How Do I Issue Shares On Companies House?

Quick Fix Summary
File Companies House form SH01 online within 30 days of issuing shares. Get a board resolution ready, update your members register, and hand out share certificates. No fancy filings or extra fees unless you go the paper route.

When should I file Companies House form SH01?

When you create new shares in a UK limited company, three things must happen right away: Companies House needs updating, your internal registers stay current, and new shareholders get proper certificates. This is called an allotment of shares. Companies House just needs to know—it doesn’t approve anything. Miss the deadline or back-date paperwork, and you’re looking at late-filing penalties (£100–£5,000 depending on how late) plus headaches if shareholder disputes pop up.

According to the GOV.UK SH01 guidance, the filing must occur within 30 days of the allotment date to remain compliant.

How do I approve a share issue?

1. Call a board meeting (or use a written resolution if you’re flying solo)
   • Decide to issue X ordinary shares at £1 each to the new shareholder(s).
   • Keep the minutes in your company register—date, directors present, and the exact resolution text must be there.

Honestly, this is the best approach—documenting the decision protects you later. The GOV.UK guidance on running a company states that board resolutions must be documented and retained as part of the company’s statutory records.

When must I update the register of members?

2. Update the register of members
   • Open your company’s register of members—usually a spreadsheet or ledger.
   • Add a new row for each recipient: full name, address, number of shares, class, and allotment date.
   • Issue over 50 shares in a class? Companies House might ask for a confirmation statement tweak later (see step 5).

The GOV.UK register of members guidance requires that this register be kept up to date and available for inspection.

What’s the deadline for issuing share certificates?

3. Make and sign the share certificates
   • Use a template that includes company number, shareholder name, number of shares, class, consideration paid, and date.
   • Print on security paper (or a certified PDF printer).
   • The director and company secretary (or a second director) must sign each one; keep signed copies locked away in your statutory books.

Don’t skip this step—it’s legally required. The GOV.UK share certificates guidance specifies that certificates must be issued within two months of the allotment date.

How do I file form SH01 online?

4. File form SH01 online—it’s free via the Companies House portal
   • Head to GOV.UK SH01 service and log in with your company’s authentication code.
   • Enter the allotment date, share class, number issued, consideration received, and shareholder details.
   • Upload the board minutes if asked; you don’t need to attach the certificates.
   • File within 30 days or late penalties kick in.

The GOV.UK SH01 service confirms that online filing is free and must be completed within 30 days of the allotment date.

When should I update my confirmation statement?

5. Update your confirmation statement (CS01) if the share issue changes who’s who
   • Log in to Companies House and double-check the People with significant control and Shareholders sections.
   • File this once a year; the fee’s £13 (as of 2026).

This keeps everything clean and legal. The GOV.UK confirmation statement guidance states that this must be filed annually and includes updated shareholder information.

What if I miss the 30-day filing window?

• Missed the 30-day window? File the SH01 ASAP through the online portal. Late fees start at £100 and climb to £5,000 if you’re six months late.
• Need to fix a mistake? Submit a revised SH01 and tick “correction.” Companies House updates its records and may issue a fresh certificate of incorporation if members changed.
• Stuck with paper filing? Print form SH01, fill it in ink, and post it to Companies House with a £50 cheque (2026 fee). Expect 8–10 working days for processing.

The GOV.UK SH01 service outlines the penalties for late filing and the process for corrections.

How can I prevent future compliance issues?

Task	When to do it	Tool
Update the register of members after every board meeting	Same day or next business day	Spreadsheet or Companies House ‘Registers’ app
Add new shareholders to the confirmation statement before annual filing	At least 7 days before the CS01 deadline	Companies House Web Incorporation service
Store signed certificates safely	Within 2 months of issue	Fire-proof binder or encrypted cloud folder
Set a reminder 25 days after each allotment	Monthly	Outlook, Google Calendar, or your accounting software

Before you file, check your company’s registered address and authentication code on Companies House Service. Mismatches? You’ll get rejected.

The GOV.UK guidance on running a company emphasizes the importance of maintaining accurate company records to avoid filing rejections.

What are the steps to issue shares in a company?

1. All existing members are to agree to the issue of shares via a board meeting.
2. You are to complete a return of allotment of shares via an SH01 form.
3. Create board resolution, meeting minutes, and issue the share certificate(s) to the new shareholder.

How do I issue shares in my limited company?

Submit form SH01 to Companies House within one month of the share issue (this can be done online). Prepare a share certificate for each new shareholding. Send a letter to each of the shareholders letting them know about their new shareholdings and let them have a copy of their share certificate.

How do I give shares to another company?

If you only have 1 share, you might have to issue more shares in order to give 20% of your company to someone else. Fill out form SH01 with Companies House when you issue shares so they can keep a record of the shares.

What does the procedure for allotment of shares involve?

1. Appointment of Allotment Committee: ...
2. Hold Board Meeting to Decide the Basis of Allotment: ...
3. Pass Board Resolution for Allotment: ...
4. Collection of Allotment Money: ...
5. Arrangement Relating to Letters of Renunciation: ...
6. Arrangement Relating to Splitting of Allotment Letters:

Do I need to tell Companies House about share transfers?

How to notify Companies House about share transfers. Changes to shareholders should be updated at the same time.

How many shareholders does a company need?

A company limited by shares must have at least one shareholder, who can be a director. If you’re the only shareholder, you’ll own 100% of the company. There’s no maximum number of shareholders. The price of an individual share can be any value.

Can a company issue more shares if authorized?

However, a company commonly has the right to increase the amount of stock it’s authorized to issue through approval by its board of directors. Also, along with the right to issue more shares for sale, a company has the right to buy back existing shares from stockholders.

How do I transfer ownership of shares?

You may see it referred to as form J30 or a share transfer form, but it means the same thing. The person selling the shares (often called the ‘transferor’) should complete their details on the stock transfer form, including their name and address as well as identifying the shares to be transferred, and then sign it.

Can I give shares away for free?

Transfer shares tax free with Gift Hold-Over Relief. It is designed in a way that allows shares to be given away as a gift without a tax charge falling on the person that is making the gift. ... However, that person may also use the Hold-Over Relief again and gift the shares to someone else.

What are the tax implications of gifting shares to my son?

A gift of shares from you or your wife to your son is also a deemed disposal of shares for capital gains tax purposes. As the gift is being made to a connected party, it is a deemed disposal at market value.

When do I pay taxes on gains from stocks?

If you sold stocks at a profit, you will owe taxes on gains from your stocks. ... And if you earned dividends or interest, you will have to report those on your tax return as well. However, if you bought securities but did not actually sell anything in 2020, you will not have to pay any “stock taxes.”

What’s the deadline for allotting shares after receiving payment?

On passing the resolution for allotment of shares, the allotment of shares must be done within 60 days of receiving the application money for the same. File the forms with ROC: The company must file the Form PAS -3, within 30 days from the allotment of the shares with the Registrar of Companies.

What happens during the allotment of shares?

Allotment arises when directors of a company earmark new shares to predetermined shareholders. These are shareholders who have either applied for new shares or earned them by owning existing shares. For example, in a stock split, the company allocates shares proportionately based on existing ownership.

What’s the difference between allotment and issue of shares?

The key difference between allotment and issue of shares is that an allotment is a method of share distribution in a company whereas share issue is the offering of the ownership of the shares to shareholders to hold, and later transfer to another investor.

How many shares should I start my company with?

A minimum of one share must be issued upon incorporating. Additionally, if you plan on having more than one shareholder, then you must issue at least one share per shareholder. You can’t divide a whole share into parts (i.e. 1 share split 50% each to two different shareholders).