UK Business Entity Types – Complete Guide 2025

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Business Entities in the UK

Limited Liability Company (LLC): Requires one director and one shareholder (non-UK residents allowed) and £1 minimum capital. Setup can be completed in one week. Subject to 25% corporate tax (19% if profits ≤ £50,000). Best for trading or service companies.

Public Limited Company (PLC): Requires £50,000 minimum capital, 2 shareholders, 2 directors, and a qualified company secretary. Can raise public funds and be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Company Limited by Guarantee: Members’ liabilities are limited to their contributions. No share capital required. Ideal for charities or non-profit organizations.

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP): Requires at least 2 members and 1 manager. Tax-transparent entity – profits taxed at member level. Recommended for professional services.

Branch Office: Requires a resident manager and local registered address. Subject to 25% corporation tax. Suitable for foreign banks or financial service providers.

Representative Office: Requires a resident representative and registration with Companies House and HMRC. Cannot conduct sales – ideal for market research.

Full UK Business Entity Comparison

Criteria	LLC	UK Tax-Exempt LLC	PLC	Limited by Guarantee	LLP	Rep. Office	Branch
How long to set up?	2 wks	2 wks	2 wks	2 wks	2 wks	2 wks	2 wks
Open bank account?	6 wks	6 wks	6 wks	6 wks	6 wks	6 wks	6 wks
Legal Liability	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Wholly Foreign Owned?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Minimum Capital	£1	£1	£50,000	None	None	None	None
Annual Tax Return?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Tax Reg Certificate?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Corporate Bank Rec.	HSBC UK	Bank of Ireland	RBS	SCB	Barclays	Santander	HSBC UK
Client Travel Needed?	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Resident Director?	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
UK Shareholder?	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Min Directors	1	1	2	1	1	1	1
Min Shareholders	1	1	2	1	2	1	1
Company Secretary?	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Corporate Members?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Public Register?	Click link	Click link	Click link	Click link	Click link	Click link	Click link
UK Corporate Tax	25%	0% (Click)	25%	25%	0%	0%	25%
Financial Statements?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Statutory Audit?	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Issue Invoices?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Sign Contracts?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Import/Export Goods?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Rent Office in UK?	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Buy UK Property?	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Own UK Equity?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

Contact us

For more info on UK company registration, please contact our expert directly:

Mr. Petar Chakarov
Senior Manager, Sales & Business Development