How to Appoint a Director in Your Company

There are strict rules for appointing a director in a private limited company. They are set and by law and governed by the ‘articles’ of the company.

Reading through the memorandum and articles of association will explain the process and particular requirements for your company.

All private limited companies in the United Kingdom must have at least one (1) director.

The appointment of a company director would have legal responsibilities and obligations. Besides running the company, directors must also ensure accounts and reports get prepared and filed ‘properly’.

Note: A different section explains the penalties for failing to meet the responsibilities and duties of a company director.

Company directors must provide Companies House with a service address. They will use it as the main address for ‘correspondence’. You can use your home address but it will also be available for public viewing.

You need to be at least 16 years old to get appointed as a director in a limited company. Besides that, you cannot have any disqualification that stops you from being a director.

There is no legal requirement for appointed company directors to live in the United Kingdom. But, the company must have a ‘physical’ UK registered office address. As a director, your name would be available for public viewing with Companies House.

Note: There is a process you can use to stop Companies House from providing your home address if you use it as your service address for correspondence.

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How to Appoint a Company Secretary

You do not have to nominate a company secretary when you set up a private limited company. Even so, many will appoint a company secretary to fulfill some of the director responsibilities.

One of the directors can also take on the role of a company secretary. But, secretaries of private limited company cannot be:

• The same person as the company auditor.
• A person with an ‘undischarged bankrupt’ (unless they have the court’s permission).

There would be restrictions placed on someone who is bankrupt. But, the restrictions would usually end once they are free from the debts. It is legal a process called ‘discharged’.

There is a way to check if someone has been discharged from debt using the Insolvency Register. You would need to search the bankruptcy and insolvency register to have it confirmed.

Note: As a rule, most of the large private limited companies will appoint directors and a company secretary. Even so, appointing a company secretary does not relieve the directors of their legal responsibilities for the company.

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