Few Companies House forms could be described as useful. Functional, absolutely. Useful, not so much. But then there’s the RP04 form, a genuinely helpful document that can assist limited companies in correcting previous filing mistakes. In this post, we’re going to look at when you can take advantage of the RP04 form, when you can’t, and how to go about using it.

Please note the following applies to a private limited company.

What is the RP04 form?

The RP04, also known as the “Second Filing of a Document Previously Delivered” form (RP stands for “Registrar’s Powers”), is used to inform Companies House that a previously submitted and accepted document contained incorrect information.

The form itself does not have a specific field to detail the incorrect information. Instead, it must be submitted along with a complete, corrected version of the original document, serving as the second filing.

Example

A limited company submits a CH01: Change of Director’s Details form, which is accepted by Companies House. However, the director later discovers a typo in the service address provided. To correct this, the director completes the RP04 form and prepares a second filing of the CH01 form. Both forms are then mailed together to Companies House, where they are accepted. The correct information subsequently appears on the register.

What forms can the RP04 be used to correct?

The RP04 can be completed online via Companies House WebFiling when you need to submit a second filing of the following forms:

• CS01: Confirmation Statement – only if you need to correct a mistake related to shares or shareholding
• SH01: Return of Allotment of Shares
• AP01: Appointment of Director
• However, the RP04 and the second filing must be completed on paper for the following forms:
• AP01: Appointment of Director
• AP02: Appointment of Corporate Director
• AP03: Appointment of Secretary
• AP04: Appointment of Corporate Secretary
• CH01: Change of Director’s Details
• CH02: Change of Corporate Director’s Details
• CH03: Change of Secretary’s Details
• CH04: Change of Corporate Secretary’s Details
• TM01: Termination of Appointment of Director
• TM02: Termination of Appointment of Secretary
• SH01: Return of Allotment of Shares
• AR01: Annual Return
• CS01: Confirmation Statement
• PSC01: Notice of Individual Person with Significant Control (PSC)
• PSC02: Notice of Relevant Legal Entity (RLE) with Significant Control
• PSC03: Notice of Other Registrable Person (ORP) with Significant Control
• PSC04: Change of Details of Individual Person with Significant Control (PSC)
• PSC05: Change of Details of Relevant Legal Entity (RLE) with Significant Control
• PSC06: Change of Details of Other Registrable Person (ORP) with Significant Control
• PSC07: Notice of Ceasing to be a Person with Significant Control (PSC), Relevant Legal Entity (RLE), or Other Registrable Person (ORP)
• PSC08: Notification of PSC Statements
• PSC09: Update to PSC Statements

What information do you need to provide?

The RP04 paper form is extremely simple to complete. All you need to enter is the:

• Company number
• Company name
• Name of the form that the RP04 is being used to correct
• Date of registration of the incorrect form
• Presenter information, such as your name, company name, address, and telephone number

And don’t forget to include a corrected version of the previously incorrect form.

When should you file it?

We recommend completing the RP04 and the second filing as soon as you discover that the first filing contained an error. This ensures that the public register is updated promptly.

If you realize a mistake has been made before the first filing has been accepted by Companies House, you must wait until it has been accepted before sending the RP04 and the second filing.

Why not just file the corrected form again without the RP04?

When you complete an RP04 alongside the second filing, Companies House will indicate that it is a second filing for the document. This will inform anyone viewing the register that the first filing contained a mistake, even though the first filing will remain on the public register.

If you file a document again without the RP04, it will appear as though the previous filing was correct, but something has since changed.

As a director, it is your responsibility to ensure that the information on the register is accurate and up-to-date. Filing an RP04 when appropriate is part of maintaining this accuracy.

Do you need to pay to file an RP04?