Company formation in Belfast

Starting a business in Belfast

Belfast City Council's investment guide names five key sectors for the Belfast region: advanced manufacturing and engineering, built on a rich manufacturing and shipbuilding heritage and now including aerospace and renewables; digital, ICT and creative industries, including cyber security research, film and TV, animation and gaming; a thriving fintech and financial services cluster with strengths in regulatory, trading and insurance technology; life and health sciences, especially digital health and medical devices; and tourism and hospitality.

Invest Northern Ireland says it prioritises start-ups in similar areas: advanced manufacturing, digital and technology, life and health sciences, financial and professional services, and the green economy.

In practice, Belfast founders set up software and cyber security consultancies, fintech start-ups, film and animation studios, engineering suppliers, and hospitality and tourism businesses. Whether a limited company suits your tax position depends on your situation, so ask an accountant if you are unsure.

Which registered office do you need?

This is the most important point for a Belfast company, so we want to be clear.

A company registered in Northern Ireland gets a company number starting with NI, and its registered office must be an address in Northern Ireland. We do not provide a Northern Ireland registered office. Our London address only works for England and Wales companies, and our Edinburgh address only works for Scottish companies.

You can still form your Northern Ireland company with us. You simply give your own Northern Ireland address as the registered office, such as your home, your business premises or your accountant's office (with their permission). Everything else, including identity verification, the Companies House filing, your documents and HMRC Corporation Tax registration, works in the same way as for any other company.

Remember that the registered office is public. If you do not want your home address on the register, arrange an alternative address in Northern Ireland before you order.

If your business will trade mainly in Great Britain, you could register in England and Wales instead and use our London registered office. A company cannot move nations later just by changing its address, so choose carefully and ask us if you are unsure.

We do not have an office in Belfast. We are based in Edinburgh and work fully online.

Local support for new businesses in Belfast

• Belfast City Council offers free, tailored start-up support, including Go Succeed, where council experts help you write a business plan, look for funding and set up the basics. Participants can also test-trade at St George's Market. You register online, and the council says its team will contact you within three working days.
• Invest Northern Ireland supports ambitious start-ups with growth potential and points new businesses to My New Business and nibusinessinfo.co.uk.
• nibusinessinfo.co.uk is the official online channel for business advice in Northern Ireland, delivered free by Invest NI on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Example: a cyber security consultancy

This is an illustration, not a real client. Niamh has worked in cyber security for a Belfast technology firm and wants to set up her own consultancy. She wants a Northern Ireland company, because her clients are local and she plans to apply for local support.

She chose the Digital Package at £290 and used the address of a small office she rents in the city centre as the registered office, since we cannot provide one in Northern Ireland. She verified her identity with us online, and her company was registered with an NI number within 24 hours. She then registered for Go Succeed to work on her business plan.

How it works

1. Check your company name and order online.
2. Verify your identity. As a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), we check each director and person with significant control (PSC) and help you get your personal code.
3. We file the application with Companies House. Most companies are registered within 24 hours of us receiving complete details.
4. Receive your documents in your online account, and we register the company with HMRC for Corporation Tax.

Next steps

For a Northern Ireland company with your own NI registered office, the Digital Package at £290 is the right choice; the Certified Package adds printed, bound documents. Our Registered Office Address service is not available for Northern Ireland companies. Start with a free company name check.

Frequently asked questions

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