Accountant For A Limited Company

How to Find Your Company Number

Your company registration number is a unique 8-digit identifier assigned by Companies House when you incorporate your business. You can find it on your certificate of incorporation, your latest confirmation statement, any official letter from Companies House, or by searching the free Companies House register at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.

By Jordan Macey MAAT Reviewed by Noor Fiaz Updated 16 Apr 2026 1

Key takeaways

Your company registration number is a unique 8-digit code assigned by Companies House at incorporation; it does not change for the life of the company.
The quickest way to find it is to search the free Companies House register online using your company name or your own name as a director.
Your certificate of incorporation, confirmation statement, and any official correspondence from Companies House all show your company number.
You need your company number for filing annual accounts, Corporation Tax returns, VAT registration, opening a business bank account, and applying for contracts.
Scottish companies start with SC, Northern Irish with NI, and LLPs with OC; English and Welsh companies start with a zero-padded number.

What is a company number?

A company number (also known as a company registration number) is an eight-digit number that is assigned by Companies House to a company upon incorporation.

Where to find your company number:

1. Search on Companies House

Honestly, the easiest way to find your company number rather than sifting through documents is just to search on Companies House. You can easily search the companies house register by your company name.

Find company number companies house — Search for your company name on Companies House

2. Your certificate of Incorporation

You can locate the number on your certificate of incorporation. The first digit of the company number is usually a zero, and is omitted in most instances. As such, your certificate of incorporation will show a seven-digit company number.

Frequently asked questions

What is a company registration number?

A company registration number (also called a CRN or company number) is a unique 8-digit identifier assigned by Companies House when your limited company is incorporated. It stays the same for the life of the company and is used to identify your company on the public register, in filings, and by HMRC.

Where can I find my company number for free?

Search the free Companies House register at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Enter your company name or your own name as a director. The company number appears on the overview page alongside the registered address, incorporation date, and filing history.

Is my company number the same as my UTR?

No. Your company registration number is issued by Companies House and identifies your company on the public register. Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) is issued by HMRC and used for Corporation Tax. They are different numbers issued by different bodies for different purposes.

Does my company number ever change?

No. Your company registration number stays the same from incorporation to dissolution, even if you change the company name, registered address, directors, or shareholders. The only way to get a different number is to incorporate a new company.

What do the letters at the start of a company number mean?

English and Welsh companies have a purely numeric 8-digit number starting with leading zeros. Scottish companies start with SC, Northern Irish companies with NI, and limited liability partnerships with OC. The prefix tells you where and how the entity was registered.

When do I need to provide my company number?

You need it when filing annual accounts and confirmation statements with Companies House, submitting Corporation Tax returns to HMRC, registering for VAT or PAYE, opening a business bank account, setting up with accounting software, and responding to official correspondence. It also appears on invoices and business stationery for some companies.