Articles of Association are a requirement for the establishment of a company under United Kingdom and in most other countries company law. Corporations law or corporate law is the law concerning the creation and regulation of corporations. ...

In the United Kingdom the main purpose of the Articles of Association are to state the rules and regulations of how the directors should run the company and will cover such things as the issue of shares (also called stock), whether different shares carry different voting and dividend rights, any restrictions on transfer of shares, how often the directors are supposed to meet, period of notice required for notice of meetings, including Annual General Meetings (when the appointment and removal of directors and approval of accounts are voted on), the calling of extraordinary and special meetings, in other words basic and fundamental details of the company; i.e. name, purpose, directors and allocation of stock.

In the United Kingdom There are draft Regulations for the running of a company, known as Table A, published as a statutory instrument in 1985, where nearly all Articles of Association are derived from this document. Table A is designed for the use by a Public Limited Company, but amendments within the Companies Acts are permissible. Private Companies usually take advantage of some or all the lesser requirements required of a private limited company by shares. The initials plc after a UK or Irish company name indicate that it is a public limited company, a type of limited company whose shares may be offered for sale to the public. ... In English Law and in many Commonwealth countries, a limited company by shares (limited or Ltd. ...

Copies of UK legislation is available from The Office of Public Sector Information. Legislation passed since 1987 is also available on line.

At present, Spring, 2006, there is a Bill going through Parliament which will alter the Companies Act with a new consolidation Companies Act and may include far reaching changes.

External Links

• The Office of Public Sector Information
• Companies House (for England, Wales and Scotland)