How much does it cost to register a limited company?

The cost to register a limited company starts at £52.99 through an authorized formation agent, including the £50 Companies House filing fee. Registration typically completes within 24 hours, making it a quick and affordable option.

Profile picture of Graeme Donnelly.

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Profile picture of Graeme Donnelly.

Expert review by Rachel Craig

3 minute read Last Updated:

The cost to register a limited company depends entirely on how you choose to incorporate at Companies House. Many options are available, but the most convenient and popular way to form a limited company is through an authorised company formation agent like Rapid Formations.

Using an agent is also the quickest way to register a new company. Our online company registration packages are available from just £52.99, including the Companies House filing fee of £50.00. Most registrations are approved in under 24 hours, whereas Companies House incorporation services are more expensive and take longer to process.

Registering a company using Rapid Formations

Registering a limited company through Rapid Formations starts at just £52.99. Limited liability partnership (LLP) registration is available for £69.99 plus VAT. Whichever type of company you wish to register, you will need to follow these 4 simple steps:

  1. Choose a company name – you can check the availability of your proposed company name by entering it into our online name-check facility, which can be found on our homepage
  2. Select a company registration package – choose from our wide range of budget and comprehensive packages for companies limited for shares and our specialist packages for limited by guarantee companies, Non-UK residents, and LLPs
  3. Pay for your company registration package and optional extras (no hidden Companies House fees)
  4. Complete our simple online application form

When you have entered all the required information to register a company, one of our hawk-eyed specialists will check your application before sending it to Companies House. Most registrations are approved in less than 24 hours.

In the unlikely event that your application contains any errors or you are asked to send additional documentation, you will be immediately notified by email. Corrections can be carried out online, and documents can be filed electronically, thus causing no significant delay in the registration process.

Please note: Our company registration package prices include the Companies House filing fee of £50.00.

When Companies House approves your application, we will send you a confirmation email with digital copies of your incorporation documents. You can begin trading whenever you like and manage your company online using our free Client Admin Portal.

Registering a company using Companies House

If you incorporate a company using Companies House online or postal services, the registration process will take at least 2-10 days. It will take even longer if you have to correct any mistakes or provide additional documentation. These services are also more expensive than the prices charged by many formation agents.

Cost to register a limited company using the Web Incorporation Service

Companies House Web Incorporation Service can only be used to form a private company limited by shares with Model articles of association.

The registration process can take up to 2 days, and you will be charged a £50.00 incorporation fee. Furthermore, if your application contains any errors, it will be returned by post, and you will have to resubmit it by post. If additional documentation is requested after submission, you must also send this by post. You cannot file these documents electronically using this service.

Cost to set up a limited company by postal application

The postal application usually takes up to 8-10 days to process. The standard registration fee is £71.00. Again, if you make any errors in your application, it will be returned to you by post, and you will have to resubmit it. This will cause even further delay.

There you have it…

We hope you now understand the cost of incorporation. If you have any questions, leave a comment below, and we will reply to you.

If you are ready to register a limited company, take a look at Rapid Formations’ homepage. There, you can start with our simple four-step process by choosing a company name.

About the author

Graeme Donnelly, the Founder and CEO of Rapid Formations, has over 30 years’ experience of creating and running successful businesses. He is devoted to helping fellow entrepreneurs and startup businesses and spends much of his time creating business to business products and services for new and established companies. In his free time, he enjoys competitive cycling, photography, and walking his Chow Chow.

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Leave a reply to shahzeb rahman

Comments (8)

shahzeb rahman

June 11, 2025 at 7:50 pm

what is the best option for E-commerce and dropshipping business in ukand what about renewal fee for ltd for non resident ?

    Rapid Formations Team

    June 12, 2025 at 9:00 am

    Dear Shahzeb,

    Thank you for your kind comment! In terms of packages, we do have a few options that you could consider. I will leave a link here to compare our offerings: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/compare-packages/

    In terms of renewals, this would depend on the level of service you would require going into your second year. I would suggest that you contact our Sales and Support Team and they will be able to advise you on specific details.

    Kind regards,
    The Rapid Formations Team

Mina

June 9, 2022 at 6:18 pm

Re: Selling o

Good day,

Are there any hidden fees with setting up a company (to sell on Amazon UK) other than the above for non-nationals or nonresidential?

work permit fee
business license fee
logo and trade mark fee
other fees

    Rapid Formations Team

    June 10, 2022 at 4:53 pm

    Thank you for the question.

    Unfortunately, we can’t advise in this instance as it would depend on the situation of the company and what it is seeking to do. We recommend seeking specialist advice on this basis.

    Regards,
    The Rapid Formations Team

Anthony Delaney

March 22, 2017 at 5:38 pm

If I start a company today but dont begin trading for say 3 months or even a year will I need to submit Certified accounts?

    Rapid Formations Team

    April 5, 2017 at 11:32 am

    Dear Anthony,
    Under normal circumstances where a company is trading you would submit accounts to both Companies House and HMRC on a yearly basis. No matter whether the company is trading or not, accounts would always be required to be submitted to Companies House annually. In terms of HMRC it is the duty of the officers of the company to inform HMRC when the company is or is not trading and you can make arrangements specific to your company in terms of providing accounts and Corporation Tax returns to HMRC based on your trading periods.
    Best regards,
    Rapid Formations Team

Glen Mcvetis

March 10, 2017 at 5:00 pm

Hi if I use this service today it is 17:00 can I have my reg number by tomorrow Saturday or will it not come through till monday

    Rapid Formations Team

    March 20, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    Dear Glen,
    Companies House normally only operate during standard working hours so you would not get your company approved over a weekend so it would be Monday before you receive the details.

    Best regards,

    Rapid Formations Team