Easy mode: sign up step by step

Tick each box as you go. Ticks stay saved on this phone. Never type your personal code or date of birth here.

Companies House needs your ID checked once. Use the GOV.UK One Login app on your phone with your passport or driving licence. You get a personal code. Keep it safe.

Verify your identity

Open the Register a company service and press Start. You'll make a new Government Gateway ID for the company (not your own one).

Open Register your company

Pick: private company limited by shares.

Private limited by shares

Type the name.

Clarity HQ Ltd

Pick Scotland.

Scotland

Mark's office (Monteaths). Ask Mark first that he's happy for you to use it. It goes on the public record.

Monteaths, Cairnfield, 14 School Road, Balmullo, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 0BD

An email Companies House can use (not public).

itrickyb@gmail.com

Add these four codes.

62012 62020 58110 47910

Pick model articles. confirm with Mark

Model articles

Add 1 director: you. Date of birth, home address and personal code: type your own.

Brent Burnett

100 ordinary shares at £1 each, all held by you. confirm with Mark

100 ordinary shares at £1 each

You hold 100% of shares and votes.

75% or more of shares and voting rights

Tick to agree the memorandum (you're the first shareholder), then check everything.

You press pay with a debit or credit card. Usually done within 24 hours.

Look up or request a D-U-N-S number for Clarity HQ Ltd for Apple. Can take up to a week.

D-U-N-S lookup

Enrol as an organisation with the D-U-N-S number.

Apple enrol

Setting up the company: prep pack

Draft for Thu 29 Oct with Mark. Nothing has been submitted or paid. Items marked confirm with Mark are still open.

Costs

ID check (GOV.UK One Login, Companies House personal code)Free, about 10 min, you do it yourself
Register the company online at Companies House£100, usually done within 24 hours
D-U-N-S number (Apple's lookup)Free, up to about 5 working days
Apple Developer, organisation account£79 a year
Business bank accountMany are free to open; compare monthly fees
TotalAbout £179, plus any bank fees

Steps in order

  1. Do the ID check and get your Companies House personal code.
  2. Agree the answers below with Mark.
  3. Register the company and pay £100: gov.uk/limited-company-formation/register-your-company
  4. Open a business bank account.
  5. Get the D-U-N-S number, using the exact company name and registered office: developer.apple.com/enroll/duns-lookup
  6. Enrol with Apple as an organisation and pay £79: developer.apple.com/programs/enroll

Answers sheet (pre-filled)

Company nameClarity HQ Ltd. A company with this name was dissolved in Dec 2023 (SC428283), so the name should be free to use again. Backup: Clarity HQ Scotland Ltd.
Trading namesClarity HQ, Clarity Guides and Clarity Board can all trade under the one company
TypePrivate company limited by shares, registered in Scotland
SIC codes62012 Business and domestic software development
62020 Information technology consultancy
58110 Book publishing
47910 Retail sale via mail order houses or via the Internet
Registered officeThis address is shown publicly. Chosen: Mark's office, Monteaths, Cairnfield, 14 School Road, Balmullo, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 0BD (keeps your home address private). confirm with Mark
ArticlesModel articles (the standard rules)
Director1 director: Brent. A service address can be used so your home address isn't shown. confirm with Mark
Shares100 ordinary shares at £1 each, all held by Brent confirm with Mark
People with significant control (PSC)Brent (over 75%) confirm with Mark

Questions for Mark

  1. Just me as director and shareholder, or should anyone else hold shares or be a director?
  2. Salary, dividends or a mix: what's best for tax?
  3. VAT: register now or wait until turnover reaches the threshold? Is there an advantage to registering voluntarily?
  4. Which year end should I pick?
  5. How do I move my existing income, domains, Gumroad shop, Cloudflare and other accounts into the company?
  6. Should I get an individual Apple account now and move it to the company later, or wait for the company?
  7. Should I use my home address or a registered office service?
  8. Accountant, bookkeeping software and business bank: what do you recommend?
  9. Kingdom Checks (private investigator website): does it need its own separate company, or can it trade under Clarity HQ Ltd?

Name check: Companies House search, 23 Oct 2026. "Clarity Guides Me Ltd" was dissolved in 2020. No active company matches "Clarity HQ".