If you need to change the name of an existing company, then this is easy to complete using Inform Direct.

Inform Direct currently does not have the option for same day change of company name. If you would like to submit a same day change of company name, you can do this direclty at Companies House. See the Companies House Change a company name (NM01)

1. Go to the Company tab and select 'Change company name'.

2. Enter the new name e.g. "INFORM DIRECT". Then select the green ' Check availability' button.

Note: Ensure you enter the proposed company name without the name ending i.e. Limited. This must be selected from the drop down box else you run the risk of your new name being "INFORM DIRECT LIMITED LIMITED"

Note: The name will always show in upper case lettering. This is Companies House formatting and cannot be changed.

3. If the name is available, choose the method you are using to make the company name change, either:

• By Special Resolution or,
• If the Articles of Association allow.

Special Resolution is the most common selection here. Then select 'Continue'.

Note: If changing the name via Special Resolution then an electronic Special Resolution will be included automatically when Inform Direct files the NM01 - you will not need to upload one separately.

If you are not certain which approach applies in your situation then see our blog here, specifically sections 1 and 2.

Note: If the name is not available then you will need to select a new name. Inform Direct will make suggestions of similar company names for you.

Note: Where a sensitive word is included in the proposed name, or if the new name is similar to an existing company name these changes must be submitted directly to Companies House rather than using the software. How can I change the name to a similar name when I have permission to use the new name.

4. Whichever method you have chosen at Step 3, you will then be asked if approval is required. This allows you to create a summary document to be approved prior to sending the submission if necessary. Selecting Yes will take you through the process to create the approval document. How Do I Prepare Draft Documents To Change The Company Name?

Selecting No does not create the summary document and proceeds to the next step to submit the change to Companies House.

Note: The approval feature is only available to subscribers of the software, please see What are the benefits of subscribing to Inform Direct? Pay as you go users will skip straight to step 5 below.

5. Review the Summary information and if happy hit the green Continue button.

6. When you are happy the details are correct, hit the red button. This will submit form NM01 (and the resolution, if required) to Companies House electronically for them to review. What Confirmation is There That a Submission to Companies House Has Been Successful?

Note: You will receive a certificate for the name change once Companies House have accepted the change. This will be sent by email and will also be available in your Document Library. Do not use the new company name until Companies House has issued the certificate. What Happens After I Have Changed My Company Name?

Once the certificate has been issued, Inform Direct will update all of your records automatically. There is no need to submit any documents to Companies House.

Please note: To complete a name swap between two existing companies you manage, you must send two NM01 forms on paper with a covering letter to Companies House.

How soon can the old name be used by another company?

There's no waiting period. Companies House only checks a proposed name against currently registered, live company names: once your name change is registered, the old name is released immediately and can be used by any other company, including a brand-new incorporation, as long as it passes the normal name-availability check.

How much does a company name change cost?

£20 (electronic): see What Companies House Fees Apply to Filings Made Through Inform Direct? for the full breakdown, including the £85 same-day rate available direct with Companies House (as noted at the top of this guide, Inform Direct doesn't currently support same-day name changes).

I've submitted a filing (e.g. a name change) against the wrong company, how do I resolve it?

If the submission is still pending with Companies House, contact them directly and explain the error: once sent from Inform Direct it can't be recalled or edited within the software, but Companies House may be able to reject it before it's processed.

If it's already been accepted, the filing can't simply be withdrawn or edited. The correct route is to apply to Companies House to have it removed from the register using form RP08 ("Application to remove material"), which covers documents accepted by Companies House that shouldn't have legal effect on that company's record; a name change (NM01) is specifically listed by Companies House as an example of a form this applies to. You'll need to explain the error and your interest in having it removed, then send the form by post (it's free to submit); Companies House will then decide whether to remove it.

Note: this is different from a simple "Second Filing" (RP04) or replacement (RP01), which fix a typo or wrong detail within a filing made against the correct company, not a filing made against the wrong company entirely. See How to Correct Mistakes on Company Filings at Companies House for those scenarios.

This isn't legal advice: for anything unusual or high-value, check with Companies House directly or a solicitor.