Apply to protect your details on the Register of Overseas Entities
How to protect your personal information from the public, if you are at serious risk as a beneficial owner, managing officer or a trust member of an overseas entity.
The Register of Overseas Entities came into force in the UK on 1 August 2022 through the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022.
Overseas entities who want to buy, sell or transfer property or land in the UK, must register with Companies House and tell us who their registrable beneficial owners or managing officers are.
Most of the information given to Companies House about overseas entities, beneficial owners and managing officers will be publicly available on the Register of Overseas Entities. This will lead to more transparency, which will allow law enforcement agencies to investigate suspicious wealth more effectively.
For more information, see Register an overseas entity and its beneficial owners.
What protection means
You can apply to protect your details if you (or anyone who lives with you) are at risk of harm or intimidation if your information is available to the public.
This applies if you are a:
- beneficial owner
- managing officer
- trust member
Protection for trust members
A trust member includes:
- a beneficiary
- a settlor
- a grantor
- any interested party
You can also apply if you have the authority to act on behalf of a trust member because they:
- are a minor (aged 17 and under)
- lack capacity (defined in Section 2 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005)
You’ll need to provide evidence to confirm the trust member is either a minor or lacks capacity. You will not need to provide evidence of a risk of harm or intimidation.
If you are a trust member and you meet the criteria for protection, it’s important that you apply to protect your details before 31 August 2025. From this date, third parties will be able to apply for access to trust details.
We will publish guidance about access to trust information soon.
How to apply for protection
You’ll need to request a paper application form from our secure registers team.
To complete the application form, you’ll need:
- the overseas entity (OE) name, address and OE reference number (if known)
- the applicant’s details
- the beneficial owners, managing officers or trust members that are at risk of harm
- details about the risk of harm, and supporting evidence
It costs £100 to apply, for each person who needs to protect their information. We’ll reject your application if you do not include the correct fee.
Request a paper application form
How to file your application
Send your application with any supporting evidence and the correct fee to:
The Registrar of Companies
PO Box 4082
Cardiff
CF14 3WE
How we process your application
We’ll send you a letter to confirm we’ve received your application. You’ll also get an identification number for each person applying for protection. We’ll check the details you’ve provided and review your reasons for protection.
It takes at least 30 days to process an application, but complex applications can take up to a year. Your information will be protected from the public while we process your application.
We may ask you for more evidence to support your application if we do not have enough information.
Once we’ve processed your application, we’ll send you notice with our decision within 7 days.
Removing your home address
You can apply to remove your home address (known as a ‘usual residential address’) if it is shown on the Register of Overseas Entities.
To remove your home address, you must replace it with a different address, such as a new service address or a principal office address.
For full details, see Removing your home address from the Companies House register.
Updates to this page
Published 28 February 2025Last updated 5 March 2025 + show all updates
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Added guidance for clarity. You’ll need to provide evidence to confirm a trust member is either a minor or lacks capacity. You will not need to provide evidence of a risk of harm or intimidation.
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First published.