Where can I find my Company Registration Number (CRN)?

If you’ve been asked for your Company Registration Number (CRN) and you’re not sure where to find it, you’re not alone. It’s a common source of confusion for new company owners, usually triggered by something practical – such as filing with Companies House, opening a business bank account, or completing official paperwork.

Your CRN is a unique identifier issued when your company is registered. It stays with the business for its entire life and is used across Companies House, HMRC, banks, and other official bodies. Once you know what it represents and where it appears, locating it is very straightforward.

What is a Company Registration Number?

A Company Registration Number (CRN) is the unique number assigned to a company when it is incorporated with Companies House. It identifies the company itself, rather than the directors, shareholders, or owners behind it. While two companies can have similar or even identical names, they will never share the same CRN.

Once issued, the number stays unchanged. It remains the same if you update the company name, move the registered office, appoint new directors, or stop trading. Even if the company becomes dormant, the CRN continues to identify that legal entity on the public register.

This permanence is why official bodies often ask for the CRN rather than the company name. Using the number removes ambiguity and ensures they are dealing with the correct company.

Where can I find my Company Registration Number?

In most cases, you already have access to your CRN – it may just not be obvious where to find it. Your CRN appears in several places, both online and in documents issued when the company was formed. You can usually find it in:

• Your Companies House incorporation documents, including the Certificate of Incorporation
• The Companies House public register, by searching for the company name
• Official correspondence from Companies House, such as reminders and confirmation statement notices
• Your company’s confirmation statement (CS01)
• Statutory documents filed at Companies House, including accounts
• Your Quality Company Formations online client portal, if we helped you set up the company

If you formed your company directly with Companies House, the Certificate of Incorporation is often the quickest route. It’s issued automatically at registration and displays the CRN clearly near the top.

Finding your CRN on Companies House: Step by step

If you’re unsure whether you’re looking in the right place, the Companies House public register makes it easy to check.

Using the ‘Find company information’ service, search for your company name and select the correct entry from the results. The CRN is displayed prominently near the top of the company overview page. You don’t need to be logged in, and you don’t need to be a director to access this information.

This approach is also the safest way to confirm the CRN if you’re dealing with older paperwork or if the company has changed its name since incorporation.

What does a Company Registration Number look like?

A CRN consists of eight numbers or a combination of eight alphanumeric characters, depending on where the company is incorporated. If you set up a limited company in England or Wales, your CRN will have 8 numbers. This number helps identify your business and proves it is officially registered.

In Scotland, CRNs start with ‘SC’ followed by 6 numbers. In Northern Ireland, CRNs start with ‘NI’ followed by 6 numbers. Similarly, CRNs for LLPs begin with ‘NC’ and are followed by six numbers.

When do I need to use my CRN?

You’ll be asked for your Company Registration Number whenever the company’s legal identity matters. This most often arises in regulatory, financial, and administrative situations.

Common examples include filing annual accounts, submitting confirmation statements, registering for Corporation Tax, opening or managing a business bank account, working with accountants or solicitors, and corresponding with Companies House.

In some cases, you’re also required to display the CRN on business documents, such as letters, order forms, invoices, and websites. This requirement exists to ensure customers and authorities can clearly identify the company. As a general rule, formal or legal contexts tend to favour the CRN over the company name.

What if I can’t find my CRN at all?

If you’ve searched your paperwork and still can’t locate the number, there’s usually no cause for concern. As long as the company exists on the Companies House register, you can retrieve the CRN.

Start by searching the public register using the company name. If the name has changed, try any previous names the company used. You can also search by registered office address.

If you formed your company with Quality Company Formations, you can view your CRN in your client portal and in the incorporation emails we sent when the company was registered. This is often the quickest way to retrieve a CRN if you’ve misplaced earlier paperwork.

Occasionally, confusion arises because someone is looking for a CRN for a business that was never incorporated. Sole traders and ordinary partnerships don’t have a Companies House registration number; limited companies, LLPs, and certain partnership structures do.

Managing your CRN going forward

Once you’ve found your Company Registration Number, it’s a good idea to keep it in a safe and accessible location. You’ll need it repeatedly throughout the life of the company, and having it to hand avoids delays when dealing with filings, banks, or professional advisers.

For many company owners, the challenge isn’t locating the CRN but keeping track of the filings and updates associated with it, such as confirmation statements, address changes, officer details, and deadlines. If you’d prefer not to manage statutory filings, deadlines, or confirmation statements yourself, we offer ongoing support through our Full Company Secretary Service.