Key takeaways
- You can look up any UK company free on the Companies House service Find and update company information, by company name, company number or officer name.
- A company's SIC code, shown as 'Nature of business' on its overview page, tells you what kind of activity it says it carries out.
- The free company record includes the registered office address, incorporation date, current and resigned officers, document images, charges, previous names and insolvency information.
- SIC code 99999 means a dormant company and 74990 means a non-trading company.
- A certified copy of a document or a certificate of incorporation costs £22 by post, or £65 for same-day, according to Companies House fees updated 25 September 2026.
- Companies House says identity verification for directors and people with significant control became mandatory from 18 November 2025.
- You can follow a company to get free email alerts when it files something new.
You can look up any UK company free on Companies House’s Find and update company information service. Search by company name or number, open the company’s page, and check “Nature of business” for its SIC code, which tells you what it does. The same record shows its address, directors, owners, filed accounts and any insolvency.
How do you look up a company on Companies House?
Search the free Companies House register by name, number or officer. You do not need an account to search or view records.
- Go to Find and update company information.
- Type the company name or its 8-character company number in the search box.
- Pick the right company from the results. Check the registered office and incorporation date to make sure it is the one you want.
- Read the Overview page for the status, address, company type and nature of business.
- Open Filing history to see accounts, confirmation statements and other documents.
- Open People to see officers and persons with significant control (PSCs).
- Check charges and insolvency details if they are shown.
If you only have a trading name, the search may not find it. A company can trade under a name that differs from its registered name, so ask for the company number, which must appear on its website and invoices. See our guide to finding a company registration number.
How can you see what a company does?
The company’s SIC code tells you what it does. It appears as “Nature of business” on the Overview page.
SIC stands for Standard Industrial Classification. Companies House uses a condensed SIC 2007 list based on the Office for National Statistics classification. A company picks its codes when it incorporates and confirms them in each confirmation statement.
| SIC code | What it means |
|---|---|
| 62020 | Information technology consultancy |
| 41202 | Construction of domestic buildings |
| 56101 | Licensed restaurants |
| 68209 | Letting and operating own or leased property |
| 74990 | Non-trading company |
| 99999 | Dormant company |
The SIC code is what the company says it does, not proof that it trades. For more detail, read its accounts and check its website. Our guide to SIC codes explains how to choose and change them.
What information is free?
Almost everything on the public company record is free to view. GOV.UK lists these free details:
- company information, such as registered office address and date of incorporation
- current and resigned officers
- document images, including filed accounts
- mortgage charge data
- previous company names
- insolvency information
The People tab also lists PSCs, meaning people who own or control more than 25% of the shares or voting rights. Directors’ full home addresses and full dates of birth are not shown publicly.
What do the company status labels mean?
The status tells you whether the company still exists and is in good order.
- Active: the company is on the register.
- Active, proposal to strike off: Companies House or the company has started the process of removing it. See our guide to compulsory strike-off notices.
- Dissolved: the company no longer exists. You can still find it with the dissolved company search.
- Liquidation or administration: an insolvency process has started.
Also check the overview for “accounts overdue” or “confirmation statement overdue”. Late filings can be a warning sign.
What should you check before doing business with a company?
Use the free record as a quick due-diligence checklist:
- the company is active and the name and number match its invoices
- accounts and confirmation statements are filed on time
- the directors match the people you are dealing with
- the PSCs make sense for the business
- there are no recent insolvency notices or a pending strike-off
- registered charges, which show lenders have security over assets
Small companies often file micro-entity or abridged accounts that show only a balance sheet. Our guide to reading company accounts on Companies House explains what you can and cannot learn from them.
Is the information on Companies House checked?
Not fully. Historically, Companies House has registered what companies file without checking it. That is changing under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
GOV.UK guidance says identity verification became mandatory from 18 November 2025 for directors, PSCs and others, and that in the future Companies House will publish a note on the register against people who do not comply. See our guide to verifying your identity with Companies House.
How much do Companies House documents cost?
Viewing and downloading documents online is free. You pay only for certified paper copies and certificates. The Companies House fees schedule, updated 25 September 2026, lists:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified copy of a document, by post | £22 |
| Certificate of incorporation, by post | £22 |
| Same-day certified copy or certificate | £65 |
| Copy of a company document by email | £3 |
How do you get updates on a company?
Use the “Follow” option on the company page to get free email alerts when the company files something. You need a free Companies House account to do this. It is useful for watching customers, suppliers or competitors.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to look up a company on Companies House?
Yes. Searching the register and viewing company details and filed documents online is free. You only pay for certified copies and certificates.
How do I find out what a company does?
Look at “Nature of business” on the company’s Overview page on Companies House. It shows the SIC code or codes the company has chosen to describe its activities.
Can I see who owns a company?
Yes. The People tab lists persons with significant control, who hold more than 25% of shares or voting rights or otherwise control the company.
Can I look up a company that has closed?
Yes. Use the dissolved company search on Find and update company information to see records of companies that no longer exist.
Can I see a director’s home address?
No. The register shows a service address, which may be the company’s office. Home addresses are kept off the public record.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.