From 1 February 2026, incorporation fees for Community Interest Companies are £115 for the online service and £139 for postal applications. The online route remains the fastest and benefits from in‑journey validation to reduce errors at submission, according to the Office of the CIC Regulator and Companies House guidance published today. (gov.uk)
Online applications ask for only two uploads: the CIC36 community interest statement and the Articles of Association. The system generates the memorandum from the information you provide, integrates registration with HMRC for Corporation Tax, accepts payment by card or PayPal, and emails the certificate of incorporation once approved. (gov.uk)
For a paper application, submit form IN01, form CIC36, a signed memorandum of association and your Articles. Companies House advises allowing up to 15 working days, with the £139 fee paid by cheque or postal order. On IN01, show the full company name with the correct CIC ending in section A1, leave A3 blank, and tick option 3 in A8 to confirm you are adopting bespoke articles. (gov.uk)
Check name availability and compliance before filing. Companies House will reject names that are the same as, too similar to or otherwise prohibited, and it applies strengthened rules (from March 2024) on restricted or offensive terms. Ensure the name ends ‘Community Interest Company’ or ‘CIC’ and use it consistently across every document. (gov.uk)
Provide accurate details for directors and persons with significant control (PSCs). Use IN01 continuation pages if you have more than two directors, and keep PSC information up to date. New incorporations must provide each director’s Companies House personal code, and PSCs must verify their identity on the timetable set out by Companies House. (gov.uk)
Complete the CIC36 fully. Describe the community to be benefited and how activities will deliver that benefit, and explain how any surplus will be applied. Every first director must sign section D-handwritten signatures or DocuSign are accepted-and the number of signatories must match the first directors listed on incorporation. Do not apply if the primary activity will be party‑political campaigning or lobbying. (gov.uk)
Use the correct Articles. Choose limited by guarantee, or limited by shares under schedule 2 (dividends only to asset‑locked bodies) or schedule 3 (dividends to shareholders subject to a cap). Keep the statutory clauses highlighted in the models, and nominate an appropriate asset‑locked body (for example, a charity, another CIC or a registered society)-never your own CIC or any director. Completing an objects clause is considered good practice by the Regulator, though not mandatory. (gov.uk)
Be precise about dividends in your CIC36. If you are limited by guarantee-or using schedule 2 model articles for a company limited by shares-do not state that you will pay dividends to private shareholders. If investor dividends are intended, adopt schedule 3 and ensure the dividend cap is reflected in the Articles. (gov.uk)
Meet Companies House register standards introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Every company must have an ‘appropriate’ registered office (PO Boxes are not permitted), provide a registered email address, and confirm a lawful purpose on incorporation and annually. Companies House can move non‑compliant companies to a default address and begin strike‑off action if a proper address and evidence are not supplied in time. (gov.uk)
Frequent rejection points include inconsistent company names across documents, selecting the wrong articles option on IN01, uploading a paper memorandum during an online application, or submitting a CIC36 without the surplus statement or with missing signatures. Use the regulator’s online checklist before filing to reduce the risk of resubmission. (gov.uk)
For queries on IN01 or the online portal, contact Companies House. For CIC36, the community interest test or articles, contact the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies at cicregulator@companieshouse.gov.uk. Official contact details are published alongside the regulator’s forms collection. (gov.uk)