Company number lookup: find a UK company's number
For a company number lookup, use the Companies House register: search for the company by name, open its page, and the number is shown there under "Company number". The register search is the official source and the right tool for a one-off lookup.
For anything official, the register itself is better. This page shows the steps and what to check on the way.
How to look up a company number
- Open the Companies House Find and update company information service. Its search box says "Enter company name, number or officer name".
- Type the company's name. You can also search by an officer's name, or by a number if you already have one.
- Pick the right company from the results. Check the registered office address and status on its page before you copy anything.
- On the company page, read the line labelled "Company number".
As an example number to look up, Ionite Ltd, the company behind Kofolio, has the company number 13839693.
What else the page tells you
GOV.UK says you can get some details about a company for free. These include company information, current and resigned officers, document images, previous company names and insolvency information.
The company page also shows when the next accounts and the next confirmation statement are due. See Confirmation statement due date: how to find yours.
Along the top of the page there are links including Filing history and People.
What the number looks like
Companies House WebFiling help says it accepts company numbers that are all digits, or that start with NI, RO or SC for limited companies and OC, SO or NC for limited liability partnerships. The help page does not say what the prefixes stand for.
Kofolio asks for the company number as 8 characters.
Take care with what you find
The register page says Companies House does not check the accuracy of the information filed. So treat a lookup as what the company told Companies House, not as a check on the company.
A lookup tells you the number. It does not give you the company's authentication code, which Companies House posts to the registered office. See Companies House authentication code: where to find it.
What Kofolio does after the lookup
Kofolio starts from the number: type the company's 8-character number and Companies House fills in the name, status, registered office, incorporation date, year end and directors.
Each company is its own card, and you click a value to copy it.
When you add a company, Kofolio fetches its public record from Companies House, including officers and people with significant control. It is public register data under the Open Government Licence. Corrections go to Companies House.
Later, the Companies House check compares your card with the register and shows what changed, such as a new director or a new registered office. Nothing changes until you choose Update or Keep mine.
The Register view shows the Companies House record in plain words: status, directors, owners, business type codes and every filing.
The number is only one of the numbers a company has. For a plain list of the others, see Limited company numbers explained. Related: the free company lookup.
Kofolio is an organiser. You stay responsible for your filings, and Kofolio files nothing for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a company number?
Search for the company by name on the Companies House register. The number is on the company's page, labelled "Company number".
Is a company number lookup free?
GOV.UK says you can get some details about a company for free. It lists company information, officers and document images among them.
Can I look a company up by its director's name?
Yes. The register search accepts a company name, a company number or an officer name.
Do all company numbers look the same?
No. Some start with letters. WebFiling help lists NI, RO and SC for limited companies and OC, SO and NC for limited liability partnerships.
Is the information on the register always right?
Companies House does not check the accuracy of the information filed.
Is the company number the same as the UTR or the VAT number?
No. The company number comes from Companies House. The UTR and the VAT number come from HMRC.
Keep the number and the rest in one place
Add a company to Kofolio and keep its details on one card, ready to copy. Kofolio is free. Find your company