Companies House Policy on SE’s (European Companies)

1. What happens to SE documents sent to Companies House?

All SE documents are subject to certain checks. Assuming that the documents satisfy the necessary checks, Companies House will register them and make them available for public inspection.  If the documents do not pass the necessary checks they will be returned to the customer, this will result in delays to the processing time.

2. Can I send documents to Companies House via a courier? 

Yes, for important documents we highly recommend a courier is used to ensure safe delivery. Documents should be marked ‘For the Attention of Foreign and Miscellaneous section’.

3. How much does Companies House charge to register an SE?

The registration fee for an SE is £20. A cheque made up to the relevant amount must be included when submitting fee-bearing SE documents (see the Companies House price list for more information). Cheques should be made payable to ‘Companies House’.
Companies House will reject any fee-bearing document which is not sent in with a cheque made up to the correct amount. This will result in delays to the processing time.

4. How long does it take for Companies House to register an SE document?

SE documents can be complex and require detailed checks to be made. Companies House aims to process all SE documents within 5 days of receipt. It is advised that SE’s working to a tight deadline submit documents in plenty of time. For important documents a courier service is recommended.

Companies House cannot guarantee the registration of any SE document at a specific time or date.

Companies House does not register documents on days when the office is closed (including Bank Holidays).

For more information on SE’s (European Companies) please see our Guidance Booklet GBO6 SE Companies.