Appointment of Directors & Secretaries
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Record new directors and secretaries correctly
When someone new joins your company as a director or secretary, the appointment must be recorded on the public register. The appointed person can be an individual or another company. We collect the required details, prepare the right form for each type of appointment, and file it for you. We also check that the information matches the public record. This helps keep your company’s leadership records clear and correct. Forms covered: AP01 to AP05.
AP01 Appointment of Director (Version 10.0, 08/26)
Purpose
AP01 is made under section 167G of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to appoint an individual as a director. It cannot be used to appoint a corporate director; form AP02 is used for that.
Deadlines
The form does not print a deadline. GOV.UK states that Companies House must be told within 14 days of changes to directors or secretaries, which covers a new appointment.
Requirements
The company name and number must match the public register, the date of appointment, nationality, month and year of birth and full date of birth must be completed, and all former names used for business in the last 20 years included. Both the service address and the usual residential address are required, and addresses must be physical locations that cannot be a PO Box (unless part of a full service address), DX or LP (Legal Post in Scotland) number.
Filing Process
Section 1 gives the company number and name. Section 2 gives the date of appointment. Section 3 gives the new director’s details: title, forenames, surname, former names used for business in the last 20 years, country or state of residence, nationality and month and year of birth. Section 4 gives the service address, which appears on the public record and may be stated as the company’s registered office. Section A1 (not on the public record) gives the full date of birth, and section A2 the usual residential address, which may be stated as the same as the service address unless the service address is the registered office. Section A3 is ticked only if a section 243 exemption has been applied for or granted. Section A4 is the identity verification statement with the director’s 11 character Companies House personal code, and A5 gives the reason if the name does not match the verified name. Section 5 is the consent to act, section 6 the authentication by printed name and section 7 additional former names.
AP02 Appointment of Corporate Director (Version 8.0, 11/25)
Purpose
AP02 is made under section 167G of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to appoint a corporate body or firm as a director. It cannot be used to appoint an individual; form AP01 is used for that.
Deadlines
The form does not print a deadline. GOV.UK states that Companies House must be told within 14 days of changes to directors or secretaries, which covers a new appointment.
Requirements
The company name and number must match the public register, the date of appointment and the new corporate director’s address must be entered, and either section 4 or section 5 completed. The principal office address must be a physical location and cannot be a PO Box (unless part of a full address), DX or LP number. Where details of a register are given, its registration number must also be given.
Filing Process
Section 1 gives the company number and name. Section 2 gives the date of the corporate director’s appointment. Section 3 gives the corporate body or firm name and its principal office address, which appears on the public record, and asks whether the corporate director is a limited company registered in the UK. If Yes, section 4 gives the company registration number; if No, section 5 gives the legal form, the governing law and, if applicable, the register where the body is registered (including the state) and its registration number. Section 6 is the consent to act as corporate director and section 7 the authentication by printed name.
AP03 Appointment of Secretary (Version 7.0, 11/25)
Purpose
AP03 is made under section 279G of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to appoint an individual as a secretary. It cannot be used to appoint a corporate secretary; form AP04 is used for that.
Deadlines
The form does not print a deadline. GOV.UK states that Companies House must be told within 14 days if a new company secretary is appointed or an existing appointment ends.
Requirements
The company name and number must match the public register, the date of appointment must be completed and the service address provided. The address must be a physical location and cannot be a PO Box, DX or LP (Legal Post in Scotland) number. All former names used for business over the last 20 years must be included, the consent to act box ticked and the form authenticated.
Filing Process
Section 1 gives the company number and name. Section 2 gives the date of the secretary’s appointment. Section 3 gives the new secretary’s details: title, forenames, surname and former names used for business purposes in the last 20 years. Section 4 gives the service address, which appears on the public record and may be stated as the company’s registered office; if a residential address is given, it will appear on the public record. Section 5 is the consent to act as secretary, section 6 the authentication by printed name and section 7 additional former names continued from section 3.
AP04 Appointment of Corporate Secretary (Version 8.0, 11/25)
Purpose
AP04 is made under section 279G of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to appoint a corporate body or firm as a secretary. It cannot be used to appoint an individual; form AP03 is used for that.
Deadlines
The form does not print a deadline. GOV.UK states that Companies House must be told within 14 days if a new company secretary is appointed or an existing appointment ends.
Requirements
The company name and number must match the public register, the date of appointment and the new corporate secretary’s address must be entered, and either section 4 or section 5 completed. The address must be a physical location and cannot be a PO Box (unless part of a full address), DX or LP number. The consent to act statement in section 6 must be ticked and the form authenticated.
Filing Process
Section 1 gives the company number and name. Section 2 gives the date of the corporate secretary’s appointment. Section 3 gives the corporate body or firm name and its principal office address, which appears on the public record, and asks whether the corporate secretary is a limited company registered in the UK. If Yes, section 4 gives the company registration number; if No, section 5 gives the legal form, governing law and, if applicable, the register where it is registered and its registration number. Section 6 is the consent to act as corporate secretary and section 7 the authentication by printed name.
AP05 Appointment of CIC Manager, Receiver and Manager or Judicial Factor (Version 4.0, 05/10)
Purpose
AP05 is made under section 1154 of the Companies Act 2006 and is used to appoint a Community Interest Company manager (section 47 of the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004), a Charity Commission receiver and manager (section 18 of the Charities Act 1993) or a judicial factor (Scotland). It cannot be used for any other appointment.
Deadlines
The form does not state a filing deadline, and the GOV.UK guidance reviewed does not give one for this appointment. It should be filed promptly after the appointment.
Requirements
The company name and number must match the public register, the person being appointed must be indicated in section 2 and the name entered correctly in section 3. The service address must be a physical location and cannot be a PO Box (unless part of a full address), DX or LP (Legal Post in Scotland) number. An authorising signature must be provided.
Filing Process
Section 1 gives the company number and name. Section 2 is the appointment, where only one box is ticked to show who is being appointed. Section 3 gives the full name (title, forenames, surname or corporate name) of the person appointed. Section 4 gives the service address, which appears on the public record and does not have to be the usual residential address. Section 5 is the signature, given by the Charity Commissioners, the Regulator of Community Interest Companies or the judicial factor.