By
August 11, 2026
How Do I Change a Director's Details at Companies House?
If a director of a UK limited company changes their personal or contact details, the company may need to update Companies House.
Common changes can include:
The exact filing depends on what has changed.
It is important to update Companies House promptly because directors are legally responsible for ensuring company information remains accurate.
This guide explains how to change a director’s details, which information appears publicly and which details are protected.
Depending on the circumstances, Companies House may need to be updated when a director changes information such as:
Name
Service address
Residential address
Nationality
Country of residence
Occupation
The company should also notify Companies House when a director is appointed or stops being a director.
These are separate filings from simply changing an existing director’s details.
For most companies, director changes can be submitted online through Companies House.
The general process is:
Identify what changed
↓
Use the appropriate Companies House filing
↓
Submit the updated information
↓
Wait for Companies House to register it
↓
Check the public register
Many routine changes can be completed electronically.
The form depends on the change.
For individual directors, Companies House uses different forms for different updates.
For example, forms in the CH01 series are commonly used to change details of an individual director.
Other forms apply to corporate directors or different types of officers.
For most standard UK limited companies with an individual director, the relevant change is often made using CH01.
Yes, many director-detail changes can be filed online.
This is usually the simplest method.
You may need:
After submission, check the company’s public filing history to make sure the change has been accepted.
Companies House generally requires changes to a director’s details to be reported within the applicable statutory timeframe.
For many director and officer changes, this is generally within 14 days.
Do not wait until the next confirmation statement.
Director changes should normally be notified separately.
If a director changes their legal name, Companies House should be updated.
For example:
Previous name: Jane Smith
↓
New legal name: Jane Williams
The company should file the updated director information.
Companies House may also retain information about previous names where required by law.
The director may also need to update other organisations, such as:
A director’s service address is the address used for official correspondence relating to their role as director.
This address appears on the public Companies House register.
A director can use:
If the service address changes, Companies House should be updated.
No.
This distinction is important.
This is the address shown publicly on the Companies House register.
This is the director’s private home address.
The residential address is generally protected from routine public disclosure.
A director may use the same address for both, but many directors choose a separate service address for privacy.
A change of residential address should also be reported to Companies House.
Although the residential address is generally not visible on the public register, Companies House still needs accurate information.
For example:
Director moves house
↓
Residential address changes
↓
Company updates Companies House
This is separate from changing the company’s registered office.
No.
These are separate records.
For example:
Company registered office changes
does not automatically mean:
Director service address changes
and does not automatically mean:
Director residential address changes
If all three have changed, separate updates may be required.
Generally, no.
Companies House normally protects a director’s residential address from routine public disclosure.
The public register typically shows the director’s service address instead.
However, historical documents filed in the past may contain older address information depending on when and how the filing was made.
There are separate Companies House procedures for suppressing certain historical residential-address information in qualifying circumstances.
If the nationality recorded for the director changes or is incorrect, Companies House should be updated.
For example:
Old record: Maltese
↓
Updated record: British and Maltese
or another legally correct description.
Use the relevant Companies House process to update the information accurately.
The company should ensure that the change reflects the director’s actual legal position.
If the director moves permanently to another country, the country-of-residence information may need to be updated.
For example:
Country of residence: UK
↓
Director relocates permanently to Spain
↓
Companies House details updated
This does not necessarily affect the director’s eligibility to remain a director of a UK limited company.
A UK company can generally have directors living overseas.
Yes.
A UK limited company can generally have directors who live outside the UK.
For example:
UK limited company
Director resident in Malta
is possible.
However, the company still needs:
The director’s overseas residence does not remove these responsibilities.
If Companies House holds occupation information for a director and that information changes or needs correction, the company may update it.
For example:
Occupation: Consultant
↓
New occupation: Company Director
The exact relevance depends on the company record and current filing requirements.
A director’s date of birth is treated differently from ordinary changeable details.
Companies House generally shows only part of the date of birth publicly, while retaining the full date internally.
If the date of birth is incorrect, correction may require a specific Companies House process rather than a standard director-details update.
Do not simply submit a normal change form if the underlying information is wrong.
Check the current correction process.
If the company record contains an error rather than a genuine change of name, the correct approach may depend on how the error occurred.
A simple correction may sometimes be possible through the appropriate filing.
In other cases, Companies House may require a formal correction process.
Check the filing history first to identify where the error originated.
A resignation is not the same as changing director details.
If a director stops holding office, the company should notify Companies House using the appropriate resignation filing.
The company should also:
The appointment of a new director is also separate from changing an existing director’s details.
The company should follow its internal decision-making procedures and then notify Companies House.
Current identity-verification requirements should also be considered.
Under the current Companies House regime, directors are subject to identity-verification requirements.
Companies House uses personal codes to connect a verified identity with company roles.
This means identity verification may be relevant when:
Because implementation requirements can evolve, check current Companies House guidance.
Once an individual successfully verifies their identity, Companies House provides a personal code.
This code belongs to the individual rather than to a specific company.
For example, if one person is a director of several companies, the same verified identity may be linked across those directorships.
Keep the personal code secure.
A director-details change may be filed by:
provided they have the necessary access and authority.
However, directors remain responsible for ensuring the company’s information is accurate.
For many online company filings, yes.
The Companies House authentication code is used to authorise filings electronically.
Keep it secure and do not share it unnecessarily.
If you lose access to it, Companies House provides a process for requesting a replacement.
After filing:
Search the company
↓
Open the public Companies House record
↓
Check the director section
↓
Review filing history
Do not assume the update has succeeded just because the form was submitted.
If the filing is rejected, correct it and resubmit.
Not necessarily in every respect.
Companies House and HMRC are separate systems.
Depending on the change, the director or company may also need to update:
Do not assume one Companies House update changes everything.
Yes.
The company should keep its own statutory and administrative records accurate.
Depending on the change, update:
Companies House is not a substitute for maintaining proper internal company records.
If a director’s name, address or role changes, the business bank may need to be notified.
Banks often carry out their own identity and compliance checks.
You may need to provide:
Payment providers such as Stripe, PayPal or merchant-account providers may also require updated director information.
Differences between Companies House and payment-provider records can lead to verification issues.
For example:
Companies House shows new director address
but
Payment provider shows old address
This may trigger additional compliance checks.
Director information can sometimes be relevant to:
Review policies when significant director information changes.
No.
Director changes should generally be reported separately within the applicable timeframe.
The confirmation statement is designed to confirm that company information is accurate, not to replace all event-driven filings.
A useful rule is:
Director detail changes → report when they happen
Confirmation statement → confirm company information periodically
Leaving incorrect director information on the Companies House register can create compliance problems.
Potential consequences can include:
Directors should therefore keep their information accurate.
Companies House has powers and procedures for dealing with inaccurate or disputed information.
If incorrect information appears on the register, you may need to:
depending on the circumstances.
Do not ignore an error simply because it seems minor.
Unexpected director changes should be treated seriously.
Regularly monitor your company’s filing history.
If you discover:
contact Companies House and follow the appropriate process for challenging the filing.
Protect your company authentication credentials.
If a director’s information changes, check:
Legal name
Service address
Residential address
Nationality
Country of residence
Occupation
Identity verification
Companies House record
Internal register
Bank records
Payment providers
HMRC records where relevant
Then confirm the Companies House filing was accepted.
Companies should avoid:
For most routine changes, use the Companies House online filing service or the appropriate director-change form, commonly CH01 for an individual director.
Many director changes generally need to be reported within 14 days.
Yes. Service-address and residential-address changes can generally be updated using the relevant Companies House process.
Generally, no. The public register normally shows the service address rather than the residential address.
Yes. A legal name change should be notified to Companies House.
Yes. A UK limited company can generally have directors resident outside the UK.
No. Registered office and director addresses are separate records.
Director changes should generally be filed separately rather than waiting for the confirmation statement.
Under the current Companies House regime, directors are subject to identity-verification requirements.
Check the company’s public Companies House record and filing history after submission.
So, how do you change a director’s details at Companies House?
The process is usually:
Identify what changed
↓
Use the correct Companies House filing
↓
Submit the update
↓
Confirm Companies House accepted it
↓
Update internal and third-party records
For an individual director, routine changes are commonly made using the Companies House online service or CH01.
The most important distinction is between:
Service address → public
and
Residential address → generally protected
Also remember that changing the company’s registered office does not automatically update the director’s personal details.
Director information should normally be updated promptly rather than waiting for the next confirmation statement.
This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal, accounting, tax or financial advice. Companies House procedures and identity-verification requirements can change. Check current official guidance before filing a change.
