AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
A Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) is a 10-digit number HMRC gives to a taxpayer. A UK limited company gets its own UTR when it is set up, sent by post usually around 15 days later to the address registered with Companies House; it takes longer if you live overseas. It is the closest UK equivalent to the US EIN for tax purposes, but it is not the company registration number.
The UTR in one paragraph
GOV.UK describes a UTR as "a 10-digit number", sometimes just called a "tax reference". You get one when you register for Self Assessment or set up a limited company. HMRC uses it to match returns and payments to the right taxpayer. Founders arriving from the US system often look for an "EIN"; the UK has no single number that does every job, and the UTR is only one of several references a company collects in its first months.
The numbers a UK company collects
| Reference | Issued by | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration number | Companies House | Identifies the company on the public register; used on filings and letterheads |
| Company UTR (Corporation Tax) | HMRC | Corporation Tax returns and payments |
| Director's personal UTR | HMRC | Your own Self Assessment, if you need to file one |
| PAYE employer reference | HMRC | Running payroll once you register as an employer |
| VAT registration number | HMRC | VAT returns and invoices, once registered for VAT |
The company UTR and your personal UTR are different numbers. Using your personal UTR on a company form, or the reverse, is one of the most common early mistakes. The registration number from Companies House is public; treat the UTR as confidential and share it only with your accountant and HMRC.
When the company UTR arrives
GOV.UK says you will usually get your UTR by post around 15 days after you register, and that people living overseas wait longer. For a company, HMRC sends it to the business address registered with Companies House. That has a practical consequence for Nigerian founders:
- If your registered office is a forwarding service, the letter goes there first; make sure the service scans HMRC post quickly.
- If the registered office is a friend's address, ask them to watch for brown HMRC envelopes in the weeks after incorporation.
- Do not change the registered office in the first few weeks unless you must, or the letter may go astray.
Choosing that address is covered in do I need a registered office address service?. If you are forming the company from Lagos, see registering a UK company while living in Nigeria.
What to do with it: Corporation Tax registration
Having a UTR is not the same as being registered for Corporation Tax. You use the UTR to register the company for Corporation Tax once it starts doing business, and later to file returns and pay. GOV.UK's company set-up guide lists adding Corporation Tax services to your business tax account as one of the steps. The deadlines and steps are in registering a new UK company for Corporation Tax.
Worked example
Example: Folake incorporates her design company on 2 June using a registered office service in Manchester while she is still in Abuja. Around mid to late June HMRC posts the company UTR to the Manchester address; the service emails her a scan. She keeps the letter with the incorporation certificate, sends the UTR to her accountant, and uses it to register the company for Corporation Tax when she signs her first client in July. Her personal UTR, which she already had from filing as a sole trader, stays separate.
If you have lost it
For organisations, GOV.UK says to look on previous tax returns and HMRC letters such as payment reminders. For a limited company, you can request the Corporation Tax UTR online through HMRC's service; otherwise contact HMRC. For individuals and sole traders, the UTR is in the Personal Tax Account and the HMRC app, and on older returns and notices to file. If you register as self-employed as well, see registering as a sole trader as a newcomer.
Common questions from banks and platforms
Business bank accounts, marketplaces and payment platforms often ask for the company registration number and sometimes for the UTR. If the company is brand new and the UTR has not arrived, say so; most will accept it later. Do not invent a number or give your personal UTR in its place, because mismatches cause delays at HMRC and with the provider.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account can be opened from any country for a UK company once it is registered. The Compliance agent keeps a record of the company's references and filing dates and prepares reminders for a person to act on; nothing is filed or paid without approval.
Questions people ask
Is a UTR the same as a company registration number?
No. The company registration number comes from Companies House and is public. The UTR comes from HMRC and is used for tax.
How long does it take to get a company UTR?
GOV.UK says it usually arrives by post around 15 days after you register, and longer for people living overseas.
Where is the company UTR sent?
To the business address registered with Companies House.
What is the UK equivalent of an EIN?
There is no single equivalent. For company tax, the UTR is the closest; payroll and VAT have their own references.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Find a lost UTR number · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Set up a limited company, set up your company for Corporation Tax · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.