# UK Companies House Search: by SIC Code, Postcode, Town (`tidelane/uk-companies-house-search`) Actor

Find all UK companies by SIC code (industry), postcode area or district, town, name, company type and incorporation date, from the official Companies House register (5+ million companies). Addresses, SIC codes, status, accounts dates. No API key needed.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/tidelane/uk-companies-house-search.md
- **Developed by:** [Tidelane Data](https://apify.com/tidelane) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.70 / 1,000 companies

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

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

## UK Companies House Search: by SIC Code, Postcode, Town

Find **every UK company** in an industry and area, straight from the official **Companies House** register of more than 5 million companies. Filter by **SIC code**, **postcode area or district**, **town**, **name**, **company type**, **accounts size** and **incorporation date**, and download the list as Excel, CSV or JSON.

- ✅ **Complete:** scans the whole official register snapshot, not a search page that stops after a few hundred results
- ✅ **SIC codes with prefixes:** `62` finds all IT companies, `56101` only licensed restaurants
- ✅ **Exact postcode logic:** `B` is Birmingham only (not Bath `BA`), `SW1A` is one district, `SW1A 1` one sector
- ✅ **New companies:** filter by incorporation date to find businesses founded last month
- ✅ **Clean data:** registered office address, all SIC codes with descriptions, status, company type, accounts and confirmation statement dates, previous names and a link to the Companies House page
- ✅ **No API key, no login**, dormant companies left out by default

### What can you use it for?

- **B2B lead lists:** all accountants in Manchester, all software companies in London EC, all builders in Leeds
- **Market research:** count companies per industry and region, track new incorporations
- **Sales territories:** split leads by postcode district
- **Supplier search and due diligence:** check status, company type and filing dates at scale
- **CRM enrichment:** add SIC codes and registered addresses to your company list

### How to use it

1. Enter one or more **SIC codes** and/or **postcodes**. Add any other filters you like.
2. Set **Max results** and click **Start**.
3. Download the results from the **Output** tab as Excel, CSV, JSON or HTML, or get them via the Apify API.

#### Input example

```json
{
    "sicCodes": ["62012"],
    "postcodes": ["EC"],
    "incorporatedFrom": "2025-01-01",
    "maxResults": 1000
}
```

#### Output example

Each company looks like this (example values):

```json
{
    "companyName": "EXAMPLE SOFTWARE LIMITED",
    "companyNumber": "00000000",
    "status": "Active",
    "companyType": "Private Limited Company",
    "incorporationDate": "2025-03-14",
    "sicCodes": [
        { "code": "62012", "description": "Business and domestic software development" },
        { "code": "62020", "description": "Information technology consultancy activities" }
    ],
    "address": {
        "poBox": null,
        "line1": "1 EXAMPLE STREET",
        "line2": null,
        "town": "LONDON",
        "county": null,
        "country": "ENGLAND",
        "postcode": "EC1A 1AA"
    },
    "countryOfOrigin": "United Kingdom",
    "accountsCategory": "MICRO ENTITY",
    "accountsLastMadeUpDate": "2026-03-31",
    "accountsNextDueDate": "2027-12-31",
    "confirmationStatementNextDueDate": "2027-03-27",
    "chargesOutstanding": 0,
    "previousNames": [],
    "url": "https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00000000",
    "snapshotDate": "2026-10-01"
}
```

A run summary (`snapshotDate`, `companiesFound`, `companiesScanned`) is saved as `OUTPUT` in the key-value store.

### Tips

- **SIC codes:** look up codes in the official list (UK SIC 2007). Use 2 to 4 digits for a whole group, 5 digits for one activity.
- **Postcodes** are more reliable than towns, because the town field is free text (LONDON, London, City of London).
- **Company size:** the accounts category is a rough size signal. MICRO ENTITY and TOTAL EXEMPTION are small companies; FULL, MEDIUM and GROUP are larger ones.
- **Registered office:** the address is the registered office, which can be an accountant's office rather than the place where the company trades.

### Speed and pricing

The Actor reads the complete register snapshot in a few seconds to about 2 minutes, depending on the filters (SIC code and name filters are fastest). It stops early when **Max results** is reached. You pay per company in the results.

Paid Apify plans pay less: 10% off on Starter, 20% on Scale and 30% on Business and higher plans.

### Data source and license

Data: Companies House "Free Company Data Product", updated monthly. Contains public sector information licensed under the [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/). The snapshot date of every result is in `snapshotDate`. This Actor does not output officers, persons with significant control or contact persons, and leaves out "care of" address lines.

**Using the data for marketing:** company data is public, but UK rules (PECR and UK GDPR) still apply when you contact businesses, especially sole traders and partnerships. Check the rules for your channel before sending emails or calling.

***

#### Impressum

Levi Griesinger, Tidelane Data\
Besigheimer Straße 18\
74369, Löchgau, Deutschland\
E-Mail: LeviGriesinger@gmail.com

# Actor input Schema

## `sicCodes` (type: `array`):

UK SIC 2007 codes. A shorter code matches everything below it: 62 = all IT companies, 6201 = software, 62012 = business software only, 561 = restaurants and cafes. Companies match if any of their up to 4 SIC codes fits.

## `postcodes` (type: `array`):

Postcode areas (B = Birmingham, M = Manchester, EC = London City), districts (SW1A, M1, LS6), sectors (SW1A 1) or full postcodes of the registered office. B matches only Birmingham, not BA or BB.

## `towns` (type: `array`):

Post town of the registered office, e.g. LONDON, LEEDS, GLASGOW (not case sensitive). Postcodes are more reliable because the town field is free text.

## `nameContains` (type: `array`):

Keep companies whose name contains any of these words, e.g. bakery, solar, dental.

## `companyTypes` (type: `array`):

Keep these types only (part of the name is enough): Private Limited Company, Public Limited Company, Limited Liability Partnership, Community Interest Company, Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Limited Partnership, Overseas Entity, Registered Society.

## `accountsCategories` (type: `array`):

Filter by the type of the last accounts, a rough size signal: MICRO ENTITY, SMALL, TOTAL EXEMPTION FULL, UNAUDITED ABRIDGED, MEDIUM, FULL, GROUP, NO ACCOUNTS FILED.

## `incorporatedFrom` (type: `string`):

Only companies incorporated on or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Great for finding new companies.

## `incorporatedTo` (type: `string`):

Only companies incorporated on or before this date (YYYY-MM-DD).

## `statuses` (type: `array`):

Keep these statuses. Default is Active. Others: Active - Proposal to Strike off, Liquidation, In Administration, Voluntary Arrangement. Leave empty for all.

## `excludeDormant` (type: `boolean`):

Leave out companies with SIC 99999 (dormant) or dormant accounts.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many companies.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "sicCodes": [
    "62012"
  ],
  "postcodes": [
    "EC"
  ],
  "statuses": [
    "Active"
  ],
  "excludeDormant": true,
  "maxResults": 1000
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

All results of the run as dataset items.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Summary per input with status (ok, error and the reason).

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "sicCodes": [
        "62012"
    ],
    "postcodes": [
        "EC"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("tidelane/uk-companies-house-search").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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "sicCodes": ["62012"],
    "postcodes": ["EC"],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("tidelane/uk-companies-house-search").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 '{
  "sicCodes": [
    "62012"
  ],
  "postcodes": [
    "EC"
  ]
}' |
apify call tidelane/uk-companies-house-search --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,tidelane/uk-companies-house-search"
        }
    }
}
```

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 <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` 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/PdeLX692HM0vb3S8J/builds/bpz0igdWbOIbdAi3G/openapi.json