Set up a limited company

Memorandum and articles of association

Guide

When you register your company you need:

  • a memorandum of association - a legal statement signed by all initial shareholders agreeing to form the company
  • articles of association - written rules about running the company agreed by the shareholders, directors and the company secretary

Memorandum of association

You can use the Companies House memorandum of association template. You can't update the memorandum once the company has been registered.

Articles of association

You can use standard articles (known as 'model articles').

You can write your own articles but if you do, you can't register your company online.

Community interest companies

You can't use limited company model articles if you're setting up your legal structure as a community interest company (CIC) - see choose the right structure for your social enterprise.

Use the CIC regulator's model constitutions instead.