{"id":9968,"date":"2023-03-25T07:08:21","date_gmt":"2023-03-25T07:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/?p=9968"},"modified":"2024-02-15T09:11:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T09:11:24","slug":"tax-identification-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/tax-identification-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) – what you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re the director or shareholder of a limited company, you may have heard of Tax Identification Numbers, often referred to as TINs. Perhaps you recently registered your company and are eagerly awaiting your TIN.<\/p>\n

In this post, we cover everything you need to know about the TIN, including why – as a company director and\/or shareholder – you\u2019re wasting your time if you are waiting to receive a \u2018TIN\u2019 (and what you should be keeping an eye out for instead). Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n

What is a Tax Identification Number (TIN)?<\/h3>\n

A TIN is a unique tax identifier, typically made up of letters and numbers, that\u2019s assigned to an account holder by their specific tax jurisdiction. TIN is not a term that\u2019s common in the United Kingdom; however, it is popular across the EU and in America. Because of this, if a UK limited company is working with a business based in the EU or America, it is not uncommon for the UK company to be asked to present a TIN.<\/p>\n

The purpose of the TIN is to identify a taxpayer and, in turn, help facilitate the administration of tax affairs (both national and cross-border).<\/p>\n

The limited company dates that you need to know about<\/span><\/a>\n What is a company\u2019s statement of financial position?<\/span><\/a>\n Registering as an employer – the essentials<\/span><\/a>\n <\/p>\n

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) – the UK government body responsible for the collection of taxes, does not issue anything that\u2019s referred to as a TIN. Nor do Companies House, the UK\u2019s official registrar of companies.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, because of the ambiguity surrounding the term, there are some unique identifiers that could be described as the UK\u2019s alternatives to TINs.<\/p>\n

TINs for a UK limited company and its directors<\/h3>\n

If you have been asked to present a TIN, it\u2019s likely that the person\/organisation making the request actually wants one of the below:<\/p>\n

Company registration number (CRN)<\/h4>\n

The company registration number (sometimes referred to as the company number) is a unique eight-character string that is automatically given to a company as soon as it is registered at Companies House.<\/p>\n

This number should be published on the company\u2019s website, stationery, and any other official company documentation, such as invoices.<\/p>\n

By presenting a company number, a business is demonstrating that they are a registered company at Companies House.<\/p>\n

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Despite its name, the company registration number does not always consist of just numbers. The format depends on the company type (is it limited by shares, a limited liability partnership or a limited partnership?) and jurisdiction (was it formed in England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland?).<\/p>\n

Examples of the different company registration numbers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Company type<\/strong><\/td>\nJurisdiction<\/strong><\/td>\nExample<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Limited by shares<\/td>\nEngland & Wales or only Wales<\/td>\n01234567<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\nSC123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNorthern Ireland<\/td>\nNI123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Limited liability partnership<\/td>\nEngland & Wales or only Wales<\/td>\nOC123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\nSO123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNorthern Ireland<\/td>\nNC123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Limited partnership<\/td>\nEngland & Wales or only Wales<\/td>\nLP123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\nSL123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNorthern Ireland<\/td>\nNL123456<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Your company registration number can be found in a number of places, including:<\/p>\n