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.

Published 1 September 2012
Last updated 28 February 2020 — see all updates
From:
Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies

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:

  • 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 an industrial and provident society (IPS) 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

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

Published 1 September 2012
Last updated 28 February 2020 + show all updates

  1. Updated the Regulators Office address

  2. Uploaded online account filing webinar

  3. Updating link to online accounts facility

  4. amendments to guidance notes

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

  6. Coding for addresses amended

  7. Added links to main list

  8. Adding further information - online incorporation

  9. New process for a CIC converting to a CIO

  10. Form IN01 continuation sheet added

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

  12. Companies House addresses amended

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

  14. Updated office address

  15. Updated form IN01 link

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

  17. Voluntary dissolution step by step guide updated.

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

  19. First published.

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