Europe · Company formation

Company formation in Scotland (United Kingdom)

This suits founders who want a credible, low-cost, English-law-adjacent onshore company that can be set up fully remotely and fast, with no minimum capital. It is not a low-tax or privacy play. Ownership and accounts are public.

Last verified July 2026

At a glance

Entity
Private company limited by shares (Ltd) — the standard UK vehicle, registered at Companies House with a Scottish jurisdiction (registered office in Scotland); same company law as the rest of the UK
Corporate tax
UK Corporation Tax: 25% main rate (profits over £250,000) and 19% small-profits rate (profits up to £50,000), with marginal relief in between; rates and thresholds unchanged for the year from April 2026
Incorporation time
~1 business day for online incorporation (often same day); paper filings take longer
Minimum capital
No minimum — companies are typically formed with a single £1 share; capital need not be paid up on incorporation
Resident director
Not required. UK company law imposes no residency or nationality restriction on directors or shareholders; at least one director must be a natural person. A UK-based registered office (in Scotland for a Scottish company) and an 'appropriate' registered email address are mandatory
Audit
Statutory audit unless the company qualifies as small — exempt if it meets at least two of: turnover ≤ £15m, balance sheet total ≤ £7.5m, ≤ 50 employees (thresholds raised from 6 April 2025). Some companies (e.g. certain regulated/financial firms) cannot use the exemption
Remote set-up
Yes — fully online via Companies House, no notarisation. Since 18 November 2025 all directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) must complete Companies House identity verification (via GOV.UK One Login or an authorised corporate service provider) and supply a personal code; foreign founders can do this remotely with a passport
Government fee
£100 for standard online (web) incorporation from 1 February 2026 (was £50); £124 by paper; ~£50 via approved third-party software
Best for
This suits founders who want a credible, low-cost, English-law-adjacent onshore company that can be set up fully remotely and fast, with no minimum capital. It is not a low-tax or privacy play. Ownership and accounts are public.

The process

  1. Verify the identity of all directors and PSCs with Companies House (GOV.UK One Login or an ACSP) and obtain personal codes
  2. Choose a company name, secure a UK registered office address in Scotland, and prepare the memorandum and articles of association
  3. File form IN01 online with Companies House (directors, shareholders, PSCs, share capital), paying the £100 fee
  4. Receive the certificate of incorporation (usually within a day), then register for Corporation Tax with HMRC and set up any required PAYE/VAT
What can go wrong
  • This is an onshore, fully transparent company — director, shareholder/PSC details and annual accounts are on the public register; it offers no tax or confidentiality advantage
  • Identity verification (mandatory since 18 November 2025) is now a hard prerequisite; unverified directors commit an offence, so budget time for the ID checks before filing
  • A genuine registered office and appropriate email in Scotland are required, and non-resident founders typically still need to solve UK business banking separately, which can be the slowest step

Form a company in Scotland (United Kingdom)?

One named person on the file, an honest read on tax and substance, and a fixed quote before you commit.