United Kingdom (LTD) LLC

The term ’offshore’ is not used in UK legislation or in describing company forms. In UK there are no specific forms of company or other entities designed for offshore operation.

LEGAL FORM

Private limited liability companies are the most common form of business entity used in UK. The essential features of a private limited liability company are that the liability of members is limited to the amount of share capital subscribed to.

COMPANY NAME

UK companies must use the suffix Limited or Ltd to denote limited liability and can use any name unless it includes words such as Empire, Crown, Imperial, Windsor, Royal, Assurance, Bank, Building Society British, National, Great Britain, United Kingdom, England, English, Scotland, Scottish, Wales, Welsh, Ireland or Irish – (if the words are used as a suffix, they are normally allowed). The initials GB or UK do not require approval.
’European’ – will not be approved if they imply unjustifiable connection with EU. ‘International’ – as prefix major activity must be overseas trading, as suffix, company activity must be in 2 or more overseas countries or any other words deemed sensitive or offensive.

MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

A company is formed by submitting its Memorandum and Articles of Association to the Companies House along with the registration fee. Every company has a Memorandum of Association (except for an LLP), which determines its name, where its registered office may be situated and what it may do (its objects). The rules for the conduct of the companys internal affairs are contained in its Articles of Association. There is a standard form for the articles (in the case of a company limited by shares known as Table A), but this may be modified.

SHAREHOLDERS

The minimum number of shareholders is one, the maximum number of shareholders is fifty in the case of a private company. Corporate shareholders are allowed. Shares may be held jointly by two or more people.
Certain information about company shareholders will be disclosed on public record.

SHARE CAPITAL

There is no statutory minimum or maximum capital for a private company. It is now possible to set up a company with only one member and for that member to have only one share, but this is exceptional. Share capital in usually 1,000 pounds or above.

DIRECTORS AND SECRETARY

According to the Companies Act every company must have at least one Director physical person of any nationality.
Details about company directors are disclosed on public record.
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OUR NOMINEE DIRECTOR SERVICES.

REGISTERED OFFICE

Every company must have a registered office, which is the address to which any formal communications may be sent. The company may change its registered office at any time by completing form 287, but the change only takes effect when it is registered at Companies House. The registered office must be a physical location as people have the right to visit the office to inspect certain registers and other documents. They should also be able to deliver documents there by hand. The registered office can be anywhere within the area stated in the company’s memorandum. For a company incorporated in England and Wales, this will usually be England and Wales, but it may be just Wales. For a company incorporated in Scotland, it must be Scotland.

MEETINGS

Company meetings need not be held in UK.

TIME NEEDED FOR FORMATION

Usually it is 1 working day.

RECURRING AND MAINTENANCE FEE AS FROM 2ND YEAR

Provision of registered office
Provision of company Secretary
Preparing and Submission of Annual Return

CORPORATION TAX RATES

Corporation tax is paid by limited companies on their profits. Corporation Tax is a tax on your company’s taxable profits.

Profits £300,000 or less (‘small profits’ rate) –

20%

– from Apri 1, 2011, 2012, 2013
Profits above £300,000 (‘main’ rate) –

26%

from April 1, 2011;

24%

– from April 1, 2012;

23%

– from April 1, 2013

AUDIT AND FINANCIAL RETURNS

Companies House will send a ’shuttle’ annual return form to a company’s registered office each year containing details of the information held on the Companies House database. This should be checked and amended as appropriate. Any additional information required, such as current share capital and details of members, should be provided and the signed form returned to Companies House within 28 days of the date shown on the form. If it is late, the company and its directors and secretary are liable to prosecution.
The first annual return must be made up to a date not more than 12 months after incorporation. Further returns should be at intervals of not more 12 months. A company must have an auditor, and accounts must be filed each year with the Companies House. Small companies can prepare abbreviated accounts, and exemption from audit can be claimed.

OUR SERVICES FOR THE COMPANY FORMATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM INCLUDE:

Name check and approval
Filling the incorporation documents with Companies House
A standard set of original corporate documents
Payment of the Government Fee
Provision of registered office and registered address for one year
Provision of company Secretary for one year
Rubber stamp

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE COMPANY FORMATION

Please provide the following documents for all Directors, Shareholders, Beneficial Owners, Authorized Signatories:

Notarized copy of valid passport.
Original or Certified copy of utility bill / bank statement (as verification of residential address, dated within 3 months).
Original or certified copy of Banker’s reference letter (dated within 3 months).
In cases where shareholders and/or directors are corporate bodies, full apostilled set of corporate documents and Certificate of Good Standing (for companies registered more than 1 year).

IMPORTANT NOTE: LICENSABLE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

If you conduct any activity without required license or authorization granted by a relevant authority in any jurisdiction, Agent Legal will not be able to assist you with the company formation or bank account opening related to such unlicensed activity.

Licensable activities include, but not limited to: provision of financial services involving trading/brokerage in foreign exchange, financial and commodity-based derivative instruments and other securities; offering investment advice to public; insurance and banking business; operation and administration of collective investment schemes and mutual funds; payment processing services; money exchange, money transmission or money brokering; asset management; safe custody services; gaming, gambling and lotteries.

Please contact us if you need our assistance in licensing of your financial, Forex brokerage or gambling company.

SHIPPING COST

Shipping of corporate documents or banking kits to your destination requires an extra charge and will be automatically added to the invoice during checkout. Shipping costs for international courier services are set automatically and can vary from USD 75 to USD 95. The fees depend on the jurisdiction of your ordered company, the country where the bank is based as well as your destination country.