Check if your proposed company name is available at Companies House. See similar registered names and potential conflicts.
When you register a new company, Companies House checks your proposed name against all existing registered companies. A name will be rejected if an identical name is already on the register (including dissolved companies within 20 years), the name is "the same as" an existing name after removing standard suffixes like "Limited", "Ltd" and "PLC", or the name contains sensitive words or expressions that require approval. This tool searches the live Companies House register to show you potential conflicts. It gives you a strong indication, but the final decision rests with the Companies House examiner.
Some words require approval from a specific government body before Companies House will accept them. Common examples include financial words (Bank, Building Society, Insurance, Assurance), professional words (Chartered, Registered, Architect), authority words (Royal, Queen/King, Government, Parliament), and geographical words (British, English, Scottish, Welsh, European).
Enter your proposed name and this free tool searches the live Companies House register for identical and similar existing names. It gives you a strong indication of whether the name is likely to be accepted. The final decision always rests with the Companies House examiner.
A name is rejected if it is the same as, or too similar to, a name already on the register. Companies House applies "same as" rules that ignore punctuation and standard endings such as Limited, Ltd and PLC, so "ABC Solutions Limited" and "A.B.C. Solutions Ltd" are treated as the same. Names containing sensitive words may also need approval.
Some words and expressions need approval from a relevant body before Companies House will accept them. Common examples include words implying a connection with government or royalty (such as Royal, British or Authority) and regulated activities (such as Bank, Insurance or Chartered). If your name includes one of these, you may need supporting evidence or consent.
Not on its own. A company name registered at Companies House does not give you trademark rights, and a name that infringes an existing registered trademark can be challenged even after incorporation. If brand protection matters, it is worth searching the UK trademark register separately.
Most private limited companies must end their name with "Limited" or "Ltd" (or the Welsh equivalents). When checking availability, Companies House ignores these standard endings, so the distinctive part of your name is what really needs to be unique.