Incorporating a new company or LLP (standard and same-day)
Can I set up a new company using Kudocs? Yes. Kudocs is directly connected to Companies House and you can use our bespoke incorporation tool to guide you through the process and submit your application. It takes minutes and we’ll make sure you provide all the correct information. To see how easy, see this guide.
What types of entity can I incorporate using Kudocs? You can incorporate companies limited by shares or limited by guarantee and LLPs (if you are portfolio customer – we will soon be making this available to card customers).
I don’t know what type of entity my customer wants us to incorporate. Can I get them to provide information to help me? Yes. Kudocs has an incorporation questionnaire service which does exactly that. It can be fully customised (so it looks like your current incorporation questionnaire, if you have one), you can pre-complete some of it, share it with the client to get them to fill in the blanks and then work on it together. It will save you, and the client, loads of time and effort. Click here to find out more.
How much does it cost to incorporate using Kudocs? Nothing! Kudocs will pay the incorporation fee charged by Companies House on your behalf and it is absorbed as part of your Kudocs subscription (monthly or annual). Minimum terms apply, so check out our terms and conditions for more detail.
Can I use Kudocs for same day incorporations? Yes! Just tick the box when completing the incorporation application and Companies House will incorporate it same day. Note that Companies House only guarantee this service is the application is submitted by 3pm on a weekday – so make sure you complete the process on Kudocs in time.
How much does it cost to incorporate a company “same day” using Kudocs? Nothing! Kudocs will pay the incorporation fee charged by Companies House on your behalf and it is absorbed as part of your Kudocs subscription (monthly or annual). Minimum terms apply, so check out our terms and conditions for more detail.
Are there any restrictions on what I can put in the incorporation?. Yes, there are a few – e.g you cannot have the same name as an existing entity. Kudocs has been designed to check and flag any such issues and require you to resolve them before you can submit the incorporation. It is all very easy and clear – the system will show you how to do it, and you can always ask us if you have any questions.
Do all shareholders (subscribers) need to be individuals – or can we have corporate shareholders in the incorporation? Yes, you can have individual and corporate (e.g. companies, partnerships, trusts, etc) as the subscribers. S.7 of the Companies Act 2006 states that: “(1)A company is formed under this Act by one or more persons…” and the Interpretation Act 1978 defines “person” as both individuals and bodies corporate, indicating that subscribers must have legal personality.
However, if you have a corporate entity that is not based in the UK, or which Companies House cannot easily identify (e.g. a trust) Companies House may – when checking the incorporation – require to see evidence of the ‘legal personality’ of that entity. This is not always required (sometimes Companies House can work this), but they may need additional information to be satisfied. It is rare that this happens, and if it does, don’t worry: we’ll get in touch with you directly and explain what is needed. As a general rule, this is the kind of information we may need you to provide to us, so we can pass on to Companies House:
- Written confirmation from you that the entity that is the subscriber has legal personality.
- Something along the lines of “We [Bloggins & Bloggins LLP] are instructed to act for the directors and subscribers of the proposed new entity [Newco 123ABC Ltd]. [Comapagnie Etranger SARL] is the proposed subscriber of this company. We confirm that it has legal personality as it is a “Société à responsabilité limitée” registered at the Mayorality of Lyon with official number 12345687. Details of this entity and registration can be found on the Mayorality’s website here: www.mayorlyon.com.”
- The entity type
- Where the entity is registered
- An entity number or reference (depending on what the entity is/ where it is registered)
- Any links or other information that can be provided to show the entity is genuine and has legal personality (e.g. a link to an official registry).
Can I incorporate a limited company with shares issued at a premium or partly paid? Yes, you can. Shares are usually issued at their nominal value (‘at par’) at incorporation. However, they can also be issued at a premium: i.e. the subscribers are due to pay more than the nominal value. Subscribers can pay the full amount due for the shares (fully paid), nothing (unpaid), or part of the amount due (partly paid).
What type of articles can I use for an incorporation – can I upload my own bespoke set? You have various options to choose from on the penultimate stage of the incorporation process for Ltd by share and guarantee companies. You can incorporate a company using:
- Model Articles – we have copies of these stored in our system and will create a version for you.
- Bespoke articles – draft your own bespoke articles and then attached them to the incorporation as a pdf and that will be submitted to Companies House.
- Template articles (if a portfolio customer). If you are a portfolio customer, you can upload copies of template articles and then select them as part of the incorporation. Rather than having to upload a standard template each time.
Will I be notified once the entity has been incorporated? Yes. Kudocs will send you an email as soon as Companies House has approved the incorporation. You can then login to Kudocs and see your company live, with all the relevant information.
Will I get a copy of my incorporation certificate, docs and company books? Yes. The incorporation documents will all be automatically saved in the Document Store in Kudocs – ready for you to review them. Once the company is incorporated Kudocs automatically created your company books, first share certificates and stakeholder information based on the incorporation. We don’t send you anything in paper – there’s no need. It’s all stored securely in the cloud. But you can download any of it when you want.
Will I be sent my Authentication Code once the company is incorporated? Companies House will still send you this code in the post, but it will be immediately available after incorporation to Admin users. It is stored in your company settings (Settings > Company) page in Kudocs. Hopefully you won’t need it as Kudocs can do all your filings for you, but it’s there if you do!
Do I need and where do I find my Authentication Code once I have incorporated my company? You don’t need it to use Kudocs. Once incorporated, it will be stored in the system automatically to enable us to file information on your behalf. There may be (rare) occasions when you need to it contact Companies House directly, so you can log in and obtain it when you need it. You need to have admin user rights and then just go to Settings > Company.