AP02 records the appointment of a corporate body or firm as a company director. The first page asks about two different organisations: the company making the appointment and the body taking the director role. Their names and registration numbers belong in different sections.
Who uses AP02 and when must it be filed?
Use AP02 for a corporate director. An individual director has a separate appointment form, AP01. Companies House requires changes to directors to be reported within 14 days. Enter the actual appointment date in section 2.
This guide follows the November 2025 PDF, version 8.0, issued under section 167G of the Companies Act 2006. It covers the notification fields. For advice about whether a proposed appointment is legally permitted in your circumstances, consult a company-law adviser before making it.
How to fill in the company and corporate director details
Section 1 identifies the company receiving the director. Section 3 identifies the corporate body being appointed. For example, where one company appoints another company to its board, copy the appointing company’s name and number into section 1, then use the incoming director’s own name and principal office address in section 3.
| Section | What to enter | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full name and number of the company making the appointment. | That company’s Companies House record. |
| 2 | The corporate director’s appointment date, in day, month and year order. | The appointment record. |
| 3 | The incoming body’s name, principal office address and answer to the UK limited-company question. | The incoming body’s details. |
| 4 | Registration number if the incoming director is a UK-registered limited company. | The incoming company’s public register entry. |
| 5 | Legal form and governing law for other bodies or firms; register, state and registration number where applicable. | The body’s legal and registration documents. |
| 6 | Tick to confirm the named body has consented to act. | The consent given for this appointment. |
| 7 | The printed name of a person permitted to authenticate the notification. | The list of permitted capacities beside the section. |
Choosing section 4 or section 5
The question below the address controls which section you complete. A UK-registered limited company goes through section 4. Other corporate bodies or firms use section 5, where the legal form and governing law are required. If you identify a register, including its state, you must also supply the body’s number in that register.
The principal office address in section 3 will be public. It must identify a physical location where documents can be delivered. A PO Box is allowed only as part of a full address; a DX number or Legal Post number is not accepted for this field.
What can cause an AP02 to be returned?
The PDF checklist warns that incomplete or incorrectly completed forms may be returned. It specifically checks the company name and number, appointment date, corporate director’s address, selection of section 4 or 5, consent box and authentication. A completed address does not replace the consent confirmation in section 6.
Section 7 requires a printed name, with no signature. The permitted capacities include a director, secretary and authorised person; the form lists the other eligible office-holders. Presenter contact details on the final page are optional, but any details supplied will be public.
Official AP02 PDF and where to send it
Download the form or follow the online filing link on the official AP02 publication page listed below. Companies in the PROOF protected online filing scheme must use online filing. Companies House says postal forms take longer to process.
For paper submissions, the office guidance directs documents for companies registered throughout the UK to Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ. Use typescript or bold black capitals when completing the form.
If the appointment is to the company secretary role, use AP03 for an individual secretary. AP02 concerns a corporate director, so it does not record that separate appointment.
Official PDF: AP02 — Official PDF (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)