LLP Registration Information Checklist: UK 2026

To register a UK limited liability partnership (LLP), you need at least two designated members, an acceptable name, an appropriate registered office and email address, member details and an incorporation application to Companies House.

Companies House guidance updated on 1 February 2026 also recommends an LLP agreement explaining how the business will operate.

Information needed to register an LLP

• the proposed LLP name;
• the jurisdiction—England and Wales, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland;
• an appropriate registered office address in that jurisdiction;
• a registered email address;
• details of every individual and corporate member;
• identification of at least two designated members;
• people with significant control information where applicable;
• the appropriate authentication and identity-verification information;
• a lawful-purpose confirmation where required; and
• payment of the Companies House fee.

Choosing the LLP name

The registered name must normally end with “Limited Liability Partnership” or “LLP”. Welsh equivalents are available for an LLP registered in Wales.

The name must not:

• be the same as an existing registered name unless an exception applies;
• be too similar to an existing name;
• be offensive; or
• contain a sensitive word or imply a government connection without permission.

Check both the Companies House register and relevant trade marks. Registering a name at Companies House does not grant comprehensive trade-mark protection.

Registered office address

The address must be a physical UK address in the same jurisdiction in which the LLP is registered. It must be an “appropriate address”, meaning that delivered documents would be expected to come to someone acting for the LLP and delivery can be acknowledged.

A Royal Mail PO Box or equivalent service cannot be used on its own. A home address can be used but will appear publicly, so members should consider privacy before registration.

Registered email address

Supply an appropriate email address that Companies House can use to contact the LLP. The registered email is not displayed on the public register, but it must be monitored and kept current.

Members and designated members

An LLP can have individual or corporate members. It must have at least two designated members at all times. If it falls below two, all members can become designated members under the statutory rules.

Companies House needs prescribed information for each member, such as name, service address and other identifying details. Corporate members require their legal entity details.

What designated members do

Designated members have additional compliance responsibilities, including:

• keeping accounting records;
• preparing, signing and filing annual accounts;
• filing the confirmation statement;
• reporting changes to Companies House;
• arranging an audit where required;
• dealing with registration for relevant taxes; and
• acting for the LLP during winding up and dissolution.

They can be prosecuted for failing to meet legal duties, and the LLP can be removed from the register.

The LLP agreement

The agreement is normally private rather than filed at Companies House. It should address:

• profit and loss sharing;
• capital contributions and drawings;
• decision-making and voting;
• members’ duties and authority;
• admission, retirement and expulsion;
• illness, death and succession;
• restrictive covenants and confidentiality; and
• disputes and winding up.

Without a suitable agreement, statutory default rules may produce results the members did not intend.

How to register

Companies House guidance lists digital registration through compatible third-party software or a paper application. The February 2026 published fees were:

• £100 through software;
• £156 for same-day software filing submitted before 3pm; and
• £124 for paper registration.

Fees and services can change. Verify them immediately before applying. When accepted, Companies House issues a certificate of incorporation.

Tax registrations after incorporation

An LLP is legally distinct from its members but is usually tax-transparent. Companies House states that every member must register for Self Assessment. A designated member registers the partnership with HMRC and deals with the partnership return.

VAT registration is required if taxable turnover exceeds the applicable registration threshold, currently stated by GOV.UK as £90,000, or the LLP can consider voluntary registration where eligible. PAYE registration may be needed if it employs staff.

Records and ongoing filings

After incorporation, schedule:

• annual accounts;
• the annual confirmation statement;
• partnership and member tax returns;
• VAT and PAYE filings where relevant; and
• notifications of changes to the name, office or members.

Common application mistakes

• appointing fewer than two designated members;
• using an address outside the chosen jurisdiction;
• using a PO Box as the sole registered office;
• overlooking a sensitive word or trade mark;
• entering inconsistent member details;
• assuming Companies House registration completes HMRC registrations;
• operating without an LLP agreement; and
• failing to monitor the registered email.

Frequently asked questions

Can a company be an LLP member?

Yes. It is called a corporate member and its entity information must be supplied.

Does an LLP need share capital?

No. Members contribute capital and share profits under their agreement; an LLP does not issue shares like a company limited by shares.

Is an LLP agreement compulsory?

Companies House says members should make one. Operating without a written agreement leaves important matters to statutory defaults and creates avoidable risk.

Official source

See Companies House: Set up and run an LLP, last updated 1 February 2026.

Follow the filing process

Once the information is ready, follow our step-by-step LLP incorporation guide.