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Certificate of Incorporation — certified
£49 ex VAT
Your fee £49 ex VAT · Official CH fee £22 (included) · Service £27
Order Certificate of Incorporation
A UK Certificate of Incorporation proves the company was formed. Companies House offers a free digital copy on the public register; banks and foreign counsel usually want a certified Companies House copy. UKCOGS orders that certified copy for £49 ex VAT (official CH fee £22 included). Private agent — not the registrar; apostille stays quote-only.
Price — your fee and the official Companies House fee
UKCOGS price from the current buy-now catalogue, ex VAT. Official fees checked on GOV.UK the week of 16 September 2026.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UKCOGS certified Certificate of Incorporation Buy-now catalogue | £49 ex VAT | Includes official CH standard fee |
| Official CH — Certificate of Incorporation Standard by post | £22 | Companies House fees list (updated 2 July 2026) |
| Official CH — same-day Certificate of Incorporation | £65 | GOV.UK same-day fee. Not a separate UKCOGS catalogue SKU — request on the order form; we confirm all-in before payment. |
| Free public-register download / filing image | £0 | Available on Companies House Find and update for many companies. Not the certified product we sell. |
Also see GOV.UK — Order certified copies and certificates from Companies House (standard and express dispatch rules; aim ~10 working days on standard). Confirm live fees before a deadline.
How it works
Three steps with working-day timescales.
1
Confirm you need the certified product
Many people can download incorporation images free from the Companies House register. Order through us only when the bank, registry or counsel requires a certified Companies House Certificate of Incorporation. Send company name, number and delivery address. Orders placed on a UK working day are acknowledged the same day.
2
We order from Companies House
We apply for the official certified Certificate of Incorporation. Standard dispatch: Companies House aims to send within about 10 working days (official fee £22, included in our £49). If you need same-day CH dispatch (official £65 on GOV.UK), note it on the order form — we confirm the all-in figure before you pay. We order to our address so we can retrieve the paper.
3
Scan and tracked delivery
When the certificate arrives we scan it and send by tracked UK post or courier to you or your lawyer — typically within 1–3 working days of receipt. Apostille, embassy or translation — if required — is quoted before any legalisation work starts.
Free download versus certified copy — do not mix them up
Companies House publishes company filing history on Find and update company information. For most companies you can open the incorporation record and download a digital image without paying. That free file is useful for your own records and for checking the company number and incorporation date.
It is not the same as a certified Certificate of Incorporation. Certification is a separate Companies House product: a certified copy or certificate ordered through the registrar’s certified-documents service, with the official fee (£22 standard / £65 same day on the live fees list). Banks, overseas registries and FCDO apostille routes commonly require that certified product — not a printout of the free PDF. UKCOGS obtains the certified product as a private agent. We do not sell, rebadge or “upgrade” the free download.
Fit and eligibility warnings
- If a free download is enough, use GOV.UK. Do not pay us for a certified copy you do not need.
- Incorporation is not good standing. Formation proof does not confirm current accounts, confirmation statement status or strike-off position. Use the Certificate of Good Standing page for that.
- Wrong company number wastes the fee. Match the exact legal name and number on the recipient checklist before you order.
- We order to our address so we can scan and forward. Ordering to the company’s registered office often means you never see the envelope.
What you receive
An official certified Certificate of Incorporation ordered from Companies House for the company number you supply, scanned on arrival, then sent by tracked UK post or courier. Our catalogue price is £49 ex VAT, of which £22 is the official standard Companies House fee (confirmed on the GOV.UK fees list updated 2 July 2026). The remainder is ordering, handling and tracked send-on.
Same-day Companies House dispatch exists on GOV.UK at £65. Our published buy-now SKU is the standard £49 route. If you need same-day CH dispatch, write that on the order form; we confirm the total before payment rather than inventing a second catalogue price on this page.
When buyers actually need this document
- A foreign bank or free zone asks for “certificate of incorporation” or “proof of incorporation”.
- Counsel wants formation proof alongside articles and a standing certificate.
- An apostille route needs a certified Companies House original, not a public PDF.
We do not give visa, immigration or bank-account-opening advice. Confirm the written document list with the recipient. Companies House does not print a legal “valid until” date on this product; recipients set their own freshness habits.
Apostille and embassy (quote only)
If the destination needs legalisation, the next step is usually an FCDO apostille (Hague countries) or apostille plus embassy work. Official FCDO fees this week: paper £45 (plus courier or postage) and e-Apostille £35. Ignore stale printouts that still show £30. Apostille, e-Apostille, embassy legalisation, translations and same-day FCDO routes remain quote-only — we confirm fulfilment before taking that money.
Related pages and tools
- UK Certificate of Good Standing — standing / summary statement route.
- Company documents pack — incorporation + COGS + articles on one invoice (£249–£299).
- Company documents — wider certified-copy catalogue.
- Which document do I need?
- Document freshness helper
- Companies House filings checker
Who we are
Pasecom Group Ltd · Companies House 17139327 · Registered office: 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall IP28 7DE · ICO ZC117546 · pete@pasecom.co.uk. Trading as UKCOGS. Private agent — not Companies House, not the FCDO, not GOV.UK.
Page last updated 16 September 2026. Official fees rechecked against GOV.UK the week of publish.
Apostille & embassy — get a quote (coming soon)
Apostille, embassy legalisation, translations and expedited FCDO work are quote-only while we line up legalisation partners. Official FCDO fees: paper £45 · e-Apostille £35 (confirm on GOV.UK).
FAQ
Straight answers before you order. Fees cited from GOV.UK as of 16 September 2026.
What is a UK Certificate of Incorporation?
It is the Companies House document that records a company’s formation — name, company number and incorporation date. It proves the company exists as a registered UK entity. It is not a Certificate of Good Standing and does not, by itself, confirm current filings or that no strike-off action is underway.
Is the free Companies House download the same as a certified copy?
No. On Find and update company information you can usually view or download filing-history images, including the incorporation record, at no charge. That free digital file is useful for reference. A certified Certificate of Incorporation is an official Companies House product with certification for use where a bank, registry or apostille route requires it. UKCOGS sells the certified route, not a reprint of the free PDF.
How much do you charge, and what is the official Companies House fee?
UKCOGS charges £49 ex VAT for the certified Certificate of Incorporation on our current buy-now catalogue. That price includes the official Companies House standard fee of £22. Same-day Companies House dispatch is listed on GOV.UK at £65 — if you need that speed, say so on the order form and we confirm any all-in figure before you pay. Fees checked on GOV.UK the week of 16 September 2026.
How long does it take in working days?
On standard dispatch, Companies House aims to send within about 10 working days. Once the certificate arrives at our address we scan and send by tracked UK post or courier — typically within 1–3 working days of receipt. Same-day CH dispatch (official £65) must be ordered before 11am where that service is offered. Overseas courier adds transit time after we despatch.
When do I need incorporation instead of a Certificate of Good Standing?
Order incorporation when the checklist asks for proof the company was formed. Order a Certificate of Good Standing (company certificate with summary statement where eligible) when the checklist asks for current standing or continuous existence. Many overseas banks want both — that is the company documents pack. Use the free “Which document?” tool if the wording is unclear.
Will a free PDF be accepted for an apostille or a foreign bank?
Often no. FCDO legalisation of a Companies House document generally needs an original signature of a British public official on a certified certificate or certified copy. A free download from the public register is usually not that product. Confirm the recipient rule in writing. Apostille itself remains quote-only with UKCOGS.
Does the Certificate of Incorporation show directors, shareholders or PSC?
The incorporation certificate records formation facts. It is not a live directors list, shareholder register or PSC statement. Current officers and filings sit elsewhere on the Companies House register. If the recipient wants standing, articles or ownership extracts, say so before checkout.
Can I get this apostilled?
Yes in principle when the destination requires legalisation, but apostille, e-Apostille, embassy work and translations stay quote-only. Official FCDO fees to cite (confirm on GOV.UK): paper £45 plus courier or postage; e-Apostille £35. Do not use stale £30 figures. We confirm whether we can fulfil legalisation before taking that money.
Are you Companies House?
No. UKCOGS is operated by Pasecom Group Ltd (company number 17139327), a private document agent. We order official certified documents from Companies House and arrange delivery. We do not create, amend or certify the register. Official fees belong to government and should be confirmed on GOV.UK.
Order a certified Certificate of Incorporation
£49 ex VAT including official CH £22. Free public-register download is a different product. Apostille stays quote-only.