What if Companies House spells the company name wrong on the certificate?

23 October 2026

A spelling that looks wrong on a Companies House certificate should be investigated before the document is apostilled or sent overseas. It may be a genuine record issue, a historic company name, a punctuation difference or an order mismatch rather than a printing error.

This Advice Centre guide is practical document information, not legal advice, an immigration opinion, a banking decision or a promise of foreign acceptance. Ask the named recipient for its current written checklist before ordering.

Short answer

Compare the certificate with the live Companies House record, the company number and the order confirmation. The company number is the strongest identifier, but a recipient may still reject a certificate if the legal name does not match its onboarding file. If the register itself is wrong, contact Companies House through the appropriate correction route. If the certificate was ordered for the wrong entity or name, a fresh order may be required.

Start with the company number

Open the official record and compare the company number, registered name, company type and registered office. A trading name, shortened name, punctuation mark or suffix can look like a typo while remaining legally significant. Check whether a recent name-change filing has completed and whether the certificate reflects the current or a requested historic name.

Separate record error from order error

If the live register and order confirmation contain the same spelling, the certificate may accurately reproduce the record. If the live register is correct but the certificate differs, save the certificate and contact the issuing channel promptly. Explain the mismatch with the company number and exact register text. Do not alter a PDF or scan yourself; an edited document is not official evidence.

Before legalisation

Do not send a questionable certificate for apostille while the name is unresolved. Legalisation does not correct underlying content. A foreign recipient may compare the apostille, certificate and corporate records and pause the file if names differ. Resolve the source record first, then obtain the document format the recipient accepts.

Name changes and historic names

Companies can change names. A certificate for the current name may not satisfy a request for evidence of a former name, and a certificate issued before the change may be too old for a bank. Ask whether the recipient needs current status, historic continuity or both, and include the relevant name-change filing where appropriate.

Practical checklist

• Compare the certificate, Companies House record and order confirmation.

• Use the company number to identify the legal entity.

• Check for recent name-change filings or historic names.

• Contact the issuing route before altering or legalising a disputed document.

• Ask the recipient what name must appear on the final pack.

• Keep any corrected document and explanation together.

Official fees and sources

Check the live GOV.UK guidance on ordering certified copies and certificates from Companies House before ordering. The current working figures for this batch are £22 for a standard Companies House certificate and £65 for a same-day certificate. These are official charges, not an agent’s full service price. Where legalisation is needed, the live GOV.UK document legalisation guidance lists £45 for a paper apostille, £35 for an e-Apostille, £40 for Next-Day and £100 for Urgent/Restricted Urgent where the relevant conditions apply. Certification, translation, courier, postage and any later embassy stage can be separate. UKCOGS does not claim FCDO partner status; use current official terms when describing any service.

Freshness is a recipient rule

There is no universal 90-day legal expiry for every Certificate of Good Standing. About 90 days is a common recipient habit, but a bank, authority, registrar or clerk may specify 30, 60, 180 days or a document issued after a particular filing. An apostille authenticates the relevant signature, seal or status; it does not refresh company information. Check the recipient’s written rule and the live Companies House record before presentation.

Questions to settle before payment

Ask the receiving organisation to confirm the exact document title, the legal entity, the maximum document age and the accepted delivery format. Ask whether it wants an original, a Companies House certified copy, a solicitor-certified copy or an electronic file. If the document will be used outside the UK, ask whether an apostille is enough or whether translation, embassy legalisation or local filing follows. Put the reply in the order file; a short written answer is more useful than an assumption based on a similar transaction. Also check the practical hand-offs: who will receive the certificate, whether a portal accepts the original electronic file, whether paper will be requested later and whether the courier address differs from the registered office. Keep tracking information and delivery confirmation with the final pack.

Keep the scope clear

A company certificate is one piece of evidence. It should not be described as a guarantee of incorporation history, ownership, financial health, tax compliance, authority to sign or permission to trade unless the document and recipient specifically establish that point. If a reviewer asks a question the certificate cannot answer, add the separate evidence it requests or obtain professional advice. Clear wording protects the client from relying on a document for a purpose it was never designed to meet.

Frequently asked questions

Can I correct the PDF myself?

No. Do not edit an official certificate. Request correction or a new document.

What if the company has changed name?

Ask whether the recipient needs current or historic-name evidence and provide the relevant official record.

Is the company number enough?

It is the key identifier, but the recipient may still require the exact legal name to match.

Can an apostille fix a misspelling?

No. An apostille does not correct the underlying certificate.

Should I order again immediately?

First identify whether the issue is the register, order or a legitimate name format, then choose the correction route.

UKCOGS can help coordinate the relevant document route. See the Certificate of Good Standing service, apostille and legalisation information, order page or request a quote. Service prices and delivery times are separate from official fees, and the receiving organisation makes its own decision.