Companies House uses standard prefix in front of company number for different categories of businesses registered with them.
No prefix for companies registered in England and Wales
A company registered in England and Wales will have a standard 8 digits numbers as your company registration number printed on your certificate of incorporation. There will be no prefix in front of your company number.
For example, Cute Gifts and Flowers Limited’s company number is 08407369.
SC as prefix for Scottish companies
Whereas for a company registered in Scotland, in other words, has a registered office situated in Scotland will have a Prefix of “SC” in front of your company numbers. For example, XYREX LIMITED’s company number is SC234456.
Prefixes for Overseas companies
There are three types of prefixes for overseas companies.
| Prefix | Company type |
| FC | For all overseas companies registered on or after 1 October 2009 and for overseas companies registered in England and Wales before 1 October 2009. |
| SF | for overseas companies registered in Scotland before 1 October 2009 |
| NF | for overseas companies registered in Northern Ireland before 1 October 2009 |
You must provide the correct prefix with your company number for your overseas company when completing the Companies House form – OS MG01 to register a charge with the Registrar of Companies.
List of Prefixes used by Companies House
Knowing your company number’s prefix will help you to be transferred to the right department when you are calling Companies House. This saves yours and the Companies House’s staff time.
| Prefix | Company type |
| N/A | England & Wales Company |
| AC | Assurance Company for England & Wales |
| EN | European Company (Societas Europaea) for Northern Ireland |
| ES | European Company (Societas Europaea) for Scotland |
| FC | Overseas Company |
| GE | European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) for England & Wales |
| GN | European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) for Northern Ireland |
| GS | European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) for Scotland |
| IC | ICVC (Investment Company with Variable Capital) |
| IP | Industrial & Provident Company |
| LP | Limited Partnership for England & Wales |
| NA | Assurance Company for Northern Ireland |
| NC | Limited Liability Partnership for Northern Ireland |
| NF | Overseas Company regd in Northern Ireland (pre 1/10/09) |
| NI | Northern Ireland Company (post partition) |
| NL | Limited Partnership for Northern Ireland |
| NO | Northern Ireland Credit Union Industrial/Provident Society |
| NP | Northern Ireland Industrial/Provident Company or Credit Union |
| NR | Northern Ireland Royal Charter Companies |
| NV | Northern Ireland ICVC (Investment Company with Variable Capital) |
| NZ | Unregistered Companies (S 1043 Not Cos Act) for Northern Ireland |
| OC | Limited Liability Partnership for England & Wales |
| RC | Royal Charter Companies (English/Wales) |
| R0 | Northern Ireland Company (pre partition) |
| SA | Assurance Company for Scotland |
| SC | Scottish Company |
| SE | European Company (Societas Europaea) for England & Wales |
| SF | Overseas Company regd in Scotland (pre 1/10/09) |
| SI | Scottish ICVC (Investment Company with Variable Capital) |
| SL | Limited Partnership for Scotland |
| SO | Limited Liability Partnership for Scotland |
| SP | Scottish Industrial/Provident Company |
| SR | Scottish Royal Charter Companies |
| SZ | Unregistered Companies (S 1043 Not Cos Act) for Scotland |
| ZC | Unregistered Companies (S 1043 – Not Cos Act) for England & Wales |
Business, Energy
& Industrial Strategy – Uniform Resource Identifiers (URI) Customer Guide
Companies House filings
Generally, organisations registered with Companies House in the United Kingdom must comply with the UK company law. This includes submitting the following documents to Companies House when they are due.
You must also require to notify Companies House when there is a change in your company details like new director appointment or change of registered office address etc.
If you have any questions about your company’s legal filings requirements, contact our accountants. They will be more than happy to assist you.
Cheers!