Sensitive words for UK company formations

Some words are classed as sensitive by Companies House. Consequently, they will not form nor change the name of a company if the name contains one of these words. However, some words would be accepted if the own name company registration is accompanied by a letter of justification for the use of that name. Specifically, if your company name is to include any of the words "group", "holdings", or "international" (or common variations of these words) then you will need to submit a letter of justification. Templates for these can be found at the bottom of this page.

For other sensitive words, the relevant regulatory board would need to be contacted. For example to use the word "optician" or "optometrist", The Registrar General Optical Council would need to be contacted.

For more information, please contact us.

Please note that plurals of the words listed are also classed as sensitive.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABORTION ANZAC
ARCHITECT ASSEMBLY
ASSOCIATION ASSURANCE
ASSURER AUTHORITY
BENEVOLENT BOARD
BRITISH BUILDING SOCIETY
CBC (Welsh for CIC) CCC (Welsh for plc)
CENEDLAETHLOL (NATIONAL in Welsh) CERTIFIED
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TRAINING AND ENTERPRISE
CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY CHAMBER OF TRADE
CHARITABLE CHARITY
CHARTER CHARTERED
CHARTERED BUILDER CHARTERED BUILDING
CHARTERED SURVEYOR CHEMIST (1) & (2)
CHEMISTRY CHIROPODIST
CIC COMMONHOLD
CONTACT LENS CO-OPERATIVE
COPYRIGHT COUNCIL
CREDIT UNION CYNULLIAD (ASSEMBLY in Welsh)
DENTAL DENTAL PRACTITIONER
DENTAL SURGEON DENTIST
DENTISTRY DESIGNRIGHT
DIETICIAN DISPENSING OPTICIAN
DISTRICT NURSE DRUGGIST
DUKE ENGLAND
ENGLISH ENROLLED OPTICIAN
ENTERPRISE AGENCY EUROPEAN
FEDERATION FOUNDATION
FRIENDLY SOCIETY FUND
GENEVA CROSS GREAT BRITAIN
GROUP GWASANAETH (SERVICE in Welsh)
HEALTH CENTRE HEALTH SERVICE
HEALTH VISITOR HER MAJESTY
HIS MAJESTY HOLDING
HOUSING CORPORATION INDUSTRIAL AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY
INSTITUTE INSTITUTE OF LARYNGOLOGY
INSTITUTE OF LARYNGOLOGY & OTOLOGY INSTITUTE OF ORTHOPAEDICS
INSTITUTE OF OTOLOGY INSTITUTE OF UROLOGY
INSTITUTION INSURANCE
INSURER INTERNATIONAL
IRELAND IRISH
KING LABORATORY OF THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST
LAND CHARGES LAND REGISTRATION
LAND REGISTRY MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
MIDWIFE MIDWIFERY
NATIONAL NURSE
NURSING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
OLYMPIAD OLYMPIADS
OLYMPIAN OLYMPIANS
OLYMPIC OLYMPICS
OPHTHALMIC OPTICIAN OPTICIAN
OPTOMETRIST ORTHOPTIST
OVERSEAS TRADE SERVICES PATENT
PATENT OFFICE PATENTEE
PHARMACEUTICAL PHARMACEUTIST
PHARMACIST PHARMACY
PHYSIOTHERAPIST POLICE
POLYTECHNIC POST OFFICE
PREGNANCY TERMINATION PRINCE
PRINCESS QUEEN
RADIOGRAPHER RE-ASSURANCE
RE-ASSURER RED CRESCENT
RED CROSS RED LION AND SUN
REGISTER REGISTERED
REGISTERED OPTICIAN RE-INSURANCE
RE-INSURER REMEDIAL GYMNAST
ROYAL ROYALE
ROYALTY SCOTLAND
SCOTTISH SE (unless separated by space or punctuation)
SHEFFIELD SOCIETY
SOLICITOR (Scotland only) SPECIAL SCHOOL
STOCK EXCHANGE TRADE UNION
TRAINING AND ENTERPRISE COUNCIL TRUST -
UNITED KINGDOM UNIVERSITY VETERINARY
VETERINARY SURGEON WALES
WELSH WINDSOR
 

Template letters for names including "group", "holdings", or "international"

Download the appropriate template letter, modify it to suit your company details, print it out on company headed notepapre and post or fax it to us when you submit your company order.