To add a director to a UK limited company, complete the director appointment process set out in your articles: approve the appointment by board resolution or written resolution, get the new director’s signed consent, file Form AP01 with Companies House within 14 days, update your statutory register of directors, and make sure the new director completes identity verification under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 with Companies House or an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.

For UK small business owners, existing company directors, accountants, and anyone handling company governance, this guide explains the eligibility checks, approval mechanics, AP01 filing, statutory register updates, identity verification rules, and the practical first-day steps after appointment. Getting each step right keeps your company compliant with Companies House deadlines, ensures your records stay accurate, and helps the new director understand the legal duties that come with the role.

Quick answers

  • Before you appoint: Before going through the formal process, run three checks.
  • The board resolution: Most appointments proceed by a directors’ resolution rather than a shareholder vote, but check the company’s articles first as they set the rules on who can make the appointment and any limits on director numbers or procedure.
  • Filing Form AP01: Once appointed, the company must follow the internal legal process for appointing a new director and notify Companies House within 14 days using Form AP01.
  • Updating the register of directors: The company must maintain company registers as part of its statutory books.
  • Practical first-day items: When the appointment is formally complete, update the relevant company registers and statutory books, then run through the following:
  • What changes after appointment: The new director takes on the full statutory and fiduciary duties immediately, so your duties pack should also cover responsibilities for statutory filings and resolving conflicts of interest as part of the appointment process.

Before you appoint

Before going through the formal process, run three checks.

Director eligibility

To be appointed a director of a UK company, a person must be:

  • At least 16 years old (Companies Act 2006 section 157)

  • Not currently disqualified under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

  • Not an undischarged bankrupt (subject to court permission for limited cases)

  • Not the company’s auditor

Beyond statutory eligibility, regulated sectors may impose further fitness checks (financial services under FCA rules, education under Ofsted requirements, care under CQC rules). Run the relevant background checks before appointment.

Identity verification under ECCT 2023

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduced compulsory identity verification for new and existing directors. From the rollout phase that began in late 2025 and continues through 2026, a new company director must verify their identity either:

  • Direct with Companies House via the GOV.UK ID Check service, or

  • Through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (an accountant, formation agent, or law firm registered as an ACSP)

When you appoint directors, a private limited company or other private company must keep at least one human director in office, and at least one director must be a natural person. A company can have only one director if that person is the sole director, but it cannot have a corporate director as its only director. A company can usually have any number of directors unless its articles restrict that number, while public companies need at least two. Overseas directors can also be appointed under UK company law if they meet the normal eligibility and appointment requirements for a company director.

ID verification is once per individual. Once verified, the incoming director receives a unique personal code, sometimes referred to as a personal code or companies house personal code; this 11-character house personal code is distinct from the company’s authentication code and must be provided securely for each appointment, even though the same code is reused across directorships. You do not have to repeat the process for further directorships.

Articles of association

The articles will tell you who can appoint a new director and how, so check the company’s articles for any rules on director numbers or whether the appointment needs shareholder approval rather than a board decision. Most modern model articles allow appointment by an ordinary resolution of shareholders or a decision of the board. Bespoke articles may require a special resolution, shareholder consent, or appointment under a shareholders’ agreement.

ID verification is once per individual. Once verified, the incoming director receives a unique personal code, sometimes called the Companies House personal code or house personal code. A new company director must provide that code when the appointment is filed, and it is different from the company’s authentication code.

The board resolution

Most appointments proceed by a directors’ resolution rather than a shareholder vote, but check the company’s articles first as they set the rules on who can make the appointment and any limits on director numbers or procedure. The board must:

  1. Convene a board meeting (or use a written resolution if the articles allow) specifically to consider appointing a new director as part of the legal process

  2. Discuss and resolve to appoint the proposed director, setting the appointment date so it is clear when the role takes effect

  3. Record the decision in board meeting minutes or written resolution

  4. Obtain and retain the proposed director’s consent to act, including a dated record of director’s consent

If the articles require shareholder approval, hold a general meeting or pass a written resolution. Ordinary resolutions need a simple majority of voting shares; check your articles for any unusual quorum or supermajority requirements.

Filing Form AP01

Once appointed, the company must follow the internal legal process for appointing a new director and notify Companies House within 14 days using Form AP01.

Required details on the form:

  • Full name and any previous names within the last 20 years

  • Full date of birth, although only the month and year appear on the public record

  • Nationality

  • Usual country or part of the UK of residence

  • Service address

  • usual residential address, which is entered separately and kept on a restricted register at Companies House

  • Occupation

File by online filing using your authentication code and the director’s personal verification code, via the Companies House API through your accounting platform, or by paper. Check the appointment details before submitting and keep the submission reference while you wait for acceptance. The 14-day deadline runs from the date of appointment, not from the date of the board resolution. Late filing risks penalties for the company and personal liability for the existing officers.

For broader governance considerations including types of director and service contracts, see our companion guide on how to appoint a director UK.

Updating the register of directors

The company must maintain company registers as part of its statutory books. After appointment, notify Companies House within 14 days and include the director’s service address.

  • Add the new director’s details to the Register of Directors, including full name, service address, usual residential address, date of birth, nationality, occupation

  • Record the date of appointment

  • Update any register of directors’ residential addresses if applicable

  • If your company has elected to keep the register at Companies House (the central register option) rather than as a private statutory book, the AP01 filing also updates the public register

For the appointment, only the month and year are shown publicly for the date of birth.

Online filing is usually the quickest way to submit Form AP01. There is no fee for filing Form AP01. Companies House usually processes online filings within one to two working days.

PSC review is the other governance task at this point. A new director who also acquires shares above 25% triggers Persons of Significant Control notification.

Practical first-day items

When the appointment is formally complete, update the relevant company registers and statutory books, then run through the following:

  • Register updates. Enter the new director’s details in the register of directors and, where applicable, the register of directors’ residential addresses.

  • Director’s service contract. If the new director is also an employee, draft a service contract setting out salary, duties, notice, restrictive covenants, and termination provisions. Service contracts longer than two years require shareholder approval under section 188.

  • Bank mandate update. Notify the company’s bank to add the new director as a signatory if needed. Banks typically require board minutes evidencing the appointment.

  • Insurance review. Update Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) liability insurance to cover the new appointee. Premium impact is usually small for an additional named director on an existing policy.

  • HMRC notification if salaried. If the new director will receive a salary or director’s fee, set them up on PAYE through your payroll software and obtain a starter checklist or P45 if joining from another employment.

  • Brief the new director. Provide a directors’ duty briefing pack covering the seven statutory duties under Companies Act 2006 ss.171 to 177, including responsibility for the company’s accounts and statutory filings. A private company does not usually need a company secretary unless its articles say otherwise, and those administrative tasks do not remove the directors’ responsibilities.

What changes after appointment

The new director takes on the full statutory and fiduciary duties immediately, so your duties pack should also cover responsibilities for statutory filings and resolving conflicts of interest as part of the appointment process. There is no probationary period in law, and they are personally exposed to liability for filings, decisions, and failures from their date of appointment. Backdating an appointment is not allowed and risks invalidating filings. A private company does not usually need a company secretary unless its articles require one, and those responsibilities still remain with the directors.

Key takeaways

  • New directors must be at least 16, not disqualified, and not an undischarged bankrupt

  • Identity verification under ECCT 2023 is compulsory for new directors during the 2026 rollout

  • File Form AP01 within 14 days of appointment

  • Update the register of directors and review PSC position

  • Service contracts longer than two years need shareholder approval (s.188)

  • Statutory and fiduciary duties apply from the date of appointment

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file Form AP01 after appointing a director? 14 days from the date of appointment, under Companies Act 2006. Late filing is a recognised compliance failure and can lead to penalties for the company and the existing officers in default.

Does a new director need to verify their identity? Yes, under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. ID verification is done either direct with Companies House or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. The rollout began in late 2025 and continues through 2026.

Can I appoint someone under 16 as a director? No. Companies Act 2006 section 157 sets a minimum age of 16. There are no age-cap restrictions at the upper end.

Does the new director need a service contract? A service contract is needed only if the director is also an employee. Non-executive directors typically have a letter of appointment instead. Service contracts longer than two years need shareholder approval.

When does the new director’s responsibility start? On the date of appointment. Statutory duties under Companies Act 2006 ss.171 to 177 apply immediately, and the new director is personally responsible for board decisions taken from that point.

(ID verification rollout dates and ACSP processes are evolving, verify current rollout status with Companies House at the time of filing.)

Useful resources

Companies House, File AP01 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/appoint-a-director-using-companies-house-webfiling

GOV.UK, Becoming a director https://www.gov.uk/become-director

Companies Act 2006 section 157 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/157