Company LEI guide
How the company search and LEI journey work
Use one search to find a UK Companies House company by its registered name or company number. Review the exact record before starting the next step for that company.
Find your companySearch by company name or number
Enter either a registered company name or a Companies House number in the same search box. A valid company number opens its exact record. A name search can return several companies, so select the one you mean rather than relying on a similar name.
Check the exact Companies House record
Before continuing, compare the legal name, company number, status and registered office shown on the result. The name-search results wait for you to choose a company; they are not selected automatically.
If no result appears, check the registered name or try the company number. You can also look up the record in the official Companies House register.
Which companies are supported?
This search journey supports active UK private limited companies. A company with another current status or legal type stops before the next-step button appears. Check the live Companies House record if the result is unexpected.
Getting, renewing and transferring an LEI
A new LEI is a new identifier for one legal entity. Renewal keeps the company’s existing LEI number and updates its record for another validity period. A transfer changes which Local Operating Unit (LOU) manages an existing LEI; it does not change the identifier.
You do not need to choose issuance, renewal or transfer in company search. Use the result button naming your exact company to get started with its number already filled in. An existing LEI is checked before any application or payment; when a record already exists, transfer and renewal may be offered.
What an LEI identifies
A Legal Entity Identifier is a unique 20-character alphanumeric code for one legal entity. Its existence does not mean every company or transaction needs an LEI.
Under UK MiFIR, a firm with transaction-reporting duties needs an eligible company client’s LEI before executing an in-scope trade on that client’s behalf. Ask your broker whether a particular transaction is in scope.