorporate it, you must register the name of your business with Companies House. Companies House is the public body responsible for regulating incorporated businesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Private limited companies and LLPs are governed by different laws (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Companies Act 2006<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, respectively). Thus, while the process of incorporation bears some similarities, the particulars can differ.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That being said, the law surrounding what you can and cannot name your business has more similarities than not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 test\">\n    <div class=\"mb-8 text-2xl font-bold text-orange\">\n        Need legal advice?\n        <br>\n        <span class=\"text-lg not-prose\">\n                            Call <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"not-prose\">0808 196 8584<\/a> for urgent assistance.\n                <br>\n                Otherwise, complete this form, and we will contact you within one 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Likewise, it would be confusing to your customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately, Companies House provides <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk\/company-name-availability\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a free index<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> listing every registered company\u2019s name. As part of the incorporation process, you will be invited to make use of the tool. It is straightforward to search through the index by yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You should note that an existing company name will be considered the same name, even if it appears in different iterations. For example, \u201cYouCo Limited\u201d is considered identical to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">YouCo Ltd<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">YouCos Ltd (or Limited)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">YouCo-S Ltd (or Limited); and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">YouCo.Co.Uk Ltd.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This list is not exhaustive.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, be aware of the law surrounding \u201cpassing off\u201d, which is a kind of civil offence. Passing off is when you use a name in such a way that another person can argue that you are carrying on their business. Likewise, you may be liable for trademark infringement, even if the names are not exactly the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">End of Company\u2019s Name<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You must indicate that your company is a limited company so that others that do business with your company are aware. Therefore, you must either use \u201cLimited\u201d or \u201cLtd\u201d at the end of your company name.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you are in Wales, you can use the Welsh equivalents of \u201ccyfyngedig\u201d or \u201ccyf\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prohibited Names\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are certain words and phrases that you cannot use in your company name. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">swear words;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">names included in the UK\u2019s list of prohibited terrorist groups (e.g., ISIS\/Islamic State, IRA\/Irish Republican Army, and Tamil Tigers\/LTTE); and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">specific humanitarian organisations like the Red Cross.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Characters and Length<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your name may not exceed 160 characters, inclusive of spaces. As that is the length of a tweet, it is unlikely to be an issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, you cannot use certain symbols in the first three characters of the company\u2019s name, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">+<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">*<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">#<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">=<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&amp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nor can you use other certain characters at all, like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a9\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00ae\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2122\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Names Requiring Approval<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some names, while not prohibited, may require Companies House approval. They include names that suggest:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">an affiliation with a public authority;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">being part of a licensed or highly regulated profession like banking, law, insurance, or a trust; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a relationship to the royal family (e.g., queen, duke, or Windsor).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Different Business Names\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some companies may wish to trade under a name that is different from their registered name, such as if you have expanded into a new area and your registered name suggests your services are more limited than they actually are.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In such cases, you are free to trade under a different name, but all official correspondence should be addressed as follows: \u201c[Your company\u2019s trading name] t\/a [Your company\u2019s registered].\u201d \u2014\u00a0\u201ct\/a\u201d stands for \u201ctrading as\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is not the same as renaming your company.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Limited Liability Partnerships<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Broadly speaking, the same rules against using certain names apply for LLPs as they do for companies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One key difference is that instead of the use of \u201cLimited\u201d or \u201cLtd\u201d, the suffix \u201cLimited Liability\u201d or \u201cLLP\u201d must be used (or their Welsh equivalents).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Takeaways\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may wish to register your name to protect your business\u2019 branding, or you may need to as part of the incorporation process. For the latter, when choosing a name for your company, there are certain rules you must follow and certain names you cannot use. The rules for limited liability companies (LLPs) are broadly the same as those.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you need help with any aspect of incorporating your business, including how to register your company name, our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/business-lawyers-lp\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">experienced business lawyers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today at <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0808 196 8584<\/a> or visit our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/membership\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">membership page<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1640747283860\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>When do I have to register my business name?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If you incorporate a company, you will have to register it under a name as part of the registration process with Companies House. This is distinct from registering your name to protect your business\u2019 trademark rights, which is a matter for the UK Intellectual Property Rights Office. However, if you are trading as a sole trader, there is no obligation to register your business name with Companies House because you have not incorporated it.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1640747294583\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How do I register my business name?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If you incorporate your business, such as through a limited company or limited liability partnership (LLP), you will have to register your business name as part of the registration formalities. There are some restrictions on what names you can register your incorporated business under.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n<div class=\"not-prose m-feedback-prompt\">\n    <!-- Thumbs up\/down bar -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__main\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__title\">Was this article helpful?<\/div>\n        <div>\n            <!--span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button--text\">Thanks!<\/span-->\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--yes\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\" aria-label=\"Agree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-up fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--no\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\" aria-label=\"Disagree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-down fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Feedback form -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--thanks \">\n            <div>Thanks!<\/div>\n            <p>\n                We appreciate your feedback \u2013 your submission has been successfully received.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--form\" action=\"\" method=\"post\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"9eb4f72322\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1004\" \/>            <input value=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/corporations\/register-business-name\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\"\n                   id=\"currenturl\">\n            <input value=\"How to Register a Business Name in England and Wales\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\"\n                   id=\"currenttitle\">\n            <label>\n                <!-- display on thumbs-up -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--yes\">\n                    Can you tell us <span class=\"font-semibold\">why<\/span> you found it helpful?\n                <\/span>\n\n                <!-- display on thumbs-down -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--no text-lg\">\n                    How can we better improve this article?\n                <\/span>\n                <textarea name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\" required><\/textarea>\n            <\/label>\n\n            <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--error\" id=\"form-submit-error\"><\/div>\n            <button id=\"submit-contact-form-button\" type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--submit\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n                Submit            <\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you have an idea for a business, it can be tempting to start trading as soon as possible. However, you might find yourself with questions about how to register your business name or if there are any advantages to doing so. This article will explain the distinction between registering your business\u2019 name as intellectual<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/corporations\/register-business-name\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;How to Register a Business Name in England and Wales&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13461,"featured_media":671,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"896,2206,2350,1358,2309,997","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[132,134,135,136,137],"class_list":["post-1004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-corporations","tag-incorporate-business","tag-business-name","tag-register-business-name","tag-companies-act-2006","tag-companies-house"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Register a Business Name in England and Wales | LegalVision UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you wish to incorporate your business, you must register its business name. 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