Company Registration Document Translation for UK Use

When Do You Need Corporate Document Translation?

UK authorities, courts, and banks will not accept foreign company registration documents until they are translated into English. And you may need corporate translations in more situations than you expect.

Companies House Requirements for Overseas Entities

The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 created the Register of Overseas Entities (ROE). Any overseas entity that owns or wants to buy UK land or property must register with Companies House. Every foreign-language document in the registration must come with a certified English translation.

Beyond the ROE, any overseas company that wants to open a UK branch or place of business must register under Part 34 of the Companies Act 2006. You must submit a range of constitutional documents. All must be translated into English if the originals are in another language. Companies House will reject applications where translations are missing, incomplete, or below their standards.

Registering a Foreign Company Branch in the UK

A foreign company that opens a UK branch (rather than setting up a new UK subsidiary) must register the branch with Companies House within one month of opening. The registration form (OS IN01) needs certified translations of constitutional documents and details of directors. Filing duties carry on after that — annual accounts must be in English or come with a certified translation.

Many people assume a UK subsidiary and a UK branch need the same documents. They do not. A UK subsidiary is a separate legal entity set up under UK law, so no foreign documents are needed. A UK branch is an arm of the overseas parent company. For a branch, Companies House needs full translated documents covering the parent's constitution, governance, and finances.

Innovator Founder Visa: Business Document Requirements

The Innovator Founder visa (which replaced the Innovator visa in April 2023) asks applicants to show a genuine, innovative, and scalable business idea, endorsed by an approved body. If your business runs overseas, the endorsement panel will want translated documents. These prove your track record and show the business is real.

Innovator Founder applications often need company registration certificates, tax returns and financial statements that show business activity, shareholder agreements that show who owns what, and board resolutions or minutes that record business decisions. All must be in English or come with a certified translation. See our detailed guide on Innovator Founder visa translation requirements for the full document list.

Key Corporate Documents Explained

Certificate of Incorporation

The certificate of incorporation (or equivalent) proves that a company legally exists. The registrar of companies in each country issues it. It usually shows the company name, registration number, date of incorporation, and registered address. Formats vary between countries — some issue a one-page certificate, while others issue a multi-page document with extra details such as the company's objects or authorised share capital.

Articles of Association & Memorandum

Articles of association set a company's internal rules — how directors are appointed, how decisions are made, how shares are issued and transferred. The memorandum of association (in countries that still require one) sets out how the company deals with the outside world, including its objects and powers. These are often the longest and hardest corporate documents to translate. They can run to 30 pages or more, with dense legal language tied to the home country.

Shareholder Agreements

Shareholder agreements are private contracts between a company's shareholders. They cover matters such as share transfer restrictions, pre-emption rights, drag-along and tag-along provisions, dividend policies, and dispute resolution. These documents often use country-specific legal terms. They need a translator who knows corporate law, not just the language.

Board Resolutions

Board resolutions are formal records of decisions made by a company's board of directors. In the UK, you often need translated board resolutions to open a UK bank account, appoint a UK representative, buy UK property, or set up a UK branch. The translation must keep the formal structure of the resolution — the date, the attendees, and the exact wording of the resolution passed.

Tax Registration Documents

You often need tax registration certificates, VAT certificates, and annual tax returns when a foreign company deals with HMRC, bids for UK contracts, or gives evidence for visa applications. These documents vary a lot between countries — from a one-page tax ID certificate to an annual filing running to dozens of pages. For more on financial document translation, see our guide on translating financial documents for UK visa applications.

Country-Specific Corporate Document Formats

Corporate registration documents differ a lot from country to country. Knowing these differences helps you get an accurate translation and meet UK rules.

Certified Translation for Legal Proceedings

Translation rules are strictest when foreign corporate documents are used in UK court proceedings — commercial litigation, insolvency, or regulatory investigations. Under the Civil Procedure Rules, any document not in English must come with a translation certified by a person competent to translate it. The translator must also sign a statement of truth confirming the translation is accurate.

In high-value commercial disputes, the other side's lawyers may challenge the accuracy of a translation. A qualified translator with corporate law expertise — rather than a general-purpose service — greatly lowers this risk. For complex cases that span several countries, use one translation provider for all documents. This keeps the terms consistent across the whole bundle.

UK Property Transactions by Foreign Entities

Since August 2022, any overseas entity buying, selling, or transferring UK land must be on the Register of Overseas Entities at Companies House. Registration requires certified translations of all constitutional documents. Conveyancing solicitors and HM Land Registry also need translated board resolutions approving the deal, powers of attorney, and proof of beneficial ownership. For a complete guide on property-related translations, see our article on property purchase document translation.

Failing to register with the ROE has severe consequences. An unregistered overseas entity cannot buy, sell, lease, or charge land in the UK. Its beneficial owners and managing officers may face criminal penalties, including fines and prison. Registration itself can take several weeks. Missing or untranslated documents are the most common cause of delay. Order your certified translations before you submit your ROE application. This avoids back-and-forth with Companies House.

Apostille and Legalisation for Corporate Documents

Some recipients — particularly UK courts, certain banks, and HM Land Registry — may require that foreign corporate documents be apostilled or legalised before they accept a certified translation. For countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is a standardised certificate issued by a designated authority in the country of origin that confirms the document's authenticity. For non-Hague countries, the equivalent process is consular legalisation through the British Embassy. The certified translation should be produced from the apostilled or legalised original document, and the translation should note the presence of the apostille or legalisation stamp.

The Translation Process for Corporate Documents

Costs and Turnaround Times

Prices are per page. Corporate documents with complex legal terminology or dense formatting may require additional time. Bundle discounts are available for multiple documents. All prices include the translator's signed certification declaration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Companies House accept translations done by the company's own employees?

Companies House requires that translations be produced by a person competent to translate the document, accompanied by a certification statement. While the regulations do not explicitly prohibit in-house translations, in practice Companies House is far more likely to accept and process applications accompanied by translations from an independent, professional translation service. An in-house translation may also raise concerns about impartiality — particularly if the document is being used to support a claim or application.

Do I need to translate the entire articles of association, or just relevant sections?

For Companies House registration, the full document must be translated. For court proceedings, your solicitor may instruct a partial translation of relevant clauses only, but this carries the risk that opposing counsel will request the full translation. For bank account opening, some banks accept translated extracts if accompanied by a certification that the extract is a faithful translation of the specified sections. When in doubt, translate the full document — it prevents delays and avoids repeat costs.

My Chinese business licence has been updated since the 2015 reform. Do I need to explain the old format?

No. If your current business licence is the post-2015 unified format (combining the business licence, organisation code certificate, and tax registration certificate into one document with an 18-digit Unified Social Credit Code), simply provide the current licence for translation. The translator will note the format and translate all fields. If you also have older-format documents that are still required for a specific purpose, those can be translated separately with a note explaining the historical context.

Can I use the same translation for both Companies House and a UK bank?

Yes. A certified translation that meets Companies House standards will also be accepted by UK banks for account opening purposes. Both require the translation to be certified by the translator with a declaration of accuracy. You do not need separate translations for different recipients, provided the certification meets the highest standard required. We recommend always requesting the full certified format, which satisfies all UK institutions.

How do I get a UAE free zone trade licence translated and accepted in the UK?

UAE free zone documents are often bilingual (Arabic and English), but the English text may not be a complete translation — it is typically a summary. For UK purposes, the Arabic text is the legally authoritative version and must be fully translated. The document should be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then apostilled (the UAE is a Hague Convention signatory). Once apostilled, submit the document with a certified English translation. Free zone authority certificates and establishment cards should also be translated if they form part of your document bundle.