Use of sensitive words in your company names

Use of sensitive words in your company or business name that may imply your company is pre-eminent in the field or has a particular status or a specific function is not allowed unless you were given approval in writing by the relevant authority. Sensitive words are also referred to as the reserved words in incorporation matter.

If your company name contained the following sensitive words or reserved words, please obtain a letter or email of non-objection from the relevant governing body before you submit your incorporation documents with Companies House.

Reserved words in company names

If you are to use any of the reserved words in your company names, you must write to the relevant governing body for permission. Ideally, you must obtain the approval before you submit your incorporation documents.

Companies House would not process incomplete incorporation application. They will return your application and suggest to re-submit when you have the approval document or you change your company names.

Sensitive words that require permission by law

No	Sensitive words	UK Authority to contact
1	Accounts Commission for Scotland	Click here
2	Accredit / Accreditation / Accredited / Accrediting	Click here
3	Adjudicator	Click here
4	Alba / Na h-Alba / Albannach (Scotland / Scotland / Scottish in English)	Click here
5	Archwilydd Cyffredinol Cymru (Auditor General for Wales in English)	Click here
6	Association	Click here
7	Assurance / Assurer	Click here
8	Audit Commission	Click here
9	Auditor General / Audit Office	Click here
10	Auditor General for Northern Ireland	Click here
11	Auditor General for Scotland / Audit Scotland	Click here
12	Auditor General for Wales	Click here
13	Banc / Bank / Banking	Click here
14	Benevolent	Click here
15	Breatainn / Breatannach (British / British in English)	Click here
16	Brenin / Brenhines (King/Queen in English)	Click here
17	Brenhinol / Brenhiniaeth (Royal / Monarchy in English)	Click here
18	Britain / British	Click here
19	Chamber of Commerce	Click here
20	Charitable / Charity	Click here
21	Charter	Click here
22	Chartered	Click here
23	Chartered Accountant	Click here
24	Chartered Secretary	Click here
25	Chartered Surveyor	Click here
26	Child Maintenance / Child Support	Click here
27	Comhairle	Click here
28	Coimisean	Click here
29	Comisiwn	Click here
30	Comisiwn y Senedd / Comisiwn Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru	Click here
31	Commission	Click here
32	Community Benefit Society	Click here
33	Comptroller and Auditor General	Click here
34	Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland	Click here
35	Co-operative	Click here
36	Co-operative Society	Click here
37	Council	Click here
38	Cymru / Cymreig / Cymraeg	Click here
39	Cyngor	Click here
40	Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru	Click here
41	Dental / Dentistry	Click here
42	Dentist / Dental Surgeon / Dental / Practitioner	Click here
43	Diùc / Ban-diùc	Click here
44	Dug / Duges	Click here
45	Duke / Duchess	Click here
46	Ei Fawrhydi / Ei Mawrhydi	Click here
47	England / of England / English	Click here
48	Federation	Click here
49	Financial Conduct Authority	Click here
50	Financial Reporting Council / Financial Reporting Review Panel	Click here
51	Foundation	Click here
52	Friendly Society	Click here
53	Fund	Click here
54	Government	Click here
55	The Governor and Company of the Bank of England	Click here
56	Gwasanaeth iechyd	Click here
57	Health and Safety Executive	Click here
58	Health and Social Care Board	Click here
59	Health centre / Health service	Click here
60	Health visitor	Click here
61	His Majesty / Her Majesty	Click here
62	House of Commons / House of Lords	Click here
63	HPSS / HSC	Click here
64	Inspectorate	Click here
65	Institute / Institution	Click here
66	Insurance / Insurer	Click here
67	Judicial appointment	Click here
68	King	Click here
69	Law Commission	Click here
70	Licensing	Click here
71	Llywodraeth (Government in English)	Click here
72	Medical centre	Click here
73	Midwife / Midwifery	Click here
74	Mòrachd	Click here
75	Mutual	Click here
76	National Audit Office	Click here
77	NHS	Click here
78	Northern Ireland / Northern Irish	Click here
79	Northern Ireland Assembly / Northern Ireland Assembly Commission / Northern Ireland Executive	Click here
80	Northern Ireland Audit Office	Click here
81	Nurse / Nursing	Click here
82	Office for Nuclear Regulation	Click here
83	Oifis sgrùdaidh (Audit Office in English)	Click here
84	Oilthigh (University in English)	Click here
85	Ombudsman / Ombwdsmon	Click here
86	Parlamaid (Parliament in English)	Click here
87	Parliament / Parliamentarian / Parliamentary	Click here
88	Patent / Patentee	Click here
89	The Pensions Advisory Service	Click here
90	Police	Click here
91	Polytechnic	Click here
92	Post Office	Click here
93	Prifysgol (University in English)	Click here
94	Prince / Princess	Click here
95	Prionnsa / Bana-phrionnsa	Click here
96	Prudential Regulation Authority	Click here
97	Prydain / Prydeinig (Britain / British in English)	Click here
98	Public Health Agency	Click here
99	Queen	Click here
100	Reassurance / Reassurer	Click here
101	Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Wellbeing	Click here
102	Regional Health and Social Care Board	Click here
103	Registrar	Click here
104	Registered Society	Click here
105	Regulator	Click here
106	Reinsurance / Reinsurer	Click here
107	Riaghaltas (Govt in English)	Click here
108	Rìgh Banrigh (King of Queen in English)	Click here
109	Rìoghachd Aonaichte (United Kingdom in English)	Click here
110	Rìoghail Rìoghalachd (Royal Royalty in English)	Click here
111	Royal / Royalty	Click here
112	Scotland / of Scotland / Scottish	Click here
113	Scottish Law Commission	Click here
114	Scottish Parliament / Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body	Click here
115	Senedd (Parliament in English)	Click here
116	Sheffield	Click here
117	Siambr Fasnach	Click here
118	Social Service	Click here
119	Society	Click here
120	Special School	Click here
121	Standards	Click here
122	Stock exchange	Click here
123	Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru	Click here
124	Teyrnas Gyfunol / Teyrnas Unedig	Click here
125	Trade Union	Click here
126	Tribunal	Click here
127	Trust	Click here
128	Tywysog / Tywysoges	Click here
129	Underwrite / Underwriting	Click here
130	University	Click here
131	Wales / Welsh	Click here
132	Wales Audit Office	Click here
133	Welsh Government / Welsh Assembly Government	Click here
134	Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru / National Assembly for Wales / National Assembly for Wales Commission	Click here
135	Windsor	Click here

Sensitive words that imply a connection with the UK Authorities

No	Sensitive words	UK Authority to contact
1	Accounting Council / Actuarial Council / Audit and Assurance Council / Corporate Reporting Council	Click here
2	Agency	Click here
3	Assembly	Click here
4	Border Agency / Border Force	Click here
5	Cabinet Office	Click here
6	Cadw	Click here
7	Care Inspectorate Wales / CIW	Click here
8	Crime Squad / Criminal Intelligence Service	Click here
9	Crown Estate	Click here
10	Employment Medical Advisory Service / EMAS	Click here
11	Further Education	Click here
12	Higher Education	Click here
13	HMRC	Click here
14	Home Office	Click here
15	Industrial and Provident Society	Click here
16	Intellectual Property / IPO	Click here
17	Lord Advocate	Click here
18	Notary / Notary public / Notarial	Click here
19	Nuclear Installation	Click here
20	Office of the Public Guardian	Click here
21	Primary Education	Click here
22	Registered Society	Click here
23	Revenue and Customs	Click here
24	Scrivener / Scrivener notary	Click here
25	SE	Click here
26	Secondary Education	Click here
27	Select Committee	Click here
28	Serious Organised Crime / SOCA	Click here

Other regulated words

No	Reserved words	UK Authority to contact
1	Anzac	Click here
2	Architect	Click here
3	Bachelor of medicine	Click here
4	Building Society	Click here
5	Chemist / Dispensing chemist / Dispensing druggist / Druggist / Pharmaceutical / Pharmaceutical chemist / Pharmaceutical druggist / Pharmaceutist / Pharmacist / Pharmacy	Click here
6	Chiropractic / Chiropractor / Chiropractic practitioner / Chiropractioner / Chiropractic physician	Click here
7	Citius / Altius / Fortius	Click here
8	Commonhold Association	Click here
9	Contact lens / Contact lenses	Click here
10	Credit Union	Click here
11	Dispensing optician / Enrolled optician / Ophthalmic optician / Optician / Optometrist / Registered optician	Click here
12	Doctor of medicine	Click here
13	Faster, higher, stronger	Click here
14	General practitioner	Click here
15	Geneva Cross	Click here
16	Health Care professions and protected titles	Click here
17	Olympic / Olympian / Olympiad / Paralympic / Paralympian / Paralympiad	Click here
18	Ordnance survey	Click here
19	Physician	Click here
20	Red Crescent / Red Cross / Red Lion and Sun	Click here
21	Social worker	Click here
22	Solicitor	Click here
23	Spirit in motion	Click here
24	Surgeon	Click here
25	Vet / Veterinary / Veterinary surgeon / Veterinary practitioner	Click here

The incorporation and company names also apply to overseas company registering in the UK.

Post incorporation

After your UK company is successfully incorporated, you must submit the following documents to the UK Authorities yearly.

• Confirmation statement and company accounts to Companies House.
• Corporation tax and company accounts to HM Revenue and Customs.

Contact us if you have any questions about registering a company in the United Kingdom.