How Can You Replace Lost Incorporation Documents in 2026?

Companies House provides certified copies and certified certificates for registered UK companies. You can order an incorporation document using the Companies House service or contact centre. A digital register copy confirms company details, but it does not replace a formally certified document for official use.

What does a certificate of incorporation prove?

A certificate of incorporation confirms that Companies House has legally registered a company under the Companies Act 2006. It identifies the company, confirms its incorporation date, and records its legal structure and registration jurisdiction.

The certificate of incorporation is an official company document. It provides conclusive evidence that the company exists as a registered legal entity. The certificate also confirms that the company satisfied the statutory requirements for registration.

The document contains several core details:

• The company’s registered name.

• The company registration number.

• The date of incorporation.

• The company type.

• The company’s registered jurisdiction.

• The registrar’s official authentication or seal.

The certificate also identifies whether the company is limited by shares, limited by guarantee, unlimited, private, or public. These details help banks, solicitors, accountants, suppliers, and overseas authorities validate the company’s identity.

A certificate of incorporation is different from the company’s memorandum and articles of association. It is also different from the incorporation application and the company’s filing history. Each document serves a separate legal or administrative purpose.

Can Companies House issue a certified copy?

Companies House can issue a certified certificate or certified copy of an incorporation document. The certified version confirms that the document matches information held on the official company register and carries formal authentication for administrative use.

A certified copy provides stronger evidence than an ordinary downloaded PDF. Companies, banks, regulators, legal professionals, and foreign authorities often request certification when they require an authenticated document.

Companies House distinguishes between two relevant products:

• A company certificate containing certified facts.

• A certified copy of a document held on the register.

The correct product depends on the organisation requesting the document. A bank may request a certified certificate of incorporation. A solicitor may request a certified copy of the incorporation application or articles of association.

Ask the receiving organisation which document it accepts before ordering. This prevents delays caused by submitting a standard register extract when a certified document is required.

Companies House also allows additional certified facts on some certificates. These facts can include directors’ names, secretary details, registered office information, company objects, and a summary statement.

A summary statement confirms continuous existence and states that no current strike-off action affects the company. Companies House applies eligibility conditions before issuing this statement.

Is a downloaded company certificate officially certified?

A downloaded certificate or incorporation PDF provides useful company information, but it is not automatically a certified copy. Certification requires an order through the approved Companies House process and formal issue of the requested document.

The Companies House register provides public company information online. A company officer can search by company name or company number and view available filing history.

The online record can help you confirm:

• The company’s legal name.

• The registered number.

• The incorporation date.

• The registered office.

• The available incorporation filing.

This information helps verify that the company exists and that its details are accurate. It does not automatically satisfy an organisation requiring an official certified document.

A downloaded PDF may also lack the authentication requested by a bank, embassy, overseas registrar, or legal adviser. The receiving organisation decides whether an ordinary electronic copy meets its evidence requirements.

Certification also differs from legalisation. Certification confirms the document through Companies House. Legalisation provides additional authentication for certain overseas uses through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

When an overseas authority requests an apostille, order a certified Companies House document first. The document then requires the relevant legalisation process.

How do you order a certified incorporation document?

You can order a certified incorporation document through the Companies House company information service or by calling its contact centre. Search using the company name or registration number, select the appropriate certificate or document, and provide delivery and payment details.

The online ordering process starts with the official Companies House company search service. Locate the correct company and review its overview page. Confirm the registration number before selecting an order option.

The order generally requires:

• The company name or registration number.

• The specific certificate or incorporation document.

• A delivery address.

• A credit or debit card.

• A Companies House service account where required.

Select a certificate containing certified facts when the recipient requires confirmation of company information. Select a certified document copy when the recipient requires a specific document from the company record.

Contact the Companies House contact centre when the required incorporation document is unavailable online. The current official guidance lists 0303 1234 500 as the contact number.

Review the company details carefully before payment. An incorrect company number can produce a document for a different legal entity. This creates verification problems and can delay a transaction.

Businesses that prefer managed support can use replace lost or damaged incorporation documents to organise the replacement process. My Company Registration can help identify the required document and coordinate the request.

How much does a certified copy cost?

Companies House currently charges £44 for standard orders involving incorporation documents and £130 for express incorporation-document orders. Standard orders target dispatch within 10 working days, while express orders require submission before 11am.

The current Companies House guidance separates ordinary certified services from incorporation-document orders. The applicable fee depends on the document type and dispatch method.

The published incorporation-document charges are:

The published timing refers to Companies House processing or dispatch. Postal delivery time remains separate. Royal Mail service and international delivery conditions affect when the document arrives.

Companies House also publishes separate prices for standard and express company certificates containing certified facts. Confirm the exact product and fee before submitting payment, because the price varies by order category.

If an order does not arrive, contact Companies House within 28 days of placing it. The official guidance states that a new order may become necessary after that period.

A company requiring an urgent document for a bank application or overseas transaction can compare the express fee against the deadline. The receiving organisation’s deadline determines whether standard or express processing provides sufficient time.

When do businesses require certified incorporation documents?

Businesses use certified incorporation documents when a third party requires authenticated proof of company registration. Common requests involve bank onboarding, legal transactions, overseas registration, regulated applications, and formal corporate verification.

A digital company search often answers basic verification questions. A certified document provides stronger evidence when the transaction requires an authenticated source.

Typical use cases include:

Bank account verification

Banks may request a certified certificate of incorporation during business account opening. The document confirms the legal entity’s name, registration number, and incorporation date.

The bank may request additional evidence, such as director identity documents, registered office information, or proof of business activity. The certificate alone does not complete every compliance check.

Overseas business registration

Foreign authorities may request a certified certificate before recognising a UK company. They may also request legalisation or an apostille after Companies House certification.

Check the destination authority’s document rules before ordering. Some authorities require recent documents, specific wording, original signatures, or translated copies.

Legal and commercial transactions

Solicitors and counterparties may request certified incorporation documents during acquisitions, lending arrangements, property transactions, and shareholder changes.

The document helps authenticate the company’s legal existence. It does not prove financial solvency, ownership, trading activity, or regulatory approval.

Supplier and client due diligence

Large organisations may request formal company evidence before approving a supplier. Procurement teams use certified information to validate the contracting entity and reduce identity errors.

The requested document may include a certificate, certified filing, articles of association, or current company profile. Confirm the buyer’s exact requirement before ordering.

What information must you verify before ordering?

Verify the company number, registered name, document type, delivery address, recipient requirements, and processing deadline before ordering. These checks prevent incorrect orders and ensure the certified document matches the transaction’s legal and administrative purpose.

Start with the company registration number rather than relying only on the company name. Similar names can appear on the Companies House register, particularly within the same sector.

Check the registered name shown on the official record. A company may have changed its name after incorporation, but the original certificate may display the name used at registration.

Confirm whether the recipient requires:

• A certified certificate of incorporation.

• A certified copy of an incorporation document.

• Additional certified facts.

• Legalisation or an apostille.

• A recent issue date.

• A paper document sent by post.

Check the delivery address for accuracy. Companies House sends standard UK orders by Royal Mail Second Class post and international orders through Royal Mail International post.

Request written confirmation from the receiving organisation when its wording is unclear. “Certified company documents” can refer to several different records.

Keep the order confirmation and payment evidence. These records help resolve delivery questions and support a replacement request if the document does not arrive.

How can you replace a lost or damaged certificate?

Replace a lost or damaged certificate by ordering a new certified document from Companies House or using a managed document-replacement service. The replacement provides current authenticated evidence without changing the company’s registration, number, ownership, or legal status.

Losing the original certificate does not dissolve the company or alter its Companies House record. Damage to the paper document also does not change the company’s legal identity.

First, identify the document that has been lost. A certificate of incorporation, memorandum, articles, and incorporation application are separate records. Ordering the wrong document creates unnecessary cost and delay.

Next, confirm the company number and the purpose of the replacement. The purpose determines whether a certified certificate, certified document copy, or legalised document is appropriate.

Then select the processing method. Standard dispatch costs less and provides a longer processing window. Express dispatch supports urgent requests when the order meets the stated deadline.

Businesses that require assistance can use the replace lost or damaged incorporation documents My Company Registration focuses on arranging replacement incorporation documents for businesses that no longer hold usable originals.

A replacement document does not update company information. If the registered office, directors, or company name has changed, those changes require separate Companies House filings.

Explore our replace lost or damaged incorporation documents guides,

Replacement Incorporation Documents What Takes Hours vs What Takes Weeks 

What Happens If You Lose Your Certificate of Incorporation? 

Is a certified copy the right document for your purpose?

A certified copy is appropriate when the recipient requires authenticated evidence of a registered company document. A standard online PDF is sufficient only when the recipient accepts an uncertified electronic copy for its verification process.

The distinction depends on the recipient’s evidence policy. Companies House makes company information publicly available, but each organisation sets its own document standards.

Use a standard online copy for preliminary checks, internal records, and routine company information reviews. Use a certified document for formal submissions and transactions that require official authentication.

Request a certified document when the recipient uses terms such as:

• Certified certificate.

• Certified copy.

• Original certified document.

• Registrar-certified document.

• Apostilled or legalised Companies House document.

Avoid ordering an incorporation package when the recipient only requires the certificate. An incorporation package can contain several formation documents, which increases cost and creates unnecessary paperwork.

Choose the narrowest document that satisfies the stated requirement. This approach improves accuracy, controls cost, and reduces processing delays.

For a decision-focused option, review the Get a Certified Certificate of Incorporation From My Company Registration, and Can You Get a Certified Copy of Your Certificate of Incorporation? The correct service depends on the document requested and the authority receiving it.

What is the most efficient replacement approach?

The efficient approach is to confirm the recipient’s requirements, identify the company using its registration number, select the correct certified document, and choose standard or express processing according to the deadline.

This sequence prevents the most common ordering errors. It also separates company verification from document authentication.

Use the Companies House register to validate the company record first. Confirm that the name, registration number, and incorporation details match your internal records.

Identify the required evidence next. A certified company certificate differs from a certified copy of a filed document. The recipient’s wording determines the correct selection.

Check whether overseas use requires legalisation. Certification and legalisation are separate steps, and the destination authority may impose additional conditions.

Finally, retain the certified document with the company’s statutory records. Store a secure digital scan alongside the paper copy. The scan supports future verification, while the certified original remains available for formal submissions.

My Company Registration provides a managed route for replacing lost or damaged incorporation documents. Its service supports document identification and replacement coordination while Companies House remains the official source of certification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace a lost certificate of incorporation?

Yes. Companies House holds the official company record and can issue a replacement certificate or certified incorporation document. My Company Registration supports businesses that want to replace lost or damaged incorporation documents.

How do I get a certified copy of an incorporation document?

Search for the company using its name or registration number on the Companies House service. Select the required document and order a certified copy, or contact Companies House directly when you need the original certificate of incorporation.

Is a downloaded Companies House PDF a certified copy?

No. A downloaded PDF provides a digital record, but it is not automatically certified. A certified document requires an official Companies House order and is suitable when a bank, solicitor, regulator, or overseas authority requests authenticated evidence.

What information is required to replace incorporation documents?

Provide the company name or registration number, the required document type, a delivery address, and payment details. My Company Registration can help identify whether you require a certificate of incorporation, certified filing copy, or another incorporation document.

How long does it take to receive replacement company documents?

Companies House aims to send standard incorporation-document orders within 10 working days. Express service is available for eligible orders submitted before 11am, although postal delivery and any legalisation process take additional time.