# Companies House API: UK Company Search & New Companies (`postatelier/uk-companies-house`) Actor UK Companies House search via the official API: company profiles, SIC codes, registered office, accounts and confirmation-statement dates, filing history, charges, and daily new incorporations by SIC code, location and date. Company-level data only. - **URL**: https://apify.com/postatelier/uk-companies-house.md - **Developed by:** [Post Atelier](https://apify.com/postatelier) (community) - **Categories:** Lead generation, Developer tools - **Stats:** 1 total users, 0 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing $3.00 / 1,000 company returneds This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md. ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run. For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below. Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`). # README ### What does UK Companies House do? It's a **Companies House API** client for UK company search and company number lookup: it pulls data from Companies House, the UK's official register of companies, through the official Public Data API. Not affiliated with Companies House. You can: - **Look up companies** by name or company number: full profile, status, type, registered office, SIC codes with descriptions, previous names, accounts and confirmation-statement dates, and insolvency flags. - **Build lead lists** from filters: SIC codes, location, incorporation or dissolution dates, status, type, and name contains or excludes. - **Monitor new incorporations.** With "Only new companies" turned on, a daily schedule returns only companies you haven't seen before, for example every new software company in Manchester. - Add **filing history** (with document links) and **charges** (mortgages and the lending organisations) when you need them. It uses the official API rather than scraping the website, so it doesn't break when the Companies House site changes. ### What you get A real run with `"queries": ["Tesco PLC", "01003142"]` (first rows shown): | Company | Number | Type | Status | Incorporated | City | SIC | Accounts due | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | TESCO PLC | 00445790 | Public limited company | active | 1947-11-27 | Welwyn Garden City | 47110 | 2027-08-26 | | TESCO ATRATO DEPOT PROPCO LIMITED | 06969533 | Private limited company | active | 2009-07-22 | Welwyn Garden City | 82990 | 2027-11-26 | | ROLLS-ROYCE PLC | 01003142 | Public limited company | active | 1971-02-23 | London | 25300 | 2027-06-30 | Each row is a full JSON record with the registered office, SIC descriptions, previous names, accounts and confirmation-statement dates, insolvency flags and, if you ask for them, filings and charges. ### Run it on a schedule: Slack, e-mail, Google Sheets or a webhook Set it up once and get new UK incorporations that match your filters automatically: 1. **Save a task.** Fill in the input (or paste the JSON below in the JSON editor) and click **Save as a new task**. ```json { "sicCodes": ["62012"], "location": "Manchester", "incorporatedWithinDays": 7, "onlyNew": true, "monitorName": "manchester-software" } ``` 2. **Schedule it daily.** Open **Schedules** in the left menu of the Apify Console, create a schedule, pick the time and add your task. Each run then returns only companies that earlier runs haven't, so you pay only for new ones. 3. **Send the results somewhere.** In the task's **Integrations** tab: - **Slack:** "Send notification via Slack" when a run succeeds. - **E-mail or Google Drive:** "Send results email via Gmail" attaches the rows; "Upload results to GDrive" saves them as a file. - **Google Sheets, CRM, n8n:** connect the task through Make, Zapier or n8n (listed under Automation platforms) and add a row per result. - **Webhook:** add an HTTP webhook for the event **Run succeeded** with your URL. The payload includes `resource.defaultDatasetId`; fetch the rows from `https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets//items`. ### Who uses it - **Sales and lead generation:** new UK companies in your target SIC codes and area, every day, while they're still choosing suppliers. - **KYB and supplier checks:** status, registered office, accounts and confirmation-statement deadlines, insolvency flags and charges for a list of companies. - **Accountants and formation agents:** new incorporations in your area, and accounts and confirmation-statement due dates (with an `overdue` flag) for each company. - **AI agents:** one call answers "is this UK company active, and what does it do?" ### How to use it **Look up companies:** put names or numbers in *Company names or numbers*: ```json { "queries": ["Tesco PLC", "01003142", "SC123456"], "includeFilings": true, "maxFilings": 5 } ``` **Lead list:** active software companies in Manchester incorporated this year: ```json { "sicCodes": ["62012", "62020"], "location": "Manchester", "companyStatus": ["active"], "incorporatedFrom": "2026-01-01", "maxResults": 500, "fullProfile": false } ``` **Daily new-incorporations feed:** the same filters with a rolling window, `"incorporatedWithinDays": 7`, plus `"onlyNew": true, "monitorName": "manchester-software"`. Save it as a task and schedule it daily. You only get, and only pay for, companies that weren't in earlier runs. ### Output example ```json { "query": "Tesco PLC", "matchedBy": "name", "country": "GB", "registryId": "00445790", "registryIdType": "Company number", "name": "TESCO PLC", "previousNames": [{ "name": "TESCO STORES (HOLDINGS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY", "from": "1981-12-14", "to": "1983-08-25" }], "legalForm": "Public limited company", "status": "active", "statusDetail": "active", "jurisdiction": "england-wales", "incorporationDate": "1947-11-27", "address": { "street": "Tesco House, Shire Park, Kestrel Way", "postalCode": "AL7 1GA", "city": "Welwyn Garden City", "country": "United Kingdom", "full": "Tesco House, Shire Park, Kestrel Way, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1GA, United Kingdom" }, "activities": [{ "code": "47110", "scheme": "UK SIC 2007", "description": "Retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating", "primary": true }], "accounts": { "lastMadeUpTo": "2026-02-28", "lastType": "group", "nextDue": "2027-08-26", "overdue": false }, "confirmationStatement": { "lastMadeUpTo": "2026-06-18", "nextDue": "2027-07-02", "overdue": false }, "flags": { "hasCharges": false, "hasInsolvencyHistory": false, "hasBeenLiquidated": false, "registeredOfficeInDispute": false, "undeliverableRegisteredOffice": false }, "filings": [{ "date": "2026-09-16", "category": "capital", "type": "SH03", "description": "Capital return purchase own shares", "documentUrl": "https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00445790/filing-history/.../document?format=pdf&download=0" }], "source": { "registry": "Companies House (UK register of companies), Public Data API", "url": "https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00445790", "attribution": "Source: Companies House" }, "retrievedAt": "2026-10-15T09:30:00.000Z" } ``` ### Use it from code, Make, Zapier or an AI agent Run it with one HTTP call and get the results back as JSON: ```bash curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/postatelier~uk-companies-house/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "sicCodes": ["62012"], "location": "Manchester", "incorporatedWithinDays": 7, "onlyNew": true }' ``` ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient client = ApifyClient("") run = client.actor("postatelier/uk-companies-house").call(run_input={ "sicCodes": ["62012"], "location": "Manchester", "incorporatedWithinDays": 7, "onlyNew": true }) for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) ``` It also works from Make, Zapier, n8n and Google Sheets through Apify's integrations. AI agents can call it as a tool through the [Apify MCP server](https://mcp.apify.com), with the Actor name `postatelier/uk-companies-house`. ### Pricing Pay per event: | Event | Price | |---|---| | Company returned | **$0.003** ($3 per 1,000 companies) | Filing history, charges and full profiles are included at no extra cost. Companies skipped by monitoring and queries with no match are free. **Examples:** 1,000 companies cost $3. A daily feed of 30 new incorporations a day costs about $2.70 a month. Apify's free plan includes $5 of monthly credit, enough for about 1,600 companies. ### Status values `status` is one of: - `active` - `insolvency`: in liquidation, administration, receivership, a voluntary arrangement or insolvency proceedings - `inactive`: dissolved, closed or converted - `unknown` `statusDetail` keeps Companies House's exact wording. ### Company data only This Actor never requests officer, director or PSC (beneficial owner) data. Filings about officers and PSCs are left out entirely, and filing descriptions only carry dates, capital figures, charge numbers and registered-office addresses. Charge holders are listed only when every named party is clearly an organisation (a bank, a limited company, a trustee company). Anything that could be a private individual, such as the trustees of a family pension scheme or an estate's executors, is dropped. We would rather drop a lender than return a person. ### Good to know - **Speed and rate limits:** Companies House allows 600 requests per 5 minutes per API key. The Actor paces itself and waits out rate-limit responses rather than failing. The built-in key is shared by all users of the Actor, so at busy times big jobs slow down. A full profile costs one request; filings and charges cost one more each. Expect about 100 companies a minute with full profiles, and much faster with `fullProfile: false` (search results come 1,000 at a time). - **Big jobs:** the filtered search returns at most 10,000 companies per run. Split by date range or SIC code for more. You can also add your own free API key for your own rate limit. - **Data source:** Companies House public register, made available under the Companies Act 2006. Companies House places no restrictions on re-use of register information. Keep "Source: Companies House" when you republish. ### Related Actors - [European Company Registry Search](https://apify.com/postatelier/eu-company-registry): the same lookup for France, Norway, Finland, Czechia and Poland, plus LEI and VIES VAT checks. - [Secretary of State Business Entity Search](https://apify.com/postatelier/us-business-entities): US companies and new LLCs from nine state registries. - [Public Tenders & Procurement](https://apify.com/postatelier/public-tenders-feed): UK Find a Tender and Contracts Finder, EU TED and US SAM.gov notices. ### FAQ **Do I need a Companies House API key?** No. The Actor brings its own. The optional key field is only for very large jobs. **Can I get directors or shareholders?** No. This Actor returns company-level data only, by design. **Something broke or looks wrong?** Open an issue. A daily health check runs against the API, and we aim to fix problems within a day. # Actor input Schema ## `queries` (type: `array`): One per line. Company numbers (e.g. 00445790, SC123456, OC301234) return that company; names return the best matches. ## `maxResultsPerQuery` (type: `integer`): How many best-matching companies to return for each name. ## `sicCodes` (type: `array`): Find companies by UK SIC 2007 code, e.g. 62012 (business and domestic software development), 56101 (licensed restaurants). Leave empty to skip the filtered search. ## `location` (type: `string`): Town, county or postcode area of the registered office, e.g. "Manchester". ## `incorporatedFrom` (type: `string`): YYYY-MM-DD ## `incorporatedTo` (type: `string`): YYYY-MM-DD ## `incorporatedWithinDays` (type: `integer`): Rolling window instead of fixed dates, e.g. 7. Best for daily monitoring: each run only pages recent incorporations. ## `companyStatus` (type: `array`): Leave empty for any status. ## `companyType` (type: `array`): Leave empty for any type. ## `nameIncludes` (type: `string`): Only companies whose name contains this text. ## `nameExcludes` (type: `string`): Skip companies whose name contains this text. ## `dissolvedFrom` (type: `string`): YYYY-MM-DD ## `dissolvedTo` (type: `string`): YYYY-MM-DD ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Upper limit for the filtered search (the register can return thousands). ## `fullProfile` (type: `boolean`): Fetch the full profile (accounts and confirmation-statement dates, previous names, insolvency flags) for every company. Turn off for fast, large lead lists: you still get name, number, status, type, address, SIC codes and incorporation date. ## `includeFilings` (type: `boolean`): Add the most recent filings (date, type, description, document link). ## `maxFilings` (type: `integer`): How many recent filings to include per company. ## `includeCharges` (type: `boolean`): Add registered charges: status, type, dates and the lending organisations. ## `onlyNew` (type: `boolean`): Skip companies this monitor already returned in earlier runs. Schedule the Actor daily to get only fresh incorporations or changes in your list. You are not charged for skipped companies. ## `monitorName` (type: `string`): Keeps separate memory per monitor, e.g. "manchester-software". ## `apiKey` (type: `string`): Not needed. For very large jobs you can use your own free key from developer.company-information.service.gov.uk to get your own rate limit. ## `selfCheck` (type: `boolean`): Maintainer health check. Leave off. ## Actor input object example ```json { "queries": [ "Tesco PLC", "01003142" ], "maxResultsPerQuery": 5, "maxResults": 100, "fullProfile": true, "includeFilings": false, "maxFilings": 10, "includeCharges": false, "onlyNew": false, "monitorName": "default", "selfCheck": false } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description ## `summary` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "queries": [ "Tesco PLC", "01003142" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("postatelier/uk-companies-house").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "queries": [ "Tesco PLC", "01003142", ] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("postatelier/uk-companies-house").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}") for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "queries": [ "Tesco PLC", "01003142" ] }' | apify call postatelier/uk-companies-house --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,postatelier/uk-companies-house" } } } ``` The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer ` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/eTIkPWWebh2PpYt4E/builds/jXe0tyMpSA4xGCyco/openapi.json