How to Appoint a New Director to Your Company

Adding a new director to your company is one of the most common changes you'll make at Companies House. Whether you're bringing on a co-founder, appointing a non-executive director, or adding a family member, the process is the same.

Here's how to do it, what information you'll need, and the rules to follow.

Who can be a director?

To be appointed as a director of a UK limited company, a person must:

• Be at least 16 years old
• Not be disqualified from acting as a director (by court order or the Insolvency Service)
• Not be an undischarged bankrupt (unless the court gives permission)

There are no nationality or residency requirements. A director doesn't need to live in the UK or be a British citizen. There's also no upper age limit.

A company must have at least one director who is a natural person (an individual, not another company). Beyond that, there's no maximum number of directors.

What information do you need?

To file the appointment, you'll need the following details for the new director:

• Full name (as it appears on official documents)
• Any former names used in the last 20 years
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Occupation
• Service address — a correspondence address that will be publicly visible (can be the company's registered office)
• Residential address — kept private by Companies House, not shown on the public register
• Date of appointment

The new director must consent to the appointment before you file it. There's no formal consent form required by Companies House, but you should have written consent on record.

How to file the appointment

Online via Companies House WebFiling:

1. Sign in to WebFiling with your authentication code
2. Select your company
3. Click "Appoint a director" — this files form AP01
4. Enter the new director's details as listed above
5. Submit — there is no fee

The appointment is usually processed within 24-48 hours.

By paper: You can also file a paper AP01 form, but it's slower (5-10 working days) and there's no advantage to doing so.

When should you file?

You must file the appointment with Companies House within 14 days of the date the person was appointed. The appointment date is the date the board (or shareholders) resolved to appoint them, not the date you file the form.

If you file late, there's no fine, but Companies House records will show a gap which can raise questions from banks, investors, or auditors.

What about the director's service address?

Every director must have a service address on the public register. This is where official correspondence is sent and it's visible to anyone.

Options for the service address:

• The company's registered office — the most common choice
• The director's own address — but this will be publicly visible
• A virtual office or correspondence address — for privacy

The residential address is also required but is kept confidential by Companies House. It's only shared with law enforcement and credit reference agencies.

Do you also need to update the PSC register?

If the new director also holds more than 25% of the company's shares or voting rights, they may also be a PSC (person with significant control). In that case, you need to file a separate PSC01 notification.

Appointing someone as a director alone doesn't make them a PSC. It depends on their shareholding and voting rights, not their role.

How to remove a director

Directors can be removed by:

• Resignation — the director submits a letter of resignation, and you file form TM01 with Companies House
• Removal by shareholders — shareholders pass an ordinary resolution to remove the director, and you file form TM01

Like appointments, removals must be filed within 14 days. The form is free to file online.

A company must always have at least one director. You cannot remove the last remaining director without appointing a replacement first.

Key takeaways

• Appoint a director by filing form AP01 via Companies House WebFiling — it's free
• File within 14 days of the appointment date
• You need the director's full name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, and two addresses (service + residential)
• The service address is publicly visible — the residential address is kept private
• The director must be at least 16 and not disqualified or bankrupt