Can anyone become a limited company director?

limited company director

Are there any restrictions on who can become a limited company director, and do you need any qualifications?

The UK is one of the easiest places to incorporate a new company. The formation process is simple and inexpensive.

You can form a limited company online in minutes and have the entire incorporation processed by Companies House in hours during the working week.

However, various naming restrictions and rules govern the running of UK companies, and there are some legal restrictions on the appointment of company directors.

This quick guide explains who can be appointed as a director and how to appoint or remove a director.

Who can be appointed as a company director?

Broadly speaking, unless told otherwise by the courts, you can become a company director unless you are:

  • Disqualified from being a company director
  • An ‘undischarged bankrupt’ (unless allowed by a court).
  • Under the age of 16

All limited companies must have at least one director, and may also decide to appoint a company secretary (although this is an optional appointment).

Importantly, at least one director of all companies must be a real person (a company can act as a director, but only as an additional director, not the sole one).

You do not have to have any specific qualifications to be appointed as a company director or company secretary. However, you should know your responsibilities as a company director before taking the position.

From 25th March 2025, new directors will also need to verify their identities with Companies House as part of an initiative to improve corporate transparency. Existing directors will also need to undergo the verification process.

Appointing or removing a director

You initially appoint director(s) at the time of formation, although you can easily terminate an appointment, or appoint a new director by submitting the appropriate form to Companies House.

If you are not using the Companies House Webfiling service, you should use the following forms:

  • Form AP01 to appoint a new director.
  • Form CH01 to change a director’s details.
  • Form TM01 to terminate a director’s appointment.

With Companies House moving towards a fully digital system, the Webfiling service is increasingly becoming the standard communication method. Manual forms take longer to process and will be phased out at some stage.

Our site is aimed at small limited companies, typically with one or two directors, so the appointment/termination process for directors is usually simple and stress-free.

The process of appointing directors is likely to be more complex for larger enterprises.

In all cases, appointments must be made according to the company’s articles of association.

In addition, larger companies may require director appointments to be approved by the board or shareholders as outlined in their articles of association.

Professional qualifications for company directors

While no mandatory qualifications are required to become a company director, obtaining professional training may be beneficial – particularly if you want to work at the director level for a large corporation.

Organisations such as the Institute of Directors (IoD) offer programs like the Certificate in Company Direction, which covers essential aspects of directorship, including roles, responsibilities, and strategic leadership.

Further Information

In most cases, your accountant will deal with all Companies House-related tasks on your behalf, so if you have any concerns or questions, ask them directly.

Our Partner Accountants