Can anyone be a company director?

In general terms, yes, but there are some rules. You can’t be a company director if:

  • you are an undischarged bankrupt or disqualified by a court from holding a directorship, unless given leave to act in respect of a particular company or companies;

There is no minimum age limit in the Companies Act for a director to be appointed in England and Wales. However, he or she must be able to consent to their own appointment. You should seek legal advice if you intend to have a very young person as a director of your company.

In Scotland the Registrar will not register for any company the appointment of a director under the age of 16 years old. A child below that age does not have the legal capacity to accept a directorship – Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991. If you need more information, contact Companies House, Edinburgh.

Some people not of British nationality are restricted as to what work they may do while in this country. If you need more information about whether such a person can become a director of a UK-registered company, contact:

Home Office Immigration and Nationality Department
Lunar House
Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY   (Tel: 0870 606 7766)

Quoted from the Companies House booklet ‘Company Formation’, December 2006.

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Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff CF14 3UZ

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