{"id":3825,"date":"2022-06-09T01:55:24","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T00:55:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=3825"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:41:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T23:41:28","slug":"shelf-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/corporations\/shelf-company\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Shelf Company in England and Wales?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you looking to incorporate your business into a company and unsure what options are available to you? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will explain how to incorporate a business into a private company using a shelf company <\/em>and how this differs from tailor-made companies.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Shelf Company?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All companies in England and Wales come into existence when they are registered with <\/span>Companies House<\/span><\/a> and the Registrar of Companies issues the company with a certificate of incorporation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, the individuals that own the business will be the ones to <\/span>incorporate the company<\/span><\/a> by filing the necessary paperwork with Companies House themselves (or through an agent). Alternatively, it is possible to purchase a pre-existing company and repurpose it to fit your business\u2019 needs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These \u201cready-made\u201d companies are commonly called \u201cshelf companies\u201d because company registration agents will file all the necessary paperwork in advance to create generic companies. The agents then put them on the proverbial shelf, where the companies do not trade until the registration agents sell one of them to business owners that want to trade through a private company. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the point of sale, certain formalities are executed, therefore transferring the legal rights of the company to the buyer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelf Companies vs Tailor-Made Companies <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Shelf companies will already exist before the business that will trade through it has rights in the company. This means that the company will not automatically suit your business needs. In most cases, the company\u2019s new owners will need to take several steps to repurpose the company. For example, you might need to change its name or amend the <\/span>articles of association<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For tailor-made companies, you can specify all the particulars before submitting the necessary documents to Companies House. Accordingly, your company is suited to your business\u2019 needs as soon as you receive the certificate of incorporation. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The advantage to buying a shelf company is that you can begin trading through it as soon as the sale is complete. However, when creating a tailor-made company, you will have to wait for Companies House to review your documents and issue a certificate of incorporation before you can start trading. Depending on how you wish to structure your company, this can take up to a few days. Although for most registrations, the process takes approximately 24 hours.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, company registration agents may have incorporated companies under popular names, so you may have to purchase the company from them if you want to trade under a certain name. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Continue reading this article below the form\n <\/i>\n<\/a>\n

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