Getting the Stationery Right

The development of your brand and the design of your logo and stationery is an important part of your marketing strategy. Letters, invoices, mail shots, and statements are all forms of advertising.

Limited companies and Limited liability partnerships (LLPs)

Whether in hard copy, electronic or any other form, the company or LLP must state its name, in legible lettering, on the following:

• All its business letters and order forms
• All its notices and other official publications
• All its bills of exchange, promissory notes, endorsements, cheques and orders for money or goods purporting to be signed by, or on behalf of, the company or LLP
• All its bills of parcels, invoices, receipts and letters of credit. (Invoices must also state the VAT number where applicable)
• All its websites

On all of its business letters, order forms or any of its websites, the company or LLP name must show in legible lettering:

• Its place of registration
• Registered number
• Its registered office address
• And if it is being wound up, that fact

Premises

Every company or LLP must display its registered name at the registered office and other places at which records are kept for inspection. This regulation does not apply to a company which has been dormant since incorporation.

A company’s registered name must also be displayed at any location at which it carries on business, except where that location is primarily living accommodation.

The displayed name must be in characters which can be read with the naked eye, and positioned so that it can easily be seen at any time by any visitor to the premises.

Partnerships

Partnerships are required to state on letters, orders, invoices, and receipts, and to display on the premises, the names of all partners together with the principal office of the partnership. Alternatively, they must indicate where a list of partners may be inspected. Invoices must state the VAT registration number, where applicable.

Sole traders

A sole trader operating under a business name must state on letters, orders, invoices, and receipts his or her own name and business address. Invoices must state the VAT registration number, where applicable.

Whenever an email is used where its paper equivalent would be caught by the business stationery requirements, then that email is also subject to the requirements.