Companies Act 2006 (c. 46)

Part 5 U.K. A company's name

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 5 power to apply (with modifications) conferred (E.W.S.) (1.12.2013) by Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Act 2010 (c. 7), ss. 4(1)(2)(b), 8(2); S.I. 2013/2936, art. 2

C2 Pt. 5 power to apply (with modifications) conferred (1.8.2014) by Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (c. 14), ss. 135, 154 (with Sch. 5)

C3 Pts. 1-39 modified (31.12.2020) by Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001, Art. AAA1(3) (as inserted by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1298), regs. 1, 97 (with regs. 140-145) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 5(a)-(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))

C4 Pts. 1-39 (except for Pt. 7 and ss. 662-669), 45-47 extended (12.5.2011) by The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1265), art. 5(1), Sch. 1 para. 2

Chapter 1 U.K. General requirements

Prohibited names U.K.

53 Prohibited names U.K.

A company must not be registered under this Act by a name if, in the opinion of the Secretary of State—

(a) its use by the company would constitute an offence, or

(b) it is offensive.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C5 S. 53 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/638 reg. 10(1A)-(1C) (as substituted (1.10.2009) by The European Economic Interest Grouping (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2399), reg. 13 (with reg. 2))

C6 Ss. 53-56A applied (with modifications) (9.7.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 8 (with Sch. 1 paras. 3, 4, 34, 35) (as amended: (14.12.2009) by S.I. 2009/2995, reg. 2(2); and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 6; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))

[F1 53A Names for criminal purposes U.K.

A company must not be registered under this Act by a name if, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, the registration of the company by that name is intended to facilitate—

(a) the commission of an offence involving dishonesty or deception, or

(b) the carrying out of conduct that, if carried out in any part of the United Kingdom, would amount to such an offence.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 53A inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 4.3.2024 in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), ss. 8(2), 219(1)(2)(b); S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(d)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C7 Ss. 53-56A applied (with modifications) (9.7.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.10.2009) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1804), regs. 2, 8 (with Sch. 1 paras. 3, 4, 34, 35) (as amended: (14.12.2009) by S.I. 2009/2995, reg. 2(2); and (4.3.2024) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/234), regs. 1(2), 6; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 2(a))