No active director: what the check means
What it means when a company has no active director on the Companies House register, why that is a serious problem, and what to check next.
- Severity
- Critical
- Category
- Governance
- Plan
- Free and above
- Test code
- GOV-012
What this test checks
Counts the company's active directors on the Companies House register. Every private company must have at least one director, and at least one director must be a person rather than another company.
Limited liability partnerships are excluded, because they are run by members rather than directors (see GOV-025).
What a fail looks like
The register shows no active director. Nobody is recorded as having authority to run the company, sign contracts or file its accounts.
Harmless explanations
- A new director's appointment may not yet have been filed, for example just after the last director resigned.
- A director who died or resigned may be in the process of being replaced.
What to do
- Ask who is running the company and who has authority to sign on its behalf.
- Do not sign new contracts until a director is on the register.
- Check whether filings are falling behind, which often follows.
Related tests
- GOV-011Sole Director / Key Person Risk
- GOV-014All-Corporate Board
- FIN-003Accounts Overdue Check
- GOV-085Confirmation Statement Overdue
Part of the test catalogue. Every check Senserity runs, with its severity and the plan it is available on.
Last reviewed .