Flexibility In Company Names

There are two new sets of regulations being brought in with effect from the end of January 2015 which will have the effect of easing the restrictions in choosing a new company name and changing an existing company name.

Permitted characters

The new regulations provide for a greater range of characters and symbols which are permitted to be used in a company name.  For a full list of these characters, please see regulation 7 and schedule 3 of The Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Names and Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2015.

Words which are considered the "same as"

The current regulations provide that a proposed company name cannot be registered if it is considered to be the "same as" an existing company name.  This applies not only when trying to register a new company name which is exactly the same as an existing company name, but also where the only difference between an existing name and a proposed name is the substitution of one of the