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Guidance

Community interest companies: forms and step-by-step guides

The processes you need to follow, and the documents you need to submit, when you are a community interest company or you wish to form (or convert to) a community interest company.

Updates to this page

From:
Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies
Published:
1 September 2012
Last updated:
17 July 2026
Show all updates

  1. Edited the fee for applying to strike a company from the Companies House register in section 16.1. It costs £13 to apply online and £18 to apply on paper.

  2. Added guidance on submitting amending CIC accounts

  3. Update on the change to Community Interest Companies incorporation fees for online application and paper applications

  4. Updated guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence

  5. Added Conversion application checklist

  6. Added a checklist for the online process for Community Interest Companies

  7. Updated contact details on point 18

  8. Updated guidance on converting a Registered Society to a Community Interest Company

  9. Updated broken link for information on Person with significant control (PSC)

  10. Updated fees for incorporation & conversions

  11. Customers can no-longer send the form CIC34 to Scotland - removed the Scottish address

  12. Add video of webinar on Community Interest Company or Charity do you know the difference?

  13. Updated broken link for the form DS01 for dissolution

  14. Added information that Community Interest Companies (CICs) can now file Resolution online by using Companies house upload system

  15. Added information on Peron of Significant Control

  16. Updated information on filing CIC accounts

  17. Added helpful tips

  18. Updated information on filing CIC accounts online

  19. Updating step-by-step guidelines to incorporate and convert an application.

  20. Updated the Regulators Office address

  21. Uploaded online account filing webinar

  22. Updating link to online accounts facility

  23. amendments to guidance notes

  24. To ensure the new online process is at the top of the document

  25. Coding for addresses amended

  26. Added links to main list

  27. Adding further information - online incorporation

  28. New process for a CIC converting to a CIO

  29. Form IN01 continuation sheet added

  30. Updated the notice of intent to remove the company from 3 to 2 months.

  31. Companies House addresses amended

  32. Step-by-step guides updated to reflect new version of IN01

  33. Updated office address

  34. Updated form IN01 link

  35. Updated the convert a CIC to a Registered Society step-by-step guide.

  36. Voluntary dissolution step by step guide updated.

  37. Convert an existing comapny to CIC step-by-step guides updated

  38. First published.

Documents

CIC business activities: forms and step-by-step guidelines

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Details

A Community Interest Company (CIC) is a limited company, with special additional features, created for the use of people who want to conduct a business or other activity for community benefit, and not purely for private advantage.

This step-by-step guidance explains what you need to do to:

  • Handy Hits and Tips befor completing your CIC application
  • Online application checklist
  • form a CIC online or by post
  • form a community interest public limited company (plc)
  • convert an existing company to a CIC
  • convert a charitable company to a CIC
  • convert a Registered Society to a CIC
  • convert a private company to a community interest plc
  • convert a plc to a community interest plc
  • change or specifying an asset-locked body in the articles of association
  • alter clauses in the articles of association
  • alter the object statement of a CIC
  • change the status of a CIC to a community interest plc
  • convert a CIC to a charitable company
  • convert a CIC to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • convert a CIC to an IPS
  • arrange the voluntary dissolution of a CIC
  • file an annual CIC report and accounts online or by post
  • file amending CIC accounts

It includes links to the appropriate forms, model constitutions (including the memorandum of association and articles of association) and model special resolutions.

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