How do I change a director's date of birth?

Key Takeaways

• Correct an inaccurate date of birth on the public register without the need for the director to resign or be reappointed.
• If the director or PSC was a part of the company registration, you need to submit paper forms to Companies House as this specific change cannot be processed through online account portals or standard web filing. If they were appointed after, you can submit this online.
• File form RP02A alongside form RPCH01 if the error occurred during the original company formation process.
• Provide form RP04 together with form AP01 if the director was appointed at any point after the initial company incorporation.
• Anticipate a processing period of approximately ten-to-twenty working days for Companies House to receive the documents and update the official record.
• Recognise that while most director details like address or nationality can be edited digitally, date of birth updates require this specific manual procedure.

How to change a director's date of birth?

When it comes to a limited company’s director there’s quite a bit you can change online: Name, service address (official address), residential address, occupation, even the nationality. The date of birth however, is not so simple to update. After all, whilst all of the above can change, someone’s date of birth can’t. But what if you entered the incorrect date of birth when appointing a director?

The good news is, this information can be changed (and you don’t need to resign as a director and then reappoint yourself). It’s just not as simple as logging into your account with us (or going straight through the Companies House website) and making the change online.

If a director or PSC was added as part of company registration (IN01), you’ll need to complete and submit 2 paper forms:

• The ‘Replace a document not meeting requirements (RP01)’ form.
• The section of the ‘Application to register a company (IN01)’ form for the director or PSC whose date of birth needs to be corrected. If they are a director and PSC, you must include both sections of the form.
• You must also include proof of their correct date of birth, for example a photocopy of a driving licence or passport.
• Send all your documents together by post to: 2nd Filings Team, Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ

If the director was appointed after the company was registered using the ‘Appoint a director (AP01)’ filing, you submit your replacement filing online:

1. Sign in to Companies House WebFiling.
2. Select the ‘All forms’ tab.
3. Select ‘Replace a previous filing that contained an error or had missing information’.
4. Select ‘Replace a previously filed appointment of a director (AP01)’.

Once the documents have been received at Companies House it can take up to 20 days for the update to be made.

For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/correcting-your-date-of-birth-with-companies-house 

We hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions take a look at our dedicated company formation support portal or call us on 020 7608 5500 and our team can assist you.

FAQs

Can I change a director's date of birth online?

If the director was a part of the company registration, you cannot change their date of birth through the Companies House online service or Companies MadeSimple portal. This is because it is considered as a fixed piece of information, and corrections must be made using specific paper forms sent by post. However, if the director was appointed after the company was registered, you can use the Companies House online service to replace a previous AP01 filing, and correct the date of birth. Most other details, such as a service address or nationality, can still be updated digitally.

Which forms do I need to correct a date of birth error?

The forms you need depend on when the director was first appointed to the company. If the incorrect date was provided during the initial company formation, you must file forms RP02A and RPCH01. If the director joined the company after it was already incorporated, you will need to submit forms RP04 and AP01 instead.

How long does Companies House take to update a director's date of birth?

It typically takes around ten working days for Companies House to process the paper application and update the public register, or up to twenty dates if they are experiencing high demand. Because these forms must be sent by post rather than filed electronically, the processing time is longer than standard digital updates. You should receive a notification or see the change reflected on the register once it is complete.

Do I need to resign and reappoint the director to fix the date of birth?

No, you do not need to resign and reappoint the director to correct an error in their date of birth. Filing the correct RP04 paperwork allows you to rectify the mistake while maintaining the director’s continuous term of service. This is a much cleaner approach for your company records than attempting to restart an appointment from scratch.

Is the full date of birth visible to the public on Companies House?

For privacy reasons, only the month and year of a director's birth are usually visible to the general public on the Companies House register. However, it is still vital that the full, accurate date is held on the private record for identity verification and compliance purposes. If an error exists in the month or year, it will be visible publicly and should be corrected.

What information can I update online for a company director?

You can update most director information online in a few minutes, including their name, service address, residential address, occupation, and nationality. These changes are usually processed much faster than date of birth corrections. To manage these details easily, you can use our company secretarial service to submit electronic updates directly to Companies House without the need for paper forms.