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class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Company_formation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Company_formation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>Company formation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Company_formation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Paper_process" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Paper_process"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2.1</span> <span>Paper process</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Paper_process-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Electronic_process" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Electronic_process"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2.2</span> <span>Electronic process</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Electronic_process-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Annual_returns" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Annual_returns"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.3</span> <span>Annual returns</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Annual_returns-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Conversion" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Conversion"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Conversion</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Conversion-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Conversion subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Conversion-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Private_limited_company_to_a_public_limited_company" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Private_limited_company_to_a_public_limited_company"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>Private limited company to a public limited company</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Private_limited_company_to_a_public_limited_company-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Public limited company</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 26 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-26" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">26 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9_%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A9" title="شركة عمومية محدودة – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="شركة عمومية محدودة" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95_%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC_%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF" title="পাবলিক সীমিতদায় কোম্পানি – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="পাবলিক সীমিতদায় কোম্পানি" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Public limited company" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Public limited company" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de badge-Q70894304 mw-list-item" title=""><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Limited_Company" title="Public Limited Company – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Public Limited Company" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B4%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%AA_%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%85%DB%8C_%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A6%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AA_%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AF" title="شرکت عمومی مسئولیت محدود – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="شرکت عمومی مسئولیت محدود" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Public limited company" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EA%B3%B5%EA%B0%9C%EC%9C%A0%ED%95%9C%ED%9A%8C%EC%82%AC" title="공개유한회사 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="공개유한회사" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hy mw-list-item"><a href="https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D5%80%D5%A1%D5%B6%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AB%D5%B6_%D5%BD%D5%A1%D5%B0%D5%B4%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%83%D5%A1%D5%AF_%D5%A8%D5%B6%D5%AF%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A9%D5%B5%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6" title="Հանրային սահմանափակ ընկերություն – Armenian" lang="hy" hreflang="hy" data-title="Հանրային սահմանափակ ընկերություն" data-language-autonym="Հայերեն" data-language-local-name="Armenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Հայերեն</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A1_%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%80" title="पब्लिक लिमिटेड कंपनी – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="पब्लिक लिमिटेड कंपनी" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseroan_terbatas_terbuka" title="Perseroan terbatas terbuka – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Perseroan terbatas terbuka" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Public limited company" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kn mw-list-item"><a href="https://kn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B2%B8%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B5%E0%B2%9C%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%95_%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%AF%E0%B2%AE%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%A4_%E0%B2%95%E0%B2%82%E0%B2%AA%E0%B3%86%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%BF" title="ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ನಿಯಮಿತ ಕಂಪೆನಿ – Kannada" lang="kn" hreflang="kn" data-title="ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ನಿಯಮಿತ ಕಂಪೆನಿ" data-language-autonym="ಕನ್ನಡ" data-language-local-name="Kannada" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ಕನ್ನಡ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sw mw-list-item"><a href="https://sw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampuni_ya_umma" title="Kampuni ya umma – Swahili" lang="sw" hreflang="sw" data-title="Kampuni ya umma" data-language-autonym="Kiswahili" data-language-local-name="Swahili" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Kiswahili</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syarikat_awam_berhad" title="Syarikat awam berhad – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Syarikat awam berhad" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Public limited company" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%85%AC%E9%96%8B%E6%9C%89%E9%99%90%E4%BC%9A%E7%A4%BE" title="公開有限会社 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="公開有限会社" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uz mw-list-item"><a href="https://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochiq_turdagi_aksiyadorlik_jamiyati" title="Ochiq turdagi aksiyadorlik jamiyati – Uzbek" lang="uz" hreflang="uz" data-title="Ochiq turdagi aksiyadorlik jamiyati" data-language-autonym="Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча" data-language-local-name="Uzbek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pa mw-list-item"><a href="https://pa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A8%AA%E0%A8%AC%E0%A8%B2%E0%A8%BF%E0%A8%95_%E0%A8%B2%E0%A8%BF%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%BF%E0%A8%9F%E0%A9%87%E0%A8%A1_%E0%A8%95%E0%A9%B0%E0%A8%AA%E0%A8%A8%E0%A9%80" title="ਪਬਲਿਕ ਲਿਮਿਟੇਡ ਕੰਪਨੀ – Punjabi" lang="pa" hreflang="pa" data-title="ਪਬਲਿਕ ਲਿਮਿਟੇਡ ਕੰਪਨੀ" data-language-autonym="ਪੰਜਾਬੀ" data-language-local-name="Punjabi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ਪੰਜਾਬੀ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9E%D1%82%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%8B%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BF%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81_%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C%D1%8E" title="Открытая публичная компания с ограниченной ответственностью – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Открытая публичная компания с ограниченной ответственностью" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sq mw-list-item"><a href="https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Limited_Company" title="Public Limited Company – Albanian" lang="sq" hreflang="sq" data-title="Public Limited Company" data-language-autonym="Shqip" data-language-local-name="Albanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Shqip</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv badge-Q70893996 mw-list-item" title=""><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Public limited company" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94" title="บริษัทมหาชนจำกัด – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="บริษัทมหาชนจำกัด" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%96%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%96%D1%8F_%D0%B7_%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%8E_%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%96%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8E" title="Відкрита публічна компанія з обмеженою відповідальністю – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Відкрита публічна компанія з обмеженою відповідальністю" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%B4ng_ty_tr%C3%A1ch_nhi%E1%BB%87m_h%E1%BB%AFu_h%E1%BA%A1n_%C4%91%E1%BA%A1i_ch%C3%BAng" title="Công ty trách nhiệm hữu hạn đại chúng – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Công ty trách nhiệm hữu hạn đại chúng" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%85%AC%E7%9C%BE%E6%9C%89%E9%99%90%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8" title="公眾有限公司 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="公眾有限公司" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" 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dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Publicly traded limited liability company</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/PLC_(disambiguation)" class="mw-redirect mw-disambig" title="PLC (disambiguation)">PLC (disambiguation)</a> and <a href="/wiki/Public_company" title="Public company">Public company</a>.</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid 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Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Public+limited+company%22">"Public limited company"</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Public+limited+company%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Public+limited+company%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Public+limited+company%22+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Public+limited+company%22">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" 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src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Society.svg/200px-Society.svg.png" decoding="async" width="200" height="79" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Society.svg/300px-Society.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Society.svg/400px-Society.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="96" data-file-height="38" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">By jurisdiction</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anguillan_company_law" title="Anguillan company law">Anguilla</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_corporate_law" title="Australian corporate law">Australia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Virgin_Islands_company_law" title="British Virgin Islands company law">BVI</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canadian_corporate_law" title="Canadian corporate law">Canada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cayman_Islands_company_law" title="Cayman Islands company law">Cayman Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indian_company_law" title="Indian company law">India</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_company_law" title="South African company law">South Africa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law" title="United Kingdom company law">UK</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_corporate_law" title="United States corporate law">United States</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corporate_law_in_Vietnam" title="Corporate law in Vietnam">Vietnam</a></li> <li><br /><a href="/wiki/European_corporate_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European corporate law">European Union</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/French_company_law" title="French company law">France</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_company_law" title="German company law">Germany</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">General corporate forms</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Company" title="Company">Company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conglomerate_(company)" title="Conglomerate (company)">Conglomerate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cooperative" title="Cooperative">Cooperative</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corporation" title="Corporation">Corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holding_company" title="Holding company">Holding company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Joint-stock_company" title="Joint-stock company">Joint-stock</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Partnership" title="Partnership">Partnership</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/General_partnership" title="General partnership">General</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_partnership" title="Limited partnership">Limited</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_partnership" title="Limited liability partnership">Limited liability</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Private_limited_company" title="Private limited company">Private limited</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shell_corporation" title="Shell corporation">Shell corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shelf_corporation" title="Shelf corporation">Shelf corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sole_proprietorship" title="Sole proprietorship">Sole proprietorship</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/List_of_legal_entity_types_by_country" title="List of legal entity types by country">Corporate forms<br />by jurisdiction</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base, #202122 ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/European_corporate_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European corporate law">European Union</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Societas_Europaea" title="Societas Europaea"><i>Societas</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SE)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societas_cooperativa_Europaea" title="Societas cooperativa Europaea"><i>Societas cooperativa</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SCE)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societas_privata_Europaea" title="Societas privata Europaea"><i>Societas privata</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SPE)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societas_unius_personae" title="Societas unius personae"><i>Societas unius personae</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SUP)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_economic_interest_grouping" title="European economic interest grouping">Economic interest grouping <span style="font-size:85%;">(EEIG)</span></a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <span class="nowrap">UK / Ireland / Commonwealth</span></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Charitable_incorporated_organisation" title="Charitable incorporated organisation">Charitable incorporated organisation (England and Wales) <span style="font-size:85%;">(CIO)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_charitable_incorporated_organisation" title="Scottish charitable incorporated organisation">Scottish charitable incorporated organisation <span style="font-size:85%;">(SCIO)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Community_interest_company" title="Community interest company">Community interest company <span style="font-size:85%;">(CIC)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Industrial_and_provident_society" title="Industrial and provident society">Industrial and provident society <span style="font-size:85%;">(IPS)</span></a></li> <li><br /><a href="/wiki/Limited_company" title="Limited company">Limited company <span style="font-size:85%;">(Ltd.)</span></a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Private_company_limited_by_guarantee" class="mw-redirect" title="Private company limited by guarantee">by guarantee</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Private_company_limited_by_shares" title="Private company limited by shares">by shares</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_company" title="Proprietary company">proprietary</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">public</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unlimited_company" title="Unlimited company">Unlimited company</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> United States</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Benefit_corporation" title="Benefit corporation">Benefit corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/C_corporation" title="C corporation">C corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_company" title="Limited liability company">Limited liability company <span style="font-size:85%;">(LLC)</span></a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Low-profit_limited_liability_company" title="Low-profit limited liability company">Low-profit LLC</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Series_LLC" title="Series LLC">Series LLC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_limited_partnership" title="Limited liability limited partnership">Limited liability limited partnership <span style="font-size:85%;">(LLLP)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/S_corporation" title="S corporation">S corporation</a></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Delaware_General_Corporation_Law" title="Delaware General Corporation Law">Delaware corporation</a> / <a href="/wiki/Delaware_statutory_trust" title="Delaware statutory trust">statutory trust</a></span></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massachusetts_business_trust" title="Massachusetts business trust">Massachusetts business trust</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nevada_corporation" title="Nevada corporation">Nevada corporation</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Others</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aktiebolag" title="Aktiebolag"><i>Aktiebolag</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(AB)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aktiengesellschaft" title="Aktiengesellschaft"><i>Aktiengesellschaft</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(AG)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ansvarlig_selskap" title="Ansvarlig selskap"><i>Ansvarlig selskap</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(ANS)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aktieselskab" title="Aktieselskab"><i>Aktieselskab</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(A/S)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aksjeselskap" title="Aksjeselskap"><i>Aksjeselskap</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(AS)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gesellschaft_mit_beschr%C3%A4nkter_Haftung" class="mw-redirect" title="Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung"><i>Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(GmbH)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kabushiki_gaisha" title="Kabushiki gaisha"><i>Kabushiki gaisha</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(K.K.)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naamloze_vennootschap" title="Naamloze vennootschap"><i>Naamloze vennootschap</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(N.V.)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Osakeyhti%C3%B6" title="Osakeyhtiö"><i>Osakeyhtiö</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(Oy)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/S.A._(corporation)" title="S.A. (corporation)">S.A.</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9_%C3%A0_responsabilit%C3%A9_limit%C3%A9e" title="Société à responsabilité limitée"><i>Société à responsabilité limitée</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SARL)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Types_of_business_entity" class="mw-redirect" title="Types of business entity">more...</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">Doctrines</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Business_judgment_rule" title="Business judgment rule">Business judgment rule</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corporate_governance" title="Corporate governance">Corporate governance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/De_facto_corporation_and_corporation_by_estoppel" title="De facto corporation and corporation by estoppel"><i>De facto</i> and estoppel corporations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Internal_affairs_doctrine" title="Internal affairs doctrine">Internal affairs doctrine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability" title="Limited liability">Limited liability</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tag-along_right" title="Tag-along right">Tag-along right</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Drag-along_right" title="Drag-along right">Drag-along right</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Piercing_the_corporate_veil" title="Piercing the corporate veil">Piercing the corporate veil</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rochdale_Principles" title="Rochdale Principles">Rochdale Principles</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires">Ultra vires</a></i></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">Related areas</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Beneficial_ownership" title="Beneficial ownership">Beneficial ownership</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Civil_procedure" title="Civil procedure">Civil procedure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Contract" title="Contract">Contract</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_company_registers" class="mw-redirect" title="List of company registers">Corporate registers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Registered_agent" title="Registered agent">Registered agent</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Companies" title="Portal:Companies">Company portal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Law" title="Portal:Law">Law portal</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Corporate_law" title="Template:Corporate law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Corporate_law" title="Template talk:Corporate law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Corporate_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Corporate law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>A <b>public limited company</b> (legally abbreviated to <b>PLC</b> or <b>plc</b>) is a type of <a href="/wiki/Public_company" title="Public company">public company</a> under <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law" title="United Kingdom company law">United Kingdom company law</a>, some <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">Commonwealth</a> jurisdictions, and <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a>. It is a <a href="/wiki/Limited_liability" title="Limited liability">limited liability</a> company whose shares may be freely sold and traded to the public (although a PLC may also be privately held, often by another PLC), with a minimum <a href="/wiki/Share_capital" title="Share capital">share capital</a> of £50,000 and usually with the letters PLC after its name.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Similar companies in the <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> are called <a href="/wiki/Public_company" title="Public company"><i>publicly traded companies</i></a>. </p><p>A PLC can be either an unlisted or listed company on the <a href="/wiki/Stock_exchange" title="Stock exchange">stock exchanges</a>. In the United Kingdom, a public limited company usually must include the words "public limited company" or the abbreviation "PLC" or "plc" at the end and as part of the legal company name. Welsh companies may instead choose to end their names with <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">ccc</i></span>, an abbreviation for <i><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">cwmni cyfyngedig cyhoeddus</i></span></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, some public limited companies (mostly <a href="/wiki/Nationalization" title="Nationalization">nationalised</a> concerns) incorporated under special legislation are exempted from bearing any of the identifying suffixes.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The term "public limited company" and the "PLC"/"plc" suffix were introduced in 1981; prior to this, all limited companies bore the suffix "Limited" ("Ltd."), which is still used by <a href="/wiki/Private_company_limited_by_shares" title="Private company limited by shares">private limited companies</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Registration">Registration</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Registration"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>When a new company incorporates in <a href="/wiki/England_and_Wales" title="England and Wales">England and Wales</a> or in <a href="/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland">Scotland</a>, it must register with <a href="/wiki/Companies_House" title="Companies House">Companies House</a>, an <a href="/wiki/Executive_agency" title="Executive agency">executive agency</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Department_for_Business_and_Trade" title="Department for Business and Trade">Department for Business and Trade</a>. Prior to October 2009, companies in <a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland" title="Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</a> were registered with the <a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Executive" title="Northern Ireland Executive">Northern Ireland Executive</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Department_of_Enterprise,_Trade_and_Investment" class="mw-redirect" title="Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment">Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment</a>, but since then Northern Irish company registrations, as with those of the rest of the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>, have been handled by Companies House. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Company_directors">Company directors</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Company directors"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Formation of a public limited company requires a minimum of two directors and one secretary (differing from country to country: in India three directors are required). In general terms anyone can be a company director, provided they are not disqualified on one of the following grounds: </p> <ul><li>in the case of PLCs or their subsidiaries, the person is over 70 years of age or reaches 70 years of age while in office, unless they are appointed or re-appointed by resolution of the company in general meeting of which special notice has been given.</li> <li>the person is an undischarged insolvent, subject to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (BRO) or Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking (BRU)<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or otherwise disqualified by a Court from holding a directorship, unless given leave to act in respect of a particular company or companies.</li> <li>in England and Wales (as of October 2008; Companies Act 2006) and in Scotland (Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991), the person is under 16 years old.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Share_capital">Share capital</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Share capital"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The members must agree to take some, or all, of the shares when the company is registered. The memorandum of association must show the names of the people who have agreed to take shares and the number of shares each will take. These people are called the subscribers. </p><p>There is a minimum share capital for public limited companies: before it can start business, it must have allotted shares to the value of at least £50,000. A quarter of them, £12,500, must be paid up. Each allotted share must be paid up to at least one quarter of its nominal value together with the whole of any premium. </p><p>A company can increase its authorised share capital by passing an <a href="/wiki/Ordinary_resolution" title="Ordinary resolution">ordinary resolution</a> (unless its articles of association require a special or <a href="/wiki/Extraordinary_resolution" title="Extraordinary resolution">extraordinary resolution</a>). A copy of the resolution – and notice of the increase on Form 123 – must reach Companies House within 15 days of being passed. No fee is payable to Companies House. </p><p>A company can decrease its authorised share capital by passing an ordinary resolution to cancel shares which have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person. Notice of the cancellation, on Form 122, must reach Companies House within one month. No fee is payable to Companies House. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Share_types">Share types</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Share types"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A company may have as many different types of shares as it wishes, all with different conditions attached to them. Generally, share types are divided into the following categories: </p> <ul><li><b>Ordinary</b> – As the name suggests these are the ordinary shares of the company with no special rights or restrictions. They may be divided into classes of different value.</li> <li><b>Preference</b> – These shares normally carry a right that any annual dividends available for distribution will be paid preferentially on these shares before other classes.</li> <li><b>Cumulative preference</b> – These shares carry a right that, if the dividend cannot be paid in one year, it will be carried forward to successive years.</li> <li><b>Redeemable</b> – These shares are issued with an agreement that the company will buy them back at the option of the company or the shareholder after a certain period, or on a fixed date. A company cannot have redeemable shares only.</li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Bearer_shares#Bearer_shares" class="mw-redirect" title="Bearer shares">Bearer shares</a> are no longer possible, as they were abolished in the UK by the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015. Any existing bearer shares had to be converted to registered shares before February 2016, or face cancellation. </p><p>A PLC has access to capital markets and can offer its shares for sale to the public through a recognised stock exchange. It can also issue advertisements offering any of its securities for sale to the public. In contrast, a private company may not offer to the public any shares in itself. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Company_formation">Company formation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Company formation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444" /><table class="box-Globalize plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-globalize" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Globe icon." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/48px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png" decoding="async" width="48" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/73px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/97px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="350" data-file-height="290" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">The examples and perspective in this section <b>may not represent a <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Countering_systemic_bias" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias">worldwide view</a> of the subject</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> You may <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit">improve this section</a>, discuss the issue on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Public_limited_company" title="Talk:Public limited company">talk page</a>, or create a new section, as appropriate.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">February 2022</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Paper_process">Paper process</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Paper process"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The following documents, together with the registration fee are sent to the Registrar of Companies: </p> <dl><dt>Memorandum of association</dt> <dd>This sets out the company name, the registered office address and the company objects. The object of a company may simply be to carry on business as a general commercial company. The company's memorandum delivered to the Registrar must be signed by each subscriber in front of a witness who must attest the signature. It is often referred to as the 'charter of a company' or 'constitution of the company'. The signatories to the memorandum of association are deemed to be the first directors of the company. The memorandum defines the relation of members with the rest of the world.</dd> <dt>Articles of association</dt> <dd>This is the document which sets out the rules for the running of the company's internal affairs. The company's articles delivered to the Registrar must be signed by each subscriber in front of a witness who must attest to the signature. The articles define the inter-management, inter-member and inter-employee relationship.</dd> <dt>Form 1</dt> <dd>This gives details of the first directors, secretary and the intended address of the registered office. As well as their names and addresses, the company's directors must give their date of birth, occupation and details of other directorships they have held within the last five years. Each officer appointed and each subscriber (or their agent) must sign and date the form.</dd> <dt>Form 12</dt> <dd>This is a statutory declaration of compliance with all the legal requirements relating to the incorporation of a company. It must be signed by a solicitor who is forming the company, or by one of the people named as a director or company secretary on Form 10. It must be signed in the presence of a commissioner for oaths, a notary public, a justice of the peace or a solicitor. There is usually a £5 fee payable to the person that witnesses the statuary declaration.</dd></dl> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Electronic_process">Electronic process</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Electronic process"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Electronic_process_of_law" title="Electronic process of law">Electronic process of law</a></div> <p>The key difference with the paper process is that there is no Form 12 and requirement for a statutory declaration. This significantly speeds the process: the record at Companies House for the formation of an Electronic Company is 23 minutes. </p><p>Because the electronic process requires compatible software that works with Companies House eFiling service,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> companies are usually formed through a Company Formation Agent.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Annual_returns">Annual returns</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Annual returns"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444" /><table class="box-Globalize plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-globalize" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Globe icon." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/48px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png" decoding="async" width="48" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/73px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/97px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="350" data-file-height="290" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">The examples and perspective in this section <b>may not represent a <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Countering_systemic_bias" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias">worldwide view</a> of the subject</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> You may <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit">improve this section</a>, discuss the issue on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Public_limited_company" title="Talk:Public limited company">talk page</a>, or create a new section, as appropriate.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">February 2022</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Every company must deliver an annual return to Companies House at least once every twelve months. It has 28 days from the date to which the return is made up to do this. Failure to file a return is a criminal offence, for which the officers of the company may be fined.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>There is an annual document-processing fee of £40 if filed by paper (or £13 for users of the Electronic Filing or <a href="/wiki/WebFilings" class="mw-redirect" title="WebFilings">WebFilings</a> services), which must be sent to Companies House with the annual return. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Conversion">Conversion</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Conversion"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Private_limited_company_to_a_public_limited_company">Private limited company to a public limited company</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Private limited company to a public limited company"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Both a private company limited by shares and an <a href="/wiki/Unlimited_company" title="Unlimited company">unlimited company</a> with a share capital may re-register as a plc, but a company without a share capital cannot do so. </p><p>A private company must pass a special resolution that it be so re-registered and deliver a copy of the resolution together with an application form to the Registrar. The resolution must also: </p> <ul><li>alter the company's memorandum so that it states that the company is to be a public limited company,</li> <li>increase its share capital to the statutory minimum of £50,000,</li> <li>make any other alterations to the memorandum so that it conforms to that required for a public limited company,</li> <li>make any required alterations to the articles of association of the company.</li></ul> <p>If it does not already have sufficient share capital, the company must issue £50,000 in shares a minimum of 25% part paid.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Company_Statute" class="mw-redirect" title="European Company Statute">European Company Statute</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_company" title="Limited liability company">Limited liability company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_partnership" title="Limited liability partnership">Limited liability partnership</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Private_limited_company" title="Private limited company">Private limited company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_company" title="Public company">Public company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/S.A._(corporation)" title="S.A. (corporation)">S.A. (corporation)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law" title="United Kingdom company law">United Kingdom company law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unlimited_company" title="Unlimited company">Unlimited company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Virtual_business" title="Virtual business">Virtual business</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFDignenPlier2004" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1">Dignen, Sheila; Plier, Julie, eds. (2004). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/longmanbusinesse0000unse_s0d5">"public limited company"</a>. <i>Longman Business English Dictionary</i>. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited. p. 87. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780582306066" title="Special:BookSources/9780582306066"><bdi>9780582306066</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OL_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OL (identifier)">OL</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL21374872W">21374872W</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Companies House. 19 December 2013. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131226103559/http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/toolsToHelp/formationAgents.shtml">Archived</a> from the original on 26 December 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">18 March</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GOV.UK&rft.atitle=Re-register+your+private+limited+company+to+a+plc+%28RR01%29&rft.date=2016-06-30&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fre-register-your-private-limited-company-to-a-plc-rr01&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APublic+limited+company" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf">Companies Act 2006</a>, <a href="/wiki/Office_of_Public_Sector_Information" title="Office of Public Sector Information">Office of Public Sector Information</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081012111500/http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/gbhtml/gbf1.shtml">Companies House guide to company formation</a> (archived 12 October 2008)</li></ul>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&oldid=1276575144">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Public_limited_company&oldid=1276575144</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Companies_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Category:Companies of the United Kingdom">Companies of the United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Types_of_business_entity" title="Category:Types of business entity">Types of business entity</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:United_Kingdom_company_law" title="Category:United Kingdom company law">United Kingdom company law</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Public_sphere" title="Category:Public sphere">Public sphere</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_dmy_dates_from_April_2022" title="Category:Use dmy dates from April 2022">Use dmy dates from April 2022</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_needing_additional_references_from_May_2021" title="Category:Articles needing additional references from May 2021">Articles needing additional references from May 2021</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_needing_additional_references" title="Category:All articles needing additional references">All articles needing additional references</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_containing_Welsh-language_text" title="Category:Articles containing Welsh-language text">Articles containing Welsh-language text</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_limited_geographic_scope_from_February_2022" title="Category:Articles with limited geographic scope from February 2022">Articles with limited geographic scope from February 2022</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 19 February 2025, at 17:05<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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