You have formed your company. What's next?

Congratulations – your company is on the Companies House register. Now it needs to be set up to trade properly. Here is a checklist for the first weeks and months.

1. Keep your company documents safe

You should have:

• the certificate of incorporation
• the memorandum and articles of association
• share certificates
• the company registers (members, directors, PSCs)
• the company authentication code – a six-character code you need to file information online

Keep the authentication code private. Anyone with it can file changes for your company.

2. Check identity verification

Since 18 November 2025, every new director and person with significant control (PSC) must verify their identity with Companies House. Each verified person gets a personal code. If anyone in your company has not completed this, do it now. As a Companies House ACSP, Form My Company can verify them remotely.

3. Open a business bank account

The company is a separate legal person, so its money must be kept apart from yours. Banks will usually ask for your company number, registered office, details of directors and shareholders, and ID.

4. Register for Corporation Tax

You must register for Corporation Tax with HMRC within three months of starting to trade. "Trading" includes selling, buying stock, advertising or renting premises. If the company is not trading yet, tell HMRC it is dormant.

5. Consider other registrations

• PAYE – if you pay staff, or pay yourself a salary as a director.
• VAT – required if your taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in a 12-month period, or you expect it to in the next 30 days. You can register voluntarily below that level.
• CIS – if you work in construction.
• Licences and insurance – check what your trade needs.

6. Display your company details

You must show your company name, registered number and registered office address on your website, invoices, order forms and business letters. Display your company name at your place of business too.

7. Set up bookkeeping

Record all income and expenses from day one. Keep receipts. Use accounting software that makes it easy to produce accounts and, if VAT registered, file VAT returns under Making Tax Digital.

8. Know your deadlines

• Confirmation statement: at least once every 12 months. The Companies House fee is £50 online.
• First accounts: due 21 months after incorporation. After that, nine months after the end of each financial year.
• Corporation Tax return and payment: based on your accounting period. Your accountant will confirm the exact dates.

Missing a Companies House deadline can lead to automatic late filing penalties.

9. Keep your records up to date

Tell Companies House when something changes, such as a new director, a change of registered office, or new shares. Update your own company registers at the same time.

10. Decide how you will pay yourself

Directors usually take money out through a salary, dividends, or both. Each has rules and tax effects. Our blog has a separate guide on how company directors get paid, or you can ask an accountant.

Common mistakes in the first year

• Paying personal bills from the company account.
• Taking money out without recording it as salary, dividends or a director's loan.
• Missing the Corporation Tax registration because the company "only started small".
• Losing the company authentication code, or sharing it too widely.
• Forgetting that a dormant company still has to file accounts and a confirmation statement.
• Using a home address on the register when you would prefer privacy. You can change your registered office and service addresses at any time.

How Form My Company can help

We keep you compliant after formation. We file your Confirmation Statement for £190, prepare Dormant Company Accounts for £250, or handle your annual accounts for £960. If a director or PSC still needs to verify, we can do it remotely as a Companies House ACSP. Our Fully Inclusive Package also includes VAT and PAYE registration.

Frequently asked questions