Top FAQs - What will happen to any personal information I submit as part of the incorporation process and subsequently on forms required throughout the life of my company?

What information will be placed on the public register and be available for public inspection?

Any information you or your company submit to Companies House will be placed on the public register. This will include information submitted relating to a company’s incorporation, company accounts, annual returns, director/secretary appointments and shareholder information.

Can I restrict the availability of my personal information on the public register?

Under the Companies Act 2006 directors are required to provide a service address for the public record which may be different to their usual residential address (URA). All URAs are kept on a separate record to which access is restricted and in certain circumstances individuals may be able to restrict the disclosure of their URA. For further guidance see:

Why do you need personal information for company officers?

When a person is appointed as an officer of a company the Companies Act 2006 requires certain information to be included as part of their appointment. For a director this will include your name, address, occupation, nationality and date of birth. This information is required by law and will be placed on the public register.

Why is my date of birth placed in the public domain?

The date of birth is seen as an important piece of information to establish identity. As a public registry the date of birth allows the information held by Companies House to be as unique as possible. It is considered to be in the public interest that the age, nationality and occupation of a company director are known. In particular the date of birth is needed by those searching information at Companies House as there is no other means of being certain whether two directors with the same name and sometimes the same address are in fact a single person.

Does this contravene data protection?

The Data Protection Act protects personal information however, it also contains certain exemptions. Section 34(c) of this Act states that personal data are exempt from the non-disclosure provisions of the Act if the data consists of information which the data controller is obliged by or under any enactment to make available to the public. Information about you as an officer of a limited company would fall into that exemption because the Companies Act 2006 requires the Registrar to collect and publish certain information relating to companies, including director details.

Can CH prevent other organisations displaying my details on the internet?

Any person may inspect the public register and may request a copy of any material that is part of the public register under Sections 1085 and 1086 of the 2006 Act. The Registrar cannot refuse any request based on its motives, or based on the identity of the requester, and does not have the power to control what a third party does with the information it has purchased. Any third party organisation displaying your details on the internet is responsible for ensuring their own compliance with Copyright law and data protection principles.

How long will my information remain on the public register?

Statutory information is retained indefinitely for live companies. Statutory information for dissolved companies is archived from our output services 20 years after the dissolution of the company, however archived dissolved company information can currently be obtained on request either from Companies House or from The National Archives who permanently preserve a percentage of dissolved company information based on their historical value.



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Show all What information will be placed on the public register and be available for public inspection? Any information you or your company submit to Companies House will be placed on the public register. This will include information submitted relating to a company’s incorporation, company accounts, annual returns, director/secretary appointments and shareholder information. Can I restrict the availability of my personal information on the public register? Under the Companies Act 2006 directors are required to provide a service address for the public record which may be different to their usual residential address (URA). All URAs are kept on a separate record to which access is restricted and in certain circumstances individuals may be able to restrict the disclosure of their URA. For further guidance see: Life of a Company - Part 2 Event Driven Filings - GP3 Usual Residential Addresses (URA) Restricting the disclosure of your address - GP7 Why do you need personal information for company officers? When a person is appointed as an officer of a company the Companies Act 2006 requires certain information to be included as part of their appointment. For a director this will include your name, address, occupation, nationality and date of birth. This information is required by law and will be placed on the public register. Why is my date of birth placed in the public domain? The date of birth is seen as an important piece of information to establish identity. As a public registry the date of birth allows the information held by Companies House to be as unique as possible. It is considered to be in the public interest that the age, nationality and occupation of a company director are known. In particular the date of birth is needed by those searching information at Companies House as there is no other means of being certain whether two directors with the same name and sometimes the same address are in fact a single person. Does this contravene data protection? The Data Protection Act protects personal information however, it also contains certain exemptions. Section 34(c) of this Act states that personal data are exempt from the non-disclosure provisions of the Act if the data consists of information which the data controller is obliged by or under any enactment to make available to the public. Information about you as an officer of a limited company would fall into that exemption because the Companies Act 2006 requires the Registrar to collect and publish certain information relating to companies, including director details. Can CH prevent other organisations displaying my details on the internet? Any person may inspect the public register and may request a copy of any material that is part of the public register under Sections 1085 and 1086 of the 2006 Act. The Registrar cannot refuse any request based on its motives, or based on the identity of the requester, and does not have the power to control what a third party does with the information it has purchased. Any third party organisation displaying your details on the internet is responsible for ensuring their own compliance with Copyright law and data protection principles. How long will my information remain on the public register? Statutory information is retained indefinitely for live companies. Statutory information for dissolved companies is archived from our output services 20 years after the dissolution of the company, however archived dissolved company information can currently be obtained on request either from Companies House or from The National Archives who permanently preserve a percentage of dissolved company information based on their historical value.