Is Companies House free?

    Is Companies House free to search?

    Source-cited registry guidance — access and document fees vary by source.

    Search Companies House at the official source

    Start with Companies House for United Kingdom. LemReveal has not established an available native register search for this page; indexed or secondary records are not complete register coverage.

    Open official portalRequest a record check

    Official access and fees vary. A human request is an enquiry, not a guaranteed extract or completed purchase.

    Reviewed by LemReveal Research TeamContent reviewed June 2026Primary source: Companies House

    How do I use Companies House for free in United Kingdom?

    LemReveal's basic registry lookup is free. The official Companies House service at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house has its own access rules: distinguish basic search, officer information, filed documents, certified extracts and API access. Do not assume these are all free or available without an account.

    Step-by-step

    1. 1

      Open Companies House

      Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house and check the official search and access options.

      https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house
    2. 2

      Check basic-search access

      Determine whether the required entity search is public, requires an account or carries a search fee. Do not confuse a free search-results list with a full company extract.

    3. 3

      Check the fields you need

      Find out whether officers, addresses and historical filings are included in the public result or require a separate document.

    4. 4

      Check document and API charges

      Review the official terms for extracts, certified copies, filings and data services. A free web lookup does not imply a free API or certification.

    Open Companies HouseAll United Kingdom records

    United Kingdom: choosing and checking the right record

    Choose the correct source
    Start with the exact Companies House company number. If you only have a name, compare the legal name and previous names, then open the company profile rather than treating the search-results list as confirmation.
    Confirm the entity
    Keep leading zeros and jurisdiction prefixes such as SC or NI. Compare the registered office and incorporation date with the counterparty's documents. A sole trader or trading brand may not have a Companies House record.

    Check current access and document options on the official Companies House site. For search limitations and missing-result guidance, see the United Kingdom registry guide.

    Frequently asked questions

    Do I need to pay to search Companies House?

    Check the current official access terms at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house. Basic lookup on LemReveal is free, but official search access and document pricing are independent of LemReveal.

    What does Companies House charge for?

    Check separately for searches, officer particulars, extracts, certified copies and data services. Availability and fees vary by source and document; the official fee schedule is authoritative.

    Is there a free API for Companies House?

    A public web search does not guarantee an open API. Check the official developer or data-service terms. LemReveal's public lookup supports available integrations and is not a promise of complete or unrestricted access to this register.

    People also ask about use Companies House for free in United Kingdom

    The exact questions searchers type into Google — answered from the primary source.

    Is the United Kingdom company register free to search?

    Yes. Basic company lookups on the Companies House are free — you can search by company name or registration number, view legal status, registered address and (usually) directors at no cost. Some jurisdictions charge a small fee only for downloading full filed documents.

    What is the official United Kingdom business registry?

    The Companies House is the official public register of companies incorporated in United Kingdom. It is operated by the government and is the primary source cited on this page — https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house.

    What does the United Kingdom business registry cost?

    Searching the Companies House by company name, number or status is free. Fees usually apply only for downloading full-text filed documents (annual accounts, articles of association) or requesting certified copies.

    Do I need to sign up to search the United Kingdom register?

    No sign-up is required for public lookups on the Companies House. Registration is only needed if you want to save searches, download bulk data, or file documents as a company representative.

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