The company registers set out the shareholding and directorship structure and history of a company. Company registers are crucial documents that provide key evidence about the company. They include a record of the company’s members/shareholders and the directors.
Whilst they can be presented in various formats, typically the information is set out in a table format. These can be held by Companies House if, at the point of incorporation, the company directors elected for them to be stored publicly. Alternatively, if a third party assisted with the company set-up (e.g. a formation agent or an accountant) it could be that the company registers are held by them.
Register of directors
Companies are legally required to keep statutory registers which provide important information about the company, including details of the company’s members/shareholders, directors, secretaries and Persons with Significant Control (PSC). The register of shareholders/members, in particular, is a crucial document as it provides ultimate evidence of the shareholders of the company.
Register of members
The Register of Members, also known as the Shareholders’ Register, is a list of all individuals and entities that hold shares in the company. This register is crucial for understanding the ownership structure of the company.