What Records Does UK Law Require a Company to Keep?

UK law requires every company to keep statutory registers, accounting records, board and shareholder minutes, and a Persons with Significant Control register. The Companies Act 2006 sets these duties. Directors hold legal responsibility for maintaining accurate, accessible records at the registered office.

Which statutory registers must a UK company maintain?

A UK company maintains five core registers: members, directors, directors' residential addresses, secretaries (where appointed), and persons with significant control. Each register records named individuals, dates, and changes. Directors keep every register current at all times.

The register of members lists each shareholder. It records names, addresses, share classes, share numbers, and the dates each person joined or left. Entries for former members stay on the register for 10 years.

The register of directors records each director's full name, nationality, occupation, country of residence, and date of birth. The register of directors' residential addresses holds home addresses separately. Companies House does not display these addresses publicly.

The Persons with Significant Control (PSC) register identifies individuals who hold more than 25% of shares or voting rights. It also covers individuals who hold the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors. Companies verify and update PSC details when ownership changes.

Two further registers apply in specific cases. A register of charges records mortgages and security interests the company grants. A register of debenture holders applies where the company issues debentures.

What accounting records does a UK company have to keep?

Section 386 of the Companies Act 2006 requires accounting records that show daily money received and spent, plus the company's assets and liabilities. Directors keep these records so they can prepare accounts that give a true and fair view.

Accounting records cover three categories. Transaction records include sales invoices, purchase invoices, receipts, and bank statements. Asset records include stock-takes and fixed asset schedules. Liability records include loan agreements and supplier balances.

HMRC applies its own record-keeping rules for corporation tax. Companies retain the records that support each Company Tax Return. These include payroll data, VAT records, and expense documentation.

Annual accounts and the confirmation statement draw on these records. Private companies file annual accounts within nine months of the financial year-end. The Corporation Tax return falls due 12 months after the accounting period ends.

What minutes and resolutions does a company keep?

A company keeps minutes of every directors' meeting and every general meeting. It also keeps copies of all shareholder resolutions. Minutes record decisions, attendees, and dates. Companies retain them for at least 10 years from the meeting date.

Sections 248 and 355 of the Companies Act 2006 set this duty. Directors record decisions in writing and sign them as a correct record. Minutes of general meetings are available for member inspection.

Written resolutions follow the same retention rule. A written resolution that approves a share allotment, a change of name, or an amendment to the articles of association goes into the company records. Directors file certain resolutions with Companies House within 15 days.

Directors' service contracts form a related category. The company keeps a copy of each contract or a written memorandum of its terms. Retention runs for one year after the contract ends.

How long must a UK company retain its records?

Private limited companies retain accounting records for at least three years from the end of the financial year they cover. HMRC requires six years for tax records. Minutes and certain registers carry a 10-year retention period.

Retention periods differ by record type. Three common periods apply: three years for private company accounting records, six years for HMRC tax-supporting records, and 10 years for meeting minutes and former member entries.

Directors apply the longest applicable period to any record that serves more than one purpose. A bank statement supports both accounting records and tax records. The six-year HMRC period governs it.

Records kept beyond the statutory minimum support audit trails, due diligence reviews, and banking compliance checks. A consistent retention schedule makes each record easy to locate.

Where must a UK company store its records?

A company keeps statutory registers at its registered office or at a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL) notified to Companies House. Accounting records stay at a place the directors choose. Officers inspect them at any time.

A registered office address in the UK is mandatory. Statutory registers sit there by default. A SAIL gives a second approved location for registers, minutes, and service contracts. The company notifies Companies House of any SAIL.

Electronic storage is lawful. Companies hold registers in digital form when they produce legible copies on request. Directors back up electronic records and restrict access to authorised officers.

Directors based outside the UK maintain access to records from their country of residence. Accounting records kept outside the UK require accessible summaries. These summaries disclose the company's financial position at intervals of no more than six months. The UK-based registered office remains the legal home for statutory registers.

When do record-keeping duties begin for a new company?

Record-keeping duties begin on the incorporation date. A company forms online in as little as three working hours when complete, accurate information is submitted, and all legal and ID checks pass. Companies House issues the Certificate of Incorporation on approval.

Processing times depend on Companies House and exclude weekends and bank holidays. Incomplete or incorrect information delays incorporation. Technical or application-related complexities also add processing time. The company receives a Web Filing Authentication Code through its company summary page.

Directors open the statutory registers on day one. The first entries cover the subscribers, the initial directors, and the PSC details. The register of members records the opening share allocation.

Accounting records start with the first transaction. Capital paid into the company bank account is the first entry for most companies. Early discipline in record-keeping prevents gaps in the audit trail.

What happens when a company fails to keep required records?

Failure to keep required records is a criminal offence for the company and its officers. Directors face fines, and the company risks compulsory strike-off. Missing records also block accurate filings with Companies House and HMRC.

Section 387 of the Companies Act 2006 makes a failure to keep adequate accounting records an offence. Officers in default carry personal liability. Courts treat deliberate concealment more seriously than administrative error.

Late or inaccurate filings carry automatic penalties. Companies House penalises late accounts. HMRC penalises late Company Tax Returns. Accurate records prevent both.

Directors who cannot produce registers on request breach inspection rights. Members and the public hold the right to inspect certain registers. A refusal without lawful grounds is an offence.

How do non-resident directors manage UK company records?

Non-resident directors keep UK company records through a UK registered office, digital storage, and structured compliance support. A managed service handles register updates, filing deadlines, and statutory book maintenance on the director's behalf.

Distance introduces practical barriers. Time zones delay signatures. Paper registers sit in a UK office the director rarely visits. Overseas directors rely on digital copies and a dependable UK address.

Statutory books managed by a provider remove most of this friction. The provider records changes in directors, shareholders, and PSCs as they occur. The provider also tracks confirmation statement dates and annual accounts deadlines. The Non-Resident Comprehensive package for managed compliance covers these administrative duties for non-UK residents.

Two approaches exist: managed statutory books or self-kept statutory books. Each carries different time, control, and risk implications. The article on statutory books managed for you versus kept yourself compares both for non-residents.

What is the key takeaway on UK company record requirements?

UK law requires statutory registers, accounting records, minutes, and a PSC register. Retention runs from three to 10 years depending on record type. Accurate records protect directors from penalties and support timely filings.

Record-keeping begins on incorporation day and continues until dissolution. Every change in directors, shareholders, or control updates a register. Every transaction updates the accounting records.

Non-Resident UK Company Formation supports international clients with these duties. The Non-Resident Comprehensive service combines company formation with ongoing statutory book maintenance for non-UK residents.